Scott Mitchell: I played Johnny Depp's body double at Alexandra Palace

And for Scott Mitchell, that dream is set to become reality later this month.

However, probably unlike any of the other 95 players set to descend on the iconic north London venue, Mitchell has in fact spent time with Willy Wonka himself inside Alexandra Palace.

The opportunity arrived suddenly, more than eight years ago when Mitchell received a call asking if he would like to take part in some filming for a new movie.

When he arrived, he would discover a star-studded cast there to work alongside him, including Hollywood A-lister Johnny Depp.

Mitchell picks up the story from there.

"I got called by somebody saying would I have a couple of weeks to help out on a film set," the Dorset star explained to the Daily Echo.

"To be fair, I probably would’ve done it for nothing. I had no idea who the actors were going to be and everything, so it was really that quick - I was asked one day and then three days later I was on the film set.

"It was a friend I think, Justin Irwin, the film had darts based characters in it. Justin Irwin, the 'Bachelor of Darts', he was called in to make sure that the scenes looked how they should look in a darting prowess.

"I’ve known him as I came up through the BDO and we got chatting and then he said, 'do you fancy being on this and throwing some darts for us?'. And I said 'yeah, absolutely'.

"When I arrived to see it was Amber Heard and Johnny Depp and Billy Bob Thornton and Jim Sturgess, it was quite eye-opening."

Asked about the film, London Fields, Mitchell added: "When I watched it, I think most of me is on the cutting room floor!

"But most of the darts that hit the board, that’s me in it. It was quite a weird film. I shouldn’t have expected anything else with Johnny Depp and Billy Bob Thornton in it really.

"I even had a walk-on part as myself, which was the best bit. The darts scenes are set in the future so these guys had whacky shirts and I turned up in my pink and black shirt with the dogs all over it. I was the only one that didn’t have to have a shirt made for me, they put me straight on because that was whacky enough and set in the future enough with all the little diamontes and stuff on it.

"Johnny Depp actually said, 'hey Scotty, I like what they’ve done with your shirt for the film'. I was going, 'no mate, I wear this one every week on the telly!'. So it was quite weird, yeah."

But Mitchell did not just meet Depp that day, he had a very important role to play alongside the Kentucky-born star.

"For my exhibitions, I claimed to be Johnny Depp’s stunt double," said Scotty Dog.

"There was a scene in the film where he had to hit a bullseye. So the camera was to the left of Johnny, I was stood to the right and basically had to crouch down and Johnny sat on my knees. Then they filmed his arm aiming at the bullseye and then he pulled his arm back through the shot and as they zoomed through to the bullseye, my arm goes through the shot blurred and hits the bullseye.

"He was basically sat on my crotch! After about five takes of me not hitting the bullseye with Johnny Depp being very much in my space, that was quite difficult. He was quite a funny guy, I’ve got to be honest.

"It was really weird. I could get into his space like that and then he could go to the toilet and have four security guards at the toilet waiting for him. He turns up on set and 90 women turn up, Billy Bob Thornton turns up and there’s a dog, cat, bit of tumbleweed blown through. It was quite the weirdest experience, but a great life experience."

Mitchell has since been called upon for more acting roles.

"From that came the EastEnders stuff," explained the 51-year-old.

"So it was quite strange sitting here last Christmas watching EastEnders, because I only ever watch EastEnders at Christmas, the double episode to see somebody die or fall off a roof or whatever! I actually saw myself throwing darts when they were driving Ian Beale out of the pub on some of his last scenes. That was me throwing the darts in the bar, darts into the Peggy Mitchell last orders bell to make the bell ring, I threw them into a chair, I threw them into a clapping monkey to try and stop the monkey clapping with his little cymbals and I threw a dart in a cuckoo clock so the cuckoo couldn’t come out. To sit there and watch that last year on Christmas Day with the whole family, it was like oh my God, I threw those. It’s really cool.

"I think I’m probably the Stig of the darts world, but I think the secret is out these days."

Darts will very much be the focus for Mitchell this month, with the draw and schedule for the PDC World Championship now revealed.

The 2015 Lakeside winner will make his first return to Alexandra Palace since his days with Depp, when he makes his debut in the competition, facing Dutchman Chris Landman in the first round in the afternoon session on Thursday, December 16.

Should Mitchell beat Landman, he would then face number 27 seed Ian White in round two on Saturday, December 18.