Get all the very latest news in Ireland straight to your email every single day Sign up! Thank you for subscribing See our privacy notice Invalid Email

An Irish woman who worked as a walk-on girl for the Professional Darts Corporation (PDC) has criticised feminists and broadcasters who she believes put pressure on the company to scrap using them.

Rebecca Bowers, from Blackrock, Dublin, says she is "really disappointed" with the PDC's decision that has left her and many others out of work with no notice.

Speaking to the Irish Mirror she said: "It's not a good choice at all, they're saying its sexist but they're taking away our rights - we really like doing it.

"We had so many fans who seemed to be annoyed about it, and it just happened really quickly as well, it was a shock."

(Image: instagram/rebeccabowersxx)

(Image: instagram/rebeccabowersxx)

The 31-year-old said that she and her co-workers had heard rumours about the PDC's move, but claimed that they were given no notice once the decision was made.

"We just thought maybe it'd be a year or two before they scrapped walk-on girls. We didn't really know and then it just happened so suddenly."

Bowers, who works as a childminder and occasionally models, said that the decision was an even bigger blow to two of the company's main workers based in London.

(Image: instagram/rebeccabowersxx)

(Image: instagram/rebeccabowersxx)

She also said that she thought PDC owner Barry Hearn was forced into the decision as he himself "loved having them."

"He said last month that he definitely wasn't going to get rid of the walk-on girls so I think he just came under pressure from feminists and TV which is really annoying. "They're saying women should have all these rights but we've had our rights taken away.

Read also:

"People are complaining that we're wearing really skimpy outfits, but the outfits that we wear are the same as what people wear out to clubs on the weekend.

"I'd understand if we were wearing bikinis or something revealing but we're not."

PDC owner Barry Hearn this week blamed the "PC brigade" for the change and warned that there is going to be “change in sport everywhere."

(Image: instagram/rebeccabowersxx)

(Image: instagram/rebeccabowersxx)

There has been mixed reaction to the news amongst darts players themselves with world number one Michael van Gerwen saying that the girls do not "interest" him, while former world champions Raymond van Barneveld said he "will really miss the girls" as they are "part of the darts."

Since the announcement, over 42,000 signed a petition lobbying ITV to overturn the ban.

Read Also:

Speaking about the petition Bowers said she is not getting her hopes up.

"I've seen loads of people writing comments saying they won't go anymore, I don't know if they actually will, but that'd be good if they do and they realise their mistake and bring it back."

The move by the PDC has sparked others to follow suite with Formula 1 last week announcing that they would also be cutting the girls from their rosters.

Read Also:

Sean Bratches, managing director of Commercial Operations at Formula 1, said in a statement: "Over the last year we have looked at a number of areas which we felt needed updating so as to be more in tune with our vision for this great sport,"

"While the practice of employing grid girls has been a staple of Formula 1 Grands Prix for decades, we feel this custom does not resonate with our brand values and clearly is at odds with modern day societal norms.

"We don't believe the practice is appropriate or relevant to Formula 1 and its fans, old and new, across the world."