World Darts Championship star ‘nearly died’ before undergoing surgery | Other | Sport

World Darts Championship star James Hurrell has revealed that he nearly died after refusing to visit his GP despite the fact that he was suffering with pain and was unable to go to the toilet properly for weeks. The 41-year-old has enjoyed a decent start to his Alexandra Palace campaign and is preparing to face Stephen Bunting in the third round tonight (Saturday).

Hurrell, who works as a bricklayer, got the better of Stowe Buntz in his opening World Championship match as he dispatched the American 3-1. The talented thrower then overcame Dirk van Duijvenbode 3-2 in his second match to set up a showdown with Bunting. But he will begin tonight’s match as the underdog, with Bunting previously reaching the semi-finals on two occasions.

During the World Championship, there is a campaign for men in the crowd to check their risk for prostate cancer.

And opening up on his own health scare during an interview with The Sun, Hurrell explained: “In 2017, I nearly had a twisted bowel and nearly died. I had to pull out of the Lakeside Worlds.

“I didn’t go to the doctor. It’s a man thing. I used to go to tournaments and I’d come back with pain up in my ribs. Once, I got up in the night and was just sick in the kitchen sink.

“There was blood and that’s when I decided to go to the doctors. I didn’t throw darts for two and a half years. I was really ill. I went down to seven or eight stone.”

Just before he went down to theatre, his father spoke to him about his goals, with Hurrell harbouring ambitions at the time to captain England on the BDO circuit and then feature at Ally Pally.

And the ace added: “I had a goal and I did it. My dad rubbed my head when I went down in the wheelchair for the operation and we spoke about my goals. Maybe six months to a year after my operation, I was captain of England on the BDO.

“So the performance I put in after my illness – after my operation – honestly, it was down to my dad just rubbing me on my head.

“My message to anybody with health issues is, ’Don’t be scared to go to the doctor. Please don’t be scared to go.’ I did. I was scared but I went in the end. And I was just at the right time.”