Five-time world darts champion Bristow dies of heart attack at 60

Five-time world champion Eric Bristow has died at the age of 60 after suffering a heart attack, the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) confirmed last night.

Bristow, born in Hackney and known as the “Crafty Cockney”, won the world championship five times between 1980 to 1986 at the beginning of the sport’s television boom, and also won five World Masters titles.

In a statement last night, the PDC said: “The Professional Darts Corporation is deeply saddened to announce that 0 Eric Bristow was known as the Crafty Cockney five-timeworldchampioneric Bristow MBE passed away on Thursday evening following a heart attack.”

PDC chairman Barry Hearn led the tributes to Bristow, saying: “Eric will always be a leg- end in the world of darts and British sport.

“He was a tremendous player and a huge character and even after his retirement fans would travel for miles to meet him and see him play.

“Eric was never afraid of controversy, but he spoke as he found and was honest and straightforward which is what people admired about him. The PDC, and the sport of darts, will miss him.”

Bristow was a founder member of the PDC in 1993 and received an MBE in 1989.

He also worked as a TV pundit and appeared on ITV show I’m A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! in 2012.