Fallon Sherrock showed why she really is the Queen of the darts world on Friday night's Netflix special. The 32-year-old stunned Luke Littler in the live television event Beat Luke Littler to walk off with the £501,000 prize. She stated afterwards that her massive reward was definitely going to change her life.
Sherrock's latest success caps a remarkable journey for the athlete known as the Queen of the Palace. From her humble beginnings as a hairdresser to becoming a single teenage mother to her autistic son Rory, and managing a severe kidney disease, her path to the top of professional darts has been filled with extraordinary challenges.
Finding a Career in Professional Darts
Sherrock discovered a talent for throwing arrows when she was in her late teens. Her parents and her twin sister, Felicia, all played the sport, but she was admittedly a latecomer to competitive play. She started off playing county youth and quickly realised she was quite good at the discipline.
Aged 17, she was offered the opportunity to study forensic science at university. However, she turned down the educational path to focus entirely on her emerging darts career. At 19, her life took a difficult turn after she suffered a sudden and serious health scare that tested her physical and mental resilience.
Facing Serious Illness and Public Criticism
Sherrock became a mother to son Rory in 2014. Months later, she developed a serious kidney problem that required extensive medical intervention. She began feeling unwell and struggled with the uncertainty until she received a formal diagnosis from doctors.
It was a worrying time because she started taking medication to weaken her immune system, which was the underlying cause attacking her kidneys. The treatment brought severe side effects, including moon face, where her facial features swelled up dramatically due to an allergic or physical reaction to the drugs.
When she played in the British Darts Organisation world tournaments on television, she received a significant amount of online criticism for how she looked. She tried to look past the negative comments and refused to dwell on what people said if it did not affect her real life. That tough attitude helped strengthen her character during turbulent years.
Balancing Hairdressing, Motherhood, and Autism
As she navigated her early career in darts, Sherrock worked as a mobile hairdresser in Milton Keynes. The job gave her the necessary cash to fund her travel expenses for BDO and World Darts Federation women's tournament qualifiers across the country.
However, balancing hairdressing, a promising sports career, and being a mother to a son with a disability meant Sherrock had to put a pin in her side hustle. She dedicated her days to Rory, making sure he had a strict routine in place when he was young. That meant Sherrock would not practise until after 7pm, when he went to bed for the night.
Standing in front of her home dartboard late at night kept her sharp. Because darts venues can cause sensory overload for many autistic individuals due to the noise of crowds and flashing lights, Sherrock decided that Rory should watch her matches safely on television instead of attending noisy venues.
Becoming the Queen of the Palace
In 2019, Sherrock made her first ever appearance in the Professional Darts Corporation World Championship, becoming only the fifth female player to achieve the feat. Astonishingly, she won her first match by defeating Ted Evetts 3-2 in a thrilling contest that she originally trailed 2-1.
She posted an average of 91.12, hit six 180s, and finished with a 41 per cent success rate on doubles, sealing the match with a double 18 checkout in an assured display. The win meant Sherrock became the first woman to be victorious in a match at the Alexandra Palace event.
Sherrock followed that up with a comprehensive 3-1 win over Mensur Suljovic before bowing out to Chris Dobey in the third round. Fans dubbed her the Queen of the Palace during her historic run, and a star was officially born on the global stage.
Life as Part of a Darts Power Couple
In 2021, as the world shut down because of the Covid-19 pandemic, darts players participated in online virtual leagues. That is how Sherrock met fellow professional Cameron Menzies, and they practised together on Zoom calls before going on their first official date at KFC.
By 2023, they were considered a power couple of the sport and made history that year as the first known couple to compete in the PDC World Darts Championship in the same year. Menzies initially balanced darts with a career as a plumber and frequently credited Sherrock with helping him step up his game amid mental health battles.
However, after four years together, the pair went their separate ways. According to former PDC Tour player Vincent van der Voort on a podcast, Sherrock personally informed him of the split. Neither player has spoken publicly about the reasons for their break-up, though reports noted their relationship faced strain after they went head-to-head at the 2025 UK Open.
Claiming Her Crowning Glory on Netflix
Sherrock was close to tears after sealing her latest victory and claiming her £501,000 cheque from Netflix. There had been some question marks over her placement in the tournament due to her previous high-level experience at the oche.
That detail was seemingly lost on television presenter Gary Lineker, who remarked that Sherrock walked in as a hairdresser and walked out £501,000 richer after beating the world champion. While his comment overlooked the years of dedication and hard work against the odds it took her to get there, Sherrock likely did not mind the oversight.
Crucially, Rory was there to witness her crowning glory for his very first live match. She expressed her overwhelming emotions on stage, noting how much it meant to have Rory present to see her win in person for the very first time.
