He had kept quiet for months. John Henderson, 53, one of the most popular players on the circuit, spoke this week about the most trying period of his life. Doctors discovered a tumour in his kidney. The operation confirmed the worst: the tumour was cancerous.
“It had to be removed”
“They found a tumour in my kidney; it had to be removed, and unfortunately it was cancer,” explained the Scot. He now prefers to look ahead. “Everything’s fine on that front; we’ve got past it. I had an operation, they removed the tumour and I’m 100 per cent fit, trying to lose a bit more weight.”
His tone is that of a relieved man, aware that he has come through a phase that many players go through away from the spotlight. Henderson is seeking neither sympathy nor a heroic narrative: he simply recounts the sequence of events, the diagnosis, the operation, his recovery, and then his gradual return to training.
Seven stones and a different body
The issue of health isn’t a new one. The World Team Champion began losing weight during the coronavirus pandemic, with a specific goal in mind: to bring his type 2 diabetes under control. The result exceeded his expectations. “I think I’ve lost a bit over seven stones in total. I’m walking, I’m doing the right things, I’m eating more healthily, and I’m exercising a lot more. And I feel much better for it.”
Seven stones is about 45 kilos. A change on this scale inevitably disrupts the mechanics of a darts player, where everything hinges on footwork, breathing and movements repeated a thousand times over. Henderson speaks about it candidly: “I’m in a good place health-wise now; I just need to get my darts back on track, and I’m working hard to do that.”
A throw to relearn
His trademark sway of the upper body before each throw has become less pronounced. Spectators noticed it before he did. “People tell me I don’t sway as much anymore. But in my mind, I don’t sway at all anyway, so it’s other people who are telling me that,” he says with a laugh.
His equipment has followed the same logic. “I’ve reduced the weight of my darts. I’m throwing 23g ones instead of 24g now. It’s a real change. ” The adjustment is happening in small steps. “I think I’ve adapted a bit. But no, it takes time. We’ll get there.”
Q-School in his sights
Henderson has never been out of the game. He’s been racking up week after week of competition on the MODUS Super Series, the parallel circuit that allows players without a card to stay in the swing of things and keep their arm warm. His next big event is already marked in his diary: Q-School, in early 2027, with the aim of regaining a PDC card and returning to the main draws.
At 53, it’s no small challenge. The standard on the circuit has never been so high, and the path will involve gruelling days, knockout matches and maintaining a consistent average under pressure. But the former world top 32 player has already experienced both sides of the fence.
“They’re not afraid”
His view of the new generation speaks volumes about his clear-eyed perspective. “You wonder when this sport will reach its peak. Michael van Gerwen was in a league of his own. I thought it couldn’t get any better than that. And then Luke Humphries came along, Luke Littler, Jonny Clayton.”
What impresses him most isn’t the averages they post, but their consistency and lack of inhibition. Alongside Littler and Humphries, he mentions the young Archie Self and his compatriot Mitchell Lawrie. “They’re posting massive averages, and they’re consistent. They’re completely fearless. They step onto the stage and get the job done.” Far from complaining about it, he sees it as good news: “It’s frightening what they’re doing, but the future of darts looks very bright.”
Henderson knows what he’s talking about. In 2019, as a Contender in the Premier League, he pulled off a memorable 6, 6 draw against Michael van Gerwen in Aberdeen, one of the standout moments in the tournament’s recent history. Two years later, he lifted the World Darts Championship trophy alongside Peter Wright. The sort of memories that make you want to give it another go, now that he’s lighter on his feet and back to full health.
