Grand Slam of Darts

First though, darts has many celebrity fans and on Sunday for the Grand Slam Final, special VIP guests at the Wolverhampton Civic, will be none other than top British band The Fratellis.

Now, the award-winning Indie Rock band from Glasgow are massive darts fans and have been watching all the action live on ITVÉ.but of course they are the band behind the ITV darts music ÔChelsea DaggerÕ

ItÕs the music that is being used at the Grand Slam to go in and out of the commercial breaks Ð Òder der der, der der der, der der der der der der derÕ

The single ÔChelsea DaggerÕ was a huge hit in 2006 and I wonder if John, Barry and ÔMinceÕ Fratelli will lead a chorus before the final on Sunday afternoon?!

Prize money at this event totals £300,000 Ð it is the second richest darts tournament in the world, behind the PDC World Championships, which start at the Alexandra Palace next month.

Well for some players, it doesnÕt half come in handy at timesÉ.take Kevin McDine, who is guaranteed at least £10,000 for his achievements at the Grand Slam. That sort of money will help ÔSupamacÕ pay for travel and hotels and allow the youngster to play the PDC Pro Tour, with little or no worries about money.

His brilliant run to the quarter-finals and the exposure live on ITV, should also help him to attract new sponsors.

For Kevin Painter, it couldnÕt have come at a better time. ÔThe ArtistÕ moved house four months ago Ð from March in Cambridgeshire to Daventry in the West Midlands Ð and with all the expense of the move, it is much needed, especially as he is still paying two mortgages while he sells his house in March.

John McDonald is now one of the top MCs in the country and he has an interesting tale to tell. He currently works for Matchroom Sport and is Barry HearnÕs Master of Ceremonies at events all round the world.

John is not just involved in all the big darts eventsÉ.he MCs at pool, snooker, boxing, 10-pin bowling, fishing and poker and it is a job he loves but itÕs a gig he got into by accident.

He was a para in the paratroop regiment for six years but in 1979, he was involved in a near-fatal accident, breaking his neck. John spent 18 months in hospital before he was medically discharged from the unit.

He took a photography course and became a freelance photo/journalist. One night at a boxing show, he thought the MC was awful and reckoned he could do a better job! He got his big break on a boxing show on HTV in Wales and the rest, as they say, is history!

The 49-year-old lives in West London and has four sons Ð Darren, Jonathan, Anthony and ChristianÉ..his son Jonathan plays semi-pro for Staines, who have just knocked Stockport County out of the FA Cup!

More to come soon from behind-the-scenes at the Grand Slam of Darts.