Andrew Gilding’s 2023 UK Open triumph marked one of the sport’s greatest underdog stories, and now the unassuming Suffolk star is dreaming of landing the sport’s biggest prize at Alexandra Palace.
Gilding will make his fifth Paddy Power World Darts Championship appearance this year, although this time around, he will make the annual pilgrimage to the capital as a televised title winner.
Gilding celebrated his maiden TV title with an incredible 11-10 victory over Michael van Gerwen at Butlin’s Minehead Resort back in March, edging out the Dutch superstar in a last-leg thriller.
The 52-year-old trailed 9-7 at one stage, before fighting back brilliantly in the closing stages to become the oldest first-time winner of a PDC premier televised event.
“That was a massive moment. So many people came up to me and said: ‘I’m glad you won that’,” reflected Gilding, who pocketed £110,000 for his landmark UK Open success.
“I’m glad it went to the final leg and I managed to put on a good show as well. It was exciting!
“I’m not sure if it’s sunk in yet to be honest, but I think it’s definitely added some confidence to my game.”
Gilding – also a World Grand Prix quarter-finalist in October - has enjoyed a remarkable journey to prominence, having not played competitive darts until his mid-30s.
However, he now finds himself on the cusp of a place in the world’s top 16, as he prepares to take on former Lakeside Champion Christian Kist or World Youth Champion Luke Littler in his Ally Pally opener.
“Darts has completely changed my life,” added Gilding, who is bidding to progress beyond the second round stage at the World Championship for the first time in his career.
“From my late teens to my early 30s, I was suffering with depression. We have a history of it in my family on my father’s side. My Dad had it, and my Grandad had it.
“I was a total recluse at one point, but darts helped me get out again. I started going to church and I played the guitar in a church band.
“They even got me up singing at one point which was great preparation for the big stage, because there’s nothing more petrifying than that for me!
“I went from not wanting to show my face outside to then joining a local darts team, and I gradually worked my way up in the pub leagues.
“A few people said: ‘He’s not good enough to make county’, but I think I just had this inner belief, and the rest is history!”
Despite making his major breakthrough with a run to the UK Open semi-finals in 2015, Gilding relinquished his place on the professional circuit after dropping out of the world’s top 64 at the end of 2018.
However, after regaining his PDC Tour Card in January 2021, the man with the ‘Goldfinger’ moniker has discovered the Midas touch to etch his name into the darting history-books.
“I feel like I was a little bit fortunate to win it, because I wasn’t going in there and banging in 100+ averages,” continued the Ipswich-born thrower.
“Ironically, I made the [UK Open] semi-finals eight years ago and I was doing that. I averaged 108 against Michael [van Gerwen] and lost!
“These days the averages are a bit lower, but I’m hitting the important doubles and learning how to win.
“I don’t see why I can’t go on and win another major title. If it happened once, it can happen again!”
You can also read the exclusive feature with Andrew in the official 2023/24 Paddy Power World Darts Championship programme, which is available to pre-order now.