FORMER world champion Scott Mitchell admitted his hectic schedule after winning at Lakeside had left him “burned out”.

The Bransgore thrower enjoyed the greatest night of his career when he sunk BDO legend Martin Adams at Frimley Green in January 2015.

But reflecting on the period after landing success on the world stage, the 47-year-old revealed how his life had altered drastically.

Scotty Dog told the Daily Echo: “The target on my back was bigger. Everybody wanted to beat me even more. The pressure I put on myself increased.

“I went from having three exhibitions in my life to 40 in a year. You learn that craft at the same time because you have never really done them before.

“Adding those into your tournament and county schedule meant I got burned out.

“I didn’t play as well at the end of the year and that was the reason for it.

“It probably took me 18 months to bounce back from it but the past 10 months have been brilliant.”

Mitchell is set to take to the oche at Lakeside on Saturday when he faces Darius Labanauskas in the opening round.

The Lithuanian was knocked out in the last eight in 2017.