Darts-playing granddad, 95, ends up in Luke Littler meme

Terry O'Brien, 95, originally from Bradford, has received hundreds of likes and comments on TikTok, Instagram and Facebook after a picture of him playing darts was posted online.

The meme reads 'Luke Littlers' dad (38) has just announced how proud he is of his son' - which is joking about how people are surprised at the 16-year-old's age.

Terry's daughter Lisa O'Brien, 54, first discovered the viral joke when Luke was playing in the World Darts Championship final on Wednesday (January 3).

But she says Terry, a retired lorry driver and taxi driver, thinks the meme is 'hilarious' and is 'taking it in his stride.'

Lisa, of Colchester, Essex said: "We've all found it really funny but really strange.

"He's living in a care home and they all find it so funny, he's a right celebrity now.

"He's a real joker himself and would often tell jokes himself when I was a little girl, so he's certainly seen the funny side of life.

"Because he's such a fun chap, he saw the meme and thought it was hilarious.

"Some people messaged me and asked if he minded about it - but of course he doesn't because it's all a joke.

"I told him people are saying he's 38 and he liked that, so he's taking it all in his stride."

Lisa was first sent a screenshot of the meme by her cousin but since Wednesday, more and more people have sent her the image.

She thinks whoever created the meme simply searched up 'old darts player' into Google, but she has seen the funny side and thinks it's 'really bizarre.'

The endoscopy nurse said: "It's really bizarre but he's a very loved man and he's very popular.

"The last couple of months have been difficult because he's been really poorly in hospital but now he's gone into a beautiful nursing home and he's living life."

Terry played darts up until the age of 91 and at one point, he was thought to be one of the oldest players in the UK.

Lisa said: "He could remember watching his dad play darts through a pub window when he was a little boy.

"Then he came to Colchester in 1948 and he met my mum, so my grandad took him to the pub so he could get to know him.

"They played darts together in 1948 and then he started playing for the local pub.

"He played for a league in Colchester for 72 years and then he stopped when Covid hit when he was 91 years old.

"I used to sit in the pub and watch him play - everyone in Colchester knows who he is and he used to hand out the programs at the county games."