'Someone asked, ‘Fancy another drink?’ That’s when things really kicked off...' - Florian Hempel details wild night out with Van Gerwen & Bunting

The world of darts doesn’t just shine on stage — sometimes the real stories unfold after the lights go down. On the Game On podcast, German darts pro Florian Hempel shared one such tale with host Elmar Paulke, recounting an unforgettable night out with icons Michael van Gerwen and Stephen Bunting.

What started as a quiet post-gala pint quickly spiraled into a full-blown party. “We got back to the hotel around half eleven,” Hempel recalled. “Then someone asked, ‘Fancy another drink?’ That’s when things really kicked off.”

Alongside them were iconic referee Russ Bray, darts journalist Flo Brüggemann, and Bunting’s manager — all in good spirits. But the life of the party? No doubt: Van Gerwen, the three-time world champion, who was in full celebration mode.

“I’d only just started my first pint when the second one landed in front of me,” Hempel laughed. “And if you know MVG, you know this — he never lets anyone else pick up the tab.” Even when Hempel offered to buy a round, van Gerwen just waved him off: “No, no, no.”

Later, MVG had a bartender sort them out with a private table at a local club. Bunting and his manager joined in. “They really made the night,” said Hempel. “It was just one of those evenings where everything clicks.”

The next morning, Paulke received a hoarse voice note from Hempel: “Man, Elmar, I was out late – didn’t get to bed ‘til 4 a.m. I was with the Green One.” A nod, of course, to van Gerwen’s iconic green shirt.

Paulke summed it up perfectly: “Van Gerwen sees himself as the best, earns the most — so he pays. That’s his statement.”

And when Brüggemann eventually tried to buy a round, MVG shot back with a grin: “I earned more money than him today.”