ROB Cross has taken the darts world by storm in the past 12 months.

Ahead of his hometown show in Brighton, at the Champions League of Darts, Jamie Walker sat down with the Hastings local to chat darts, diets and doing it all again next year.

FOR most people New Year’s Day is a time to nurse a hangover and plan resolutions for the year ahead.

For Hastings native Rob Cross the first day of the year saw him shock the world and win the World Darts Championship, having turned pro less than a year before.

For Rob, it was the culmination of years of hard work but the impact it made on the darts world was astronomical.

Having beaten the sport’s biggest legend, Phil Taylor, in the final, Cross accomplished something that many believe will never be done again.

“No one could have predicted what happened,” says Rob as we sit in the Brighton Centre.

“I went in last year and I knew I could play, I knew I was going to be good.

“I set myself up that it was going to be a lot harder than it was.”

From there it has been a whirlwind of a 2018 for Cross.

He embarked on his first tour of the Premier League of Darts this year, finishing fourth.

It was a positive campaign for the most part, but one that did take its toll.

“You’re playing all the time, you don’t get much time off,” Rob says.

“The Premier League was very demanding this year, I wasn’t expecting that. I was expecting a couple of days home a week.

“You turn up days before, then roll into your weekend, then your Monday travelling, and it’s like that for 16 weeks.

“That was a bit of a shock to the system and next year I’ll do a couple if things differently.”

Rob has spoken very openly about the struggle and toll that the Premier League took on him.

At his heaviest, Cross went up to 18 stone in weight.

It was at this moment he realised there was a problem.

“I was a bit naïve at first. You mistreat yourself, put a bit of weight on and then you’ve got to take it off,” Rob says, frankly.

“A career at what you want to do can last all of ten minutes if you abuse yourself.

“I want to be around for years and enjoy it.”

Rob sought out help and has changed his diet to turn his health problems around.

He has since dropped two stone and says he is wanting to lose more.

The champ admits it can be tricky to maintain a strict diet when on the road, but he is determined to stick to it.

Rob said: “I cut all food out from 7pm onwards, so if I’m hungry I go to the next day.

“You need to be disciplined whether it’s on the road or at home.

“Food can be selective when you’re on the road, but the later you look that’s when the unhealthier food tends to be around.”

Rob has admitted that this year has acted as a learning experience and is determined not to repeat those mistakes this year.

Now, after a hectic schedule, Rob returns home, to Sussex for one of the biggest tournaments of the year.

The Champions League of Darts comes to Brighton on the weekend of September 22 and 23.

The non-ranking event, set up by the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC), hosts the top eight players in the world in a group stage and knockout tournament.

Cross will be joined by top darts names like Phil Taylor, Michael Van Gerwen, Peter Wright, Gary Anderson, Simon Whitlock, Dave Chisnall and last year’s winner Mensur Suljovic.

“It’s going to be fantastic, everyone’s a great player.

“You’ve got the eight best players in the world battling it out.

“The standard should be phenomenal.

“I need to get the job done and put a good performance in.”

The real boost for Rob, going into this tournament, is the fact that it is being held in his home county.

The 27-year-old lives in Hastings and says there is nothing better than opening the front door near the sea: “I absolutely love being by the seaside.

“You come out and go down the front, it’s like being on holiday every day.”

It will be Rob’s first time playing at the Brighton Centre, something he considers a huge honour.

And, as well as the joy that comes with competing in front of a home crowd, there are certain other perks as well: “I haven’t got the five or six hours of travel and I’ve got a lot of friends coming.

“I want to put on the best show I can.

“It’s my first time playing at Brighton, so to be here is going to be a privilege.”

As our chat winds down it is clear that Rob is hungry to be the best player in the world.

Despite already being the World Champion he believes he has much more to offer, and hopes to topple Michael Van Gerwen at the top of the rankings within the next few years.

With darts increasing in popularity, Rob Cross is continuing to do Sussex proud by leading the line for British darts.