Mark Webster Diagnosed with Hairy Cell Leukaemia

Former darts world champion and broadcaster Mark Webster has revealed he was diagnosed with hairy cell leukaemia, a rare form of blood cancer, on January 8, prompting him to step away from his commentary duties since early February.

The 42-year-old Welshman, a familiar voice on Sky Sports and ITV darts coverage, last worked at the Premier League event in Newcastle on February 5. He has since undergone treatment, including chemotherapy, but his recovery has progressed more slowly than anticipated. Low white blood cell counts have weakened his immune system, preventing a return to crowded broadcasting environments.

Speaking publicly for the first time about the condition, Webster described it as having a positive outlook. "It sounds bad when you say leukaemia, but it's got a good prognosis, 95 per cent of cases are successful," he told Darts World. "I will be put into some sort of remission at some point, but just the recovery at the minute is not going to plan in terms of the speed of it. My white blood counts are still not recovering, so therefore my immune system is not great at the minute. Hence why I can't go back to work."

Webster undergoes weekly blood tests and...