The world champion never trailed but had to fire a 103.91 average and 18 maximums to pull clear of Gilding, who exits the tournament at the quarter-final stage for the second successive year.
Littler edged the opening three sessions and briefly opened a five-leg advantage, only for Gilding to find a 72 checkout on the bullseye and take out a 160 finish as part of a run of three straight legs.
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The world No 2 set a new record for most 180s in a World Matchplay quarter-final on his way to holding throw in the next, then responded to Gilding firing 81 and 127 checkouts by completing a dramatic victory with an 11-dart hold.
Littler now faces a semi-final meeting with good friend Josh Rock, who posted a 104.02 average in his 16-11 win over Gerwyn Price – who fired the first 170 checkout of the tournament – and signed off victory with a stunning 164 finish in his final leg.
How Littler edged Gilding to book semi-final spot
Littler was pushed hard from Gilding in the early exchanges, with the first seven legs going with throw, before ‘The Nuke’ took out a 90 checkout for an 11-dart break and won the next to open a three-leg cushion.
Gilding snatched the tenth – despite Littler opening with six perfect darts against the throw – and capitalised on wayward finishing from the world champion to break in the next, only for Littler to respond by winning the next two legs.
The pair traded 14-dart legs before Littler produced a stunning 140 finish, then recovered from Gilding claiming a scrappy next leg on D1 by winning the next two and opening a 12-8 buffer.
Gilding opened the next mini session with a 124 checkout but found himself on the verge of defeat when Littler made an 11-dart break and 14-dart hold, but Goldfinger extended the contest with a brilliant 160 and back-to-back legs.
The gap was cut back to just one leg when Gilding took out 81 on the bullseye and then delivered a 127 finish, before Littler signed off victory in style by nailing successive 180s on his way to an 11-darter.
Rock ends Price’s Blackpool hopes
A sign of the ding-dong tussle to come quickly became apparent when the pair exchanged 13-dart breaks and Rock nailed a 120 finish in the third, before Price grabbed the early advantage when he followed a 13-dart hold with a 14-dart break early in the second session.
Rock bounced back by taking out 110 for a 15-dart hold and the first of three straight legs, giving him a 6-4 cushion, as Price hit back with the first 170 checkout of the tournament and racked up his own three-leg burst.
Momentum continued to swing between the two players until Rock responded to Price snatching a hold with an 86 finish by winning each of the next three, while back-to-back legs at the start of the next session pulled the Northern Irishman four clear.
Price claimed successive legs but could only watch on as his opponent took out an 80 checkout and recovered from a wayward dart to fire in a 56 checkout in the next, lifting him within one of victory, with Rock nailing a 164 finish on the bullseye for a match-winning leg.
Littler celebrates ‘focused’ win
Luke Littler, speaking to Sky Sports:
“That last leg I just had to stay focused and get over the line.
“He won a few on the bounce when I was sat on 15 legs but I just had to do a professional job in the end.
“I didn’t really panic. Andrew started to win a few legs, but that last leg against the darts as well, I just had to get over the line. Andrews does what he does. He never goes out of rhythm. It’s the same throw by throw and try and match him.”
Josh Rock, speaking to Sky Sports:
“Wow! What a game. I wasn’t doing anything wrong. Just kept plugging away playing your own game.
“Gezzy [Gerwyn Price] didn’t let me off. I just had to come out that [last] session and wake up.
“The form Gezzy has been in lately, you know what to expect. That was a tough game.”
What’s next?
Rock will play Littler in the second semi-final on Saturday in Blackpool, following on from 2007 champion James Wade facing 2023 runner-up Jonny Clayton. The two winners will then progress to Sunday’s final.
Who will win the World Matchplay? Watch throughout the weekend live on Sky Sports. Live coverage of the semi-finals live on Saturday from 7.30pm on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports+. Not got Sky? Stream without a contract.
