Sky Sports star hits back at critics of her eye-catching neck tattoo after revealing she’s received ‘a lot of c**p’ while presenting World Darts Championship

Sky Sports star Polly James has hit back against critics of her neck tattoo. 

As well as her role as a radio presenter, James has been the voice of TV interviews with players after matches at this year’s PDC World Darts Championship.

The 38-year-old has been seen alongside all of the biggest names in the sport at this year’s competition but, as a result, some fans have to focus on her neck tattoo.

While presenting, the top of James’ tattoo – which is of a rose – is visible over her collar, which evidently irked some viewers.

However, speaking to The Mirror, James revealed that she’s not bothered by the critics and spoke on the ‘incredible role’ she’s taken on this year. 

She said: ‘I do get a lot of c**p about the neck tattoo. More so now, but that is because there are more eyes on darts, but it goes over my head. 

James, 38, has been the voice of TV interviews at this year’s PDC World Darts Championship

‘Say what you like about my appearance, I do not give a… but please don’t criticise my work, because that really hits hard and that generally doesn’t happen.

‘I get on with a lot of darts people, I am in such a privileged position to do what I do, but I don’t want to lose sight of what it is like to be a darts fan. I am on their side, I am not on the other side, so to speak. I just have an incredible role to play.’

As well as covering darts for Sky Sports, James has worked on the Late Night Football Club, as well as BBC One’s chat show for the duration of Wales’ participation in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Speaking on her entry into darts, James explained: ‘My first time I went to Ally Pally was back in 2009. The first time I started working at the darts, it was one of those things where I didn’t know if I wanted to mix pleasure with work.

‘I’m a radio DJ as my main job and then did some hosting and presenting on the side, then someone got in touch to see if I wanted to do the post-match interviews for the Premier League, back in 2019. 

‘I just thought I would love to do that and I would give it a shot and it went from there, then the following year I started working for Sky.

Back in December, James also spoke to The Sun about her tattoos and admitted that she had a ‘poignant reason’ for the designs.

James pictured interviewing Stephen Bunting after his third round victory last week

James admitted that she has ‘rhino skin’ with regard to social media criticism

She said: ‘I do have rhino skin when it comes to the social media hate about my tattoos. 

‘You have to be like that when you work on a platform with radio and TV. Even though I have that hard shell, I can still be soft.

‘I really take pride in my work so I just wish sometimes people would judge me on my work, not my appearance.

‘I have “Family” on one side of my neck and a rose on the other side. There’s such a poignant reason for the words because my big family mean so much to me.’