‘Luke always likes to give me a kiss’ – Rob Cross responds to James Wade ‘lick’ scandal ahead of Humphries darts clash

ROB CROSS has joked there will be no neck licking when he faces world No.1 Luke Humphries in his ‘home’ Premier League on Thursday.

The sport was shocked by footage of James Wade licking Cool Hand Luke with his tongue as they hugged before a UK Open quarter-final tie last Sunday.

PA

Rob Cross has joked there will be no neck licking when he faces Luke Humphries in the Premier League on Thursday[/caption]

ITV

James Wade bizarrely licked Humphries’ neck during the UK Open last weekend[/caption]

Humphries, 30, was not happy with Wade’s bizarre antics – which were described as “disgusting” by former pro Paul Nicholson – and the 2024 world champion ended up losing and missing out on the £110,000 jackpot in the final.

Cross, 34, is close pals with both of them but has vowed not to do a copycat on stage of the Brighton Centre.

The world No.4 laughed: “I definitely won’t lick him. Luke always likes to give me a kiss. Me and him have quite a decent relationship, a good bond. We are good friends.

“Luke is a fantastic fellow. Hopefully there will be no licking involved!

“I know James and don’t want to go too much into it. It wouldn’t be fair either.

“I think it was very misunderstood. Whatever has happened there, whether it was a mistake or done as a joke, we can see past it.

“James is a great guy and usually he wouldn’t do stuff like that. It’s one of those things, we need to see past it and move on.”

Cross lived in Hastings in East Sussex for many years and in his 20s, he would often go out clubbing and partying in Brighton.

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Yet the father-of-four relocated his family to Lincolnshire in February 2024 to cut down on his travel to ProTour events.

The former electrician said: “I have probably been greedy with it, as I’m spending more time with them.

“Sometimes on tour you can feel like an absent father. If I can spend more time with them and be selfish in that way, I’d always pick that.

“I don’t have to travel so early. With regards to school, they have settled in well after a year. It has been beneficial in the long run.

“I don’t have to drive myself too much now. My manager is nearby.

“The ProTours I can travel to on the morning of the event and I get another 15 nights in my own bed.

“I’m better situated now as Hastings is a million miles from everywhere if you’re going north!”

Cross is sixth in the eight-man Prem table with no nightly wins yet but is hoping familiarity with the venue on Night 5 will help in his pursuit of a top-four spot come week 16.

He added: “I spent many a night in Brighton when I was younger.

“Can’t say what we were doing. But they were good nights.

“I always enjoy Brighton and have great support there. I’m grateful for that. A fair few of my friends are going on Thursday.

“It’s a smaller arena, it has a tight-knit feel to it.”

“I think I will play well. Hopefully none of this topsy-turvyness which I have had, one good game and then a bad game. I feel positive about my game.

“I can be a bit sporadic. It seems like I can’t hit the board for two months and then I win the Dutch Darts Masters.”