Gerwyn Price has vowed to turn over a new leaf in 2025 as he bids to return to the top of darts.

The 2021 world champion has cut a disgruntled figure over the last couple of years, which have seen him drop to the fringes of the world’s top 10. Price has done his talking on social media as much as the oche in that time, hitting out at crowds and criticising playing conditions, most notably in the Premier League.

It’s left many to wonder whether the Markham thrower has had enough of the sport before he even reaches his 40th birthday. However, a spell of inactivity at the back end of last year appears to have rekindled his passion for darts.

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“Having a couple of weeks off, missing the Grand Slam [after failing to qualify] and going out early in the Players Championship… I get bored really easily and I didn’t really have anything to do,” he said in an interview for Reach's 2025 darts preview publication.

“It put things into perspective for me. If I’m not playing darts, then I have nothing else to do. I missed it. I love playing in the Grand Slam and I’ve won it a few [three] times. It was difficult missing that one. It gave me a reset and made me look forward to playing again.

“I just want to enjoy darts again. I think I played a little bit too much and got down on myself. But missing those couple of weeks gave me a spark back, and that’s all I needed, I think.”

The proof of his fresh start will be in the results but the early signs are promising. He reached the last eight at the World Championship before runs to the final and the semi-finals of the first two World Series events of the season in Bahrain and the Netherlands.

Next up is the revamped World Masters, where Price begins his campaign against a qualifier on Thursday night. It’s then onto the Premier League where, after much speculation, he secured a wildcard selection.

“I didn’t know [if he would be in],” he admitted. “I knew an hour before it came on Sky. This year, I had a message come through from [PDC chief executive] Matt Porter, which I thought was going to be a message saying I wasn’t in. But it said, ‘congratulations’ and that I was in, so I was happy.”

Price remains lukewarm about the format, which sees a mini knockout tournament for 16 weeks before the play-offs at The O2 in London at the end of May.

“It is what it is,” he added “I just need to be a bit more positive week after week, whether results are going my way or not. We play this format every week and I’m going to give it my best.”

Price’s run to the quarter-finals at Alexandra Palace, which included a nail-biting win over Joe Cullen and victory against fellow Welshman Jonny Clayton, aided his Premier League selection chances. However, after losing to Chris Dobey, there was a feeling of what could have been.

He admitted: “I was playing really well in every game but then slipped off and let people come back at me and started missing doubles. I gifted a win to Chris Dobey. I let Joe Cullen back in, let Jonny Clayton back in.

“If I could have been a little more ruthless and kept my foot on the gas, I probably would have got to the final, and I think I could have won it.”

Price has had a love-hate relationship with darts fans over the years. But after a lengthy rough patch, including his infamous ear-defenders stunt against Gabriel Clemens at the 2023 World Championship, he received strong support at the 2025 tournament.

“It was really good,” he said. “The fans seem to be backing me now. It wasn’t as hostile as it was in previous years. They really pushed me.”

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