Premier League Star Finds Love with Darts Walk-On Girl Turned TV Personality

Former Premier League footballer Andros Townsend struck a romantic bullseye when he began dating a darts walk-on girl and television contestant.

Townsend, who earned 13 caps for England, is in a relationship with Hazel O’Sullivan. The pair first met at a darts event in London in 2013, while he was still playing for Tottenham Hotspur. At the time, O’Sullivan was a familiar presence on the darts circuit, accompanying top players to the stage at prestigious tournaments including the World Darts Championship and the Premier League Darts.

During that period, she also appeared on the reality television series Celebrity Big Brother, surviving 58 days in the house before being voted out. Her participation sparked Townsend’s own fascination with the show, and he later expressed interest in potentially taking part himself.

In a 2015 interview, O’Sullivan revealed: “Andros is a huge Big Brother fan – he absolutely loves it. He once said that if he weren’t a footballer, he’d like to do the celebrity version. He makes sure we watch every episode together. Since I appeared on the show, he’s followed every series closely!”

O’Sullivan continued working as a walk-on girl until the role was discontinued in 2018 – a decision that sparked considerable debate. While some applauded the move as a step away from outdated stereotypes, others mourned the end of a popular darts tradition. O’Sullivan herself was critical of the change.

She remarked: “Being a walk-on girl provided a very good income, so removing that opportunity suddenly certainly affected the lives of many women. I think the growing focus on gender equality led to the decision, but ironically, it feels somewhat dismissive of the women who valued those roles.”

However, 2018 also brought Townsend and O’Sullivan a far greater joy: the birth of their first child, Aria Valentina Townsend. Sharing a photo of their newborn on social media, O’Sullivan wrote: “Our little miss Aria Valentina Townsend. These past few weeks have been the most magical of our lives. Her daddy and I are completely in love with her.”

Now 34, Townsend has enjoyed a globetrotting career that has most recently taken him to Thailand’s top division, where he plays for Kanchanaburi Power. His final stint in English football was with Luton Town, following spells at Newcastle United, Crystal Palace, and Everton. The previous season, he also played briefly in Turkey for Antalyaspor.

On the international stage, Townsend scored three goals for England. He marked his debut with a goal and a man-of-the-match performance in a 2013 World Cup qualifier against Montenegro, helping secure a 4–1 victory. He also scored in a 5–0 win over San Marino during Euro 2016 qualifying, and netted an equalizer in a 1–1 friendly draw with Italy in March 2015.