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Q-School return in January? Steve Beaton reveals he and Adrian Lewis could target 2026 PDC comeback

Originally posted on Dartsnews.com | Last updated Sep 2, 2025 10:42 AM ET

The Bronze Adonis, Steve Beaton, has revealed both he and Adrian Lewis could yet make a return to the PDC circuit next season, with the 1996 World Champion admitting there is talk of entering Q-School in January, twelve months after he handed back his Tour Card in retirement.

Speaking ahead of the Modus Super Series International Pairs – where he teamed up with two-time world champion Adrian Lewis for England – Beaton suggested the competitive fire still flickers.

“You never know,” Beaton told TalkSport Darts. “I might go in January. I might just go so I can play on the Challenge Tour now and again. If I’ve got a free weekend, I can go and play a few games. I’m trying to wind down a bit – I don’t want to be playing all the time – but it would be nice to do a couple of Pro Tours, get that competitive side, meet the lads, and have a laugh. Never say never, but we’ll see.”

A reunion with Lewis

Beaton’s pairing with Adrian Lewis was one of the main storylines going into the International Pairs weekend in Portsmouth, with many fans welcoming the return of the Stoke thrower, who has been absent from the tour in recent years.

“I’ve seen Aidy a lot at exhibitions, but he hasn’t been playing seriously for a while now,” Beaton said. “He’s given me the inkling that he wants to come back. Maybe this is the start of his revival. He’s even talking about going to Q-School in January. I’m really looking forward to it. I haven’t played pairs for a long time, so it’ll be interesting. We get on well and I think we’ll feed off each other.”

While there was plenty of anticipation for the English duo, they ultimately missed out on the latter stages, finishing fourth in Group B. Instead, it was Conor Heneghan and John O’Shea who triumphed for Ireland, defeating Welsh veterans Richie Burnett and Kurt Parry in the final.

The importance of Modus

Beaton was quick to highlight the role the Modus Super Series has played in sustaining his sharpness and offering opportunities for the sport’s next generation.

“Modus is probably the best for me because it’s competitive,” he explained. “I finished one about a week or two ago – really good bunch of lads, it pushed me hard. I lost in the final, but that kind of competitive edge is what ups your game again. Exhibitions are just a bit of fun – it’s not the same as proper competition against fellow players.”

Managing the grind

For a player who has spent more than three decades on the circuit, Beaton knows all about the demands of the professional tour. Yet he insists the Super Series offers a more manageable schedule than some of the marathon days elsewhere.

“The long ones were the European Tours,” he recalled. “On finals day you might play at one or two in the afternoon and then not again until 11 or 12 at night. That’s a really long day. At Modus, you’re there for three or four hours and then you’re done. Even on finals night, you’re there from 5 or 6 o’clock and you might finish at 11 or 12, but at least it’s one session, not a 12-hour slog.”

Never say never

Beaton, who turned 60 earlier this year, has hinted before that he is keen to gradually wind down his competitive commitments. But his comments suggest the lure of competition has not fully disappeared.

“It’d be nice for me to go and play two or three Pro Tours, just to have that competitive side,” he admitted. “You never know what’s going to happen – never say never.”

For fans, the idea of Beaton and Lewis both entering Q-School in January is a tantalising one. Whether it sparks a late-career renaissance for one of the sport’s most popular figures remains to be seen – but Beaton’s silky throw and enduring charisma mean darts would certainly be richer for it.