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Darts icon John Henderson has heaped praise on darting sensation for his influence on the sport as he gears up to compete alongside social media personalities in a . The beloved Scottish player, who dropped out of the PDC's elite in 2024 and once thrilled fans at the in Aberdeen with bagpipe accompaniment, has excelled on the after losing his Tour Card.

Henderson, 52, acknowledged that , who clinched back-to-back Super Series titles in 2023, has played a starring role in not only motivating the youth game but also in catapulting darts into the spotlight, attracting influencers to create content around the game - social media stars like the ones he is set to take to the oche alongside.

"If somebody would have said I would be playing influencers 10 years ago, I'd have laughed at it," admitted Henderson as he prepares to star in the , which will be broadcast live exclusively on Pluto TV.

"I think, obviously, the Luke Littler effect has helped that side of things, like the youngsters coming through. But the event seems to work. The public love watching it, and it's good to see some of the professionals getting involved and playing with them, and it's just such a relaxed day.

"It's good for the sport as well. I think it gives the audience something different to watch. What he [Littler] has done, you know, in the past 12 months, everybody's thinking, 'Oh, I want a piece of that.'

"Obviously, Luke Littlers only come along every so often, but it really has progressed as the younger generation coming through, everybody's buying dartboards now. There are academies up and down the country. It's all good for the younger generation coming through. Luke has certainly put his mark on the sport, there's no question about that."

Henderson will join fellow professionals such as Robert Thornton, Mervyn King, and Richie Burnett on the MODUS stage, alongside a group of social media personalities. Additionally, 12-year-old prodigy Jayden Walker will also be in action on Sunday.

"I did one of the first ones, played with AngryGinge. They're kind of very relaxed, and it was a very good day out," added Henderson, reflecting on his previous experiences playing with YouTuber and friend of Littler, AngryGinge.

"I really enjoyed the last one, so it's good to see some of these guys that have never thrown a dart before. Good fun, and it's not too serious. Obviously playing in the week, on the MODUS, you've got your serious head on, then Sunday comes, and you can just chill out and enjoy the company.

"They're very young lads and they've got some very interesting backgrounds, so it's good to chill out, just have a game of darts and have a wee chat with them."