Darts boss Barry Hearn was AGAINST ban on walk-in girls and tells critics to contact TV chiefs

DARTS boss Barry Hearn has absolved himself of any responsibility for the PDC ban on walk-on girls and blamed his TV partners and the “PC brigade” for the move.

Following a number of high-profile incidents of sexual exploitation and abuse hitting the headlines, the Professional Darts Corporation and broadcasters have axed the eye candy.

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Charlotte Wood and Daniella Allfree have been axed from their job as walk-on girls at the darts[/caption]

World No1 Michael van Gerwen has backed the decision but Hearn distanced himself from the move, telling critics to take their complaints to his friends and partners at BBC, ITV and Sky.

Hearn told talkSPORT: “It’s out of my control.

“We’re living in changing times – the PC brigade, the liberal brigade are out in strength and it’s causing changes in sport everywhere we look and it’s probably going to get worse.

“I have no personal problems whatsoever with walk-on girls in darts. None. They’ve been there from the beginning.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE PETITION TO KEEP WALK-ON GIRLS AT THE DARTS

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Nearly 30,000 people have signed a petition to reverse the ban for the darts walk-on girls[/caption]

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Former F1 grid girl Kelly Brook said it was one of the best jobs she ever had[/caption]

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Charlotte, right, said she enjoyed being a darts girl[/caption]

“I think the girls are great, they get paid and it’s a job for them. I haven’t got a problem.

“But I do have a big problem in the age we live in – I’ve got the BBC, ITV and Sky, my three UK broadcasters, saying to me this is not part of their editorial policy any longer. They do not want to show the walk-on girls on television.

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The tradition of models accompanying players such as Phil Taylor to the oche has been in place for the past twenty years[/caption]

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Daniella said women’s jobs were under threat from snowflakes[/caption]

“If you can tell me what I can do about it, I’ll do it!

“I have no choice of what goes on television, that is the responsibility of the TV companies.

“The only people who can give us an answer are the heads of sport from BBC, ITV and Sky. We do a huge amount of business with them and they pump a huge amount of money into the sport.

“Now, if those companies turn around to me and say, ‘actually we don’t have a problem’, the walk-on girls are back. But they’re not saying that, so what am I supposed to do?

“Don’t write to me, write to the heads of sport at BBC, ITV and Sky, because I have no problems whatsoever with walk-on girls, and neither does the whole world of darts.”

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