I started smoking aged 10, I got a hiding for it but it helped me become one of sport’s iconic voices

Iconic darts referee Russ Bray started smoking at the age of 10, but concedes this may have helped him forge a very successful career.

Bray, affectionately referred to as ‘The Voice’, started calling matches in 1996 having stepped up when the regular caller failed to show up for a county match.

Rex

The 68-year-old officiated 28 PDC World Darts Championship finals during his career with the 2024/25 tournament, won by Luke Littler, being his last.

Speaking on talkSPORT Darts, Bray was quizzed by Harry Durham on whether smoking actually enhanced his voice.

It was then that Bray dropped the bombshell about when he first picked up a cigarette.

“I started smoking when I was 10,” Bray revealed exclusively to talkSPORT Darts.

“Sorry! If you don’t smoke, kids, please don’t do it.”

Bray continued: “If you imagine in them days when you had Thunderbirds come out in 1967, you know the puppet thing?

“And in nearly every scene, you’ve either got Jeff Tracey with a cigarette in his hand, or Lady Penelope with the cigarette because that was what it was.

“You had cigarette adverts and all sorts. Both my mum and dad smoked as well.

“Don’t get me wrong, I got a good hiding when I got caught the first time. But I started smoking when I was 10.”

Bray added: “When I got to 13 and you get changes in your body with certain things dropping that don’t in women, my voice went, instead of soprano, instead of going to the next one down, alto, I went to tenor.

Rex

“My voice was literally lower in general.

“Over the years of smoking and over the years of calling, yeah I guess it has pretty much changed.

“Not that I’ve been aware of, or deliberately changed – well, you can’t – but you know what I mean.”

Durham then asked: “Did the ladies love it?”

To which Bray cheekily replied: “Depends what I’m saying. Depends what they want me to say!”

Why is Russ Bray officiating in the Bahrain Darts Masters?

Bray ‘officially’ hung up the microphone in 2024, with Luke Littler’s PDC World Championship final defeat to Luke Humphries his last match.

talkSPORT

However, eagle eyed fans spotted Bray calling the Bahrain Darts Masters, which runs across January 15-16 this season.

Bray has previously moved to address questions of his involvement in the tournament, and stated on X to a fan back in 2024: “I have NOT retired mate.

“I have stepped down from all the Major tournaments, Worlds, Matchplay, Prem League etc.

“I still do the Asian Tour and some of the World Series.”