But Humphries, the pre-event favourite who became world number one on Tuesday, saw off his challenge to claim the £500,000 first prize.

The 2024 peak figure also represented a 143% increase on last year’s final when Michael Smith beat Michael van Gerwen 7-4.

It remains short of the 8.3m viewers who tuned in to watch qualifier Keith Deller win the 1983 title, beating favourite Eric Bristow in the now-defunct BDO World Championship on the BBC.