Peter Wright spends hours every day ensuring he has the best hair in sport, making him one of the standout darts players.
The 54-year-old has suffered a dip in recent years, but he’s still a two-time world champion and will be one of the favourites at the Ally Pally later this year.
Wright’s Snakebite character sees him stand out for more than his throwing skills[/caption]
The Scot has seen his Snakebite character become one of the most recognisable in British sport and cemented himself as a fans’ favourite.
The mohawk is now an iconic look, and he’s entirely transformed from what he used to look like.
Peter Wright’s hair: The origins
Wright made his first appearance at the BDO World Darts Championship in 1995 looking very different to his current persona.
Wright sported short black hair and a cleanly shaven look for his first-round defeat to Richie Burnett before he briefly gave up darts to become a labourer.
By the time his first appearance at the PDC World Darts Championship rolled around, he had abandoned that boring look and was Snakebite.
Speaking about the origins of his haircut and style, Wight said: “If I was playing again I did not want to be that typical European player, looking grumpy, playing and going home,’ Wright told the Telegraph.
“I wanted to find something and I got it in the outfits and the crazy hair. I think the players who whinge about me are jealous.
“Phil Taylor said to me, ‘I wished I’d thought of that years ago — it’s brilliant’.”
Wright’s signature looks are down to his wife Jo, a hairdresser who spends two hours before every big game perfecting his trim.
And the man himself – who rocks a different coloured mohawk with a snake painted on the side – credits his daughter Jessie as his inspiration.
Wright revealed in an interview in 2013: “It’s down to my daughter because she’s the one who has all different colour hair and I thought “I’ll try that”.
“No other dart players have tried it and it just stuck.
“I class it as going to war with my war paint on ready for battle.”
Wright’s garish look might have won him his legions of fans but it is his arrows that have seen him beat the best over the past few years.
However, his poor form in 2024 has concerned Wayne Mardle.
Speaking after the Scot crashed out of the Grand Slam of Darts early on, the Sky Sports commentator said: “Peter Wright’s form is worrying.
“This is a period that has gone on for a while.
“I believe a positive result can mask problems that might be there, and I think the European Championships last year did that. That came out of the blue, it really did. A European Tour win this year came out of the blue too.
“He can still do it, but when he comes off, my word he’s off. He’s got no B game at all.
“He was upstairs joking with us saying how rubbish he is, but I felt
like he meant it. He was joking about it, but I kind of felt for him at
that point.”
Peter Wright is way down the rankings ahead of his return to Ally Pally[/caption]
But Phil Taylor still thinks Wright is in contention to become a three-time world champion.
The darts legend is a big fan of Wright and thinks he has the talent to turn his form around.
Speaking ahead of the 2024 PDC World Darts Championship, Taylor said: “It depends on what Peter Wright turns up; he has won a title this year. Peter has really pushed the boat out over the years; he went to every tournament and was on the road every time.
“He has burnt the candle from both ends a little bit. He needs to rest up a little bit now and focus on the Worlds, that’s what he needs to do. He is still capable of winning another World Championship.”
