Willie Thorne
Encyclopedia
William Joseph "Willie" Thorne (born 4 March 1954 in Leicester
, England
), is a former English
professional snooker
player and now a sports commentator
.
Thorne became national under-16 champion at both snooker and English billiards
in 1970. He never really converted this early promise into professional success, however, only ever winning one ranking
snooker tournament (the Classic
in 1985). The same year, he reached the UK Championship final against the then dominant Steve Davis
, and seemed to have built himself an unassailable 13–8 lead. But a miss on a straightforward off its during the first of the final session allowed Davis to take the frame and eventually win the title. Thorne later said that he had hardly looked at the blue, considering it a certainty. He reached the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship
in 1982
and 1986
.
He peaked at no. 7 in the rankings in the mid-1980s, while also battling a serious gambling problem. In one famous incident, Thorne bet £38,000 on a match involving John Parrott
, betting that Parrott would lose as Parrott had lost his personal cue
and had to use one supplied by the venue. Much to Thorne's dismay (not least because he was actually commentating on the match), Parrott recovered from a slow start to win, only worsening Thorne's debts. Also, in an interview with The Guardian
Newspaper in 2004, Thorne admitted to placing bets worth up to £20,000 on a horse.
Thorne's bald head makes him instantly recognisable and he is often referred to as the "Homer Simpson
of Snooker", and he has become a popular senior character in the game, commentating on snooker for television on the BBC
and Sky Sports
. Alongside other Matchroom
professionals, Thorne featured in the popular song "Snooker Loopy
", written and performed by Chas & Dave. In the verse which begins "Willie Thorne, his hair's all gone", Willie's cameo line was "Perhaps I ought to chalk it", in reference to his gleaming head putting off his opponents. Willie also appeared in the "Romford Rap" video with the rest of the "Matchroom Mob".
He is often known as "Mr. Maximum" because he claims to have hit nearly two-hundred 147 breaks in practice, though only one in tournament play. Thorne provided a segment on break building for the BBC during the 1999 championships where he was shown on a practice table performing a 147 whilst advising on positioning. However the BBC immediately outlined that the footage was edited as Thorne has in fact missed a pot on the black early on.
Thorne has been described as a skilled break-builder and possibly the "missing link" between old-school percentage play and the current aggressive game. He took 19 seasons to record 100 competitive century breaks.
Thorne also won the World Seniors Masters in 2000 – beating Cliff Thorburn
in the final.
, Leicestershire
, England and is married to former librarian in Stocksbridge Library and Miss Great Britain
winner Jill Saxby. He has three children with his first wife Fiona.
He ran a club in Leicester
for many years, where Mark Selby
used to often compete in junior tournaments as a youngster.
Thorne competed in Series 5 of Strictly Come Dancing
with professional dance partner Erin Boag
, before being voted out on 20 October in 12th place (out of 14).
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
), is a former English
English people
The English are a nation and ethnic group native to England, who speak English. The English identity is of early mediaeval origin, when they were known in Old English as the Anglecynn. England is now a country of the United Kingdom, and the majority of English people in England are British Citizens...
professional snooker
Snooker
Snooker is a cue sport that is played on a green baize-covered table with pockets in each of the four corners and in the middle of each of the long side cushions. A regular table is . It is played using a cue and snooker balls: one white , 15 worth one point each, and six balls of different :...
player and now a sports commentator
Sportscaster
In sports broadcasting, a commentator gives a running commentary of a game or event in real time, usually during a live broadcast. The comments are normally a voiceover, with the sounds of the action and spectators also heard in the background. In the case of television commentary, the commentator...
.
Thorne became national under-16 champion at both snooker and English billiards
English billiards
English billiards, called simply billiards in many former British colonies and in Great Britain where it originated, is a hybrid form of carom and pocket billiards played on a billiard table. Billiards is less well known as "the English game", "the all-in game" and "the common game".The game is for...
in 1970. He never really converted this early promise into professional success, however, only ever winning one ranking
Snooker world rankings
The snooker world rankings are the official system of ranking professional snooker players to determine automatic qualification and seeding for tournaments on the World Snooker Tour. They are maintained by the sport's governing body, the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association...
snooker tournament (the Classic
Classic (snooker)
The Classic was a professional snooker tournament, which began in 1980 and ended in 1992. It was originally a non-ranking event, but became ranking in 1984. Steve Davis has won the event six times and was the last champion.-History:...
in 1985). The same year, he reached the UK Championship final against the then dominant Steve Davis
Steve Davis
Steve Davis, OBE is an English professional snooker player. He has won more professional titles in the sport than any other player, including six World Championships during the 1980s, when he was the world number one for seven years and became the sport's first millionaire...
, and seemed to have built himself an unassailable 13–8 lead. But a miss on a straightforward off its during the first of the final session allowed Davis to take the frame and eventually win the title. Thorne later said that he had hardly looked at the blue, considering it a certainty. He reached the quarter-finals of the World Snooker Championship
World Snooker Championship
The World Snooker Championship is the leading professional snooker tournament in terms of both prize money and ranking points. The first championship was held in 1927; since 1977, it has been played at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, England...
in 1982
World Snooker Championship 1982
The 1982 Embassy World Snooker Championship professional ranking snooker tournament took place at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield between 30 April and 16 May 1982.Alex Higgins won in the final 18–15 against Ray Reardon.- Notable moments :...
and 1986
World Snooker Championship 1986
The 1986 Embassy World Snooker Championship took place at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield between 19 April – 5 May 1986.- Notable moments :* Joe Johnson was a 150–1 outsider at the start of the championship...
.
He peaked at no. 7 in the rankings in the mid-1980s, while also battling a serious gambling problem. In one famous incident, Thorne bet £38,000 on a match involving John Parrott
John Parrott
John Parrott MBE is an English professional snooker player and TV personality.He won the World Snooker Championship in 1991, defeating Jimmy White in the final. Two years earlier he had lost 3–18 to Steve Davis, the heaviest final defeat in modern times...
, betting that Parrott would lose as Parrott had lost his personal cue
Cue stick
A cue stick , is an item of sporting equipment essential to the games of pool, snooker and carom billiards. It is used to strike a ball, usually the...
and had to use one supplied by the venue. Much to Thorne's dismay (not least because he was actually commentating on the match), Parrott recovered from a slow start to win, only worsening Thorne's debts. Also, in an interview with The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
Newspaper in 2004, Thorne admitted to placing bets worth up to £20,000 on a horse.
Thorne's bald head makes him instantly recognisable and he is often referred to as the "Homer Simpson
Homer Simpson
Homer Jay Simpson is a fictional character in the animated television series The Simpsons and the patriarch of the eponymous family. He is voiced by Dan Castellaneta and first appeared on television, along with the rest of his family, in The Tracey Ullman Show short "Good Night" on April 19, 1987...
of Snooker", and he has become a popular senior character in the game, commentating on snooker for television on the BBC
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
and Sky Sports
Sky Sports
Sky Sports is the brand name for a group of sports-oriented television channels operated by the UK and Ireland's main satellite pay-TV company, British Sky Broadcasting. Sky Sports is the dominant subscription television sports brand in the United Kingdom and Ireland...
. Alongside other Matchroom
Matchroom Sport
Matchroom Sport is a sport event promotions company founded by the English entrepreneur Barry Hearn. It first came to attention in the sports of snooker and boxing and is also involved in pool, bowling, golf , fishing, darts and poker...
professionals, Thorne featured in the popular song "Snooker Loopy
Snooker Loopy
"Snooker Loopy" is a humorous song which was released as a single in May 1986 and entered the UK Singles Chart, reaching #6. It was written and performed by Chas & Dave and featured snooker players Steve Davis, Dennis Taylor, Willie Thorne, Terry Griffiths and Tony Meo, as backing vocalists under...
", written and performed by Chas & Dave. In the verse which begins "Willie Thorne, his hair's all gone", Willie's cameo line was "Perhaps I ought to chalk it", in reference to his gleaming head putting off his opponents. Willie also appeared in the "Romford Rap" video with the rest of the "Matchroom Mob".
He is often known as "Mr. Maximum" because he claims to have hit nearly two-hundred 147 breaks in practice, though only one in tournament play. Thorne provided a segment on break building for the BBC during the 1999 championships where he was shown on a practice table performing a 147 whilst advising on positioning. However the BBC immediately outlined that the footage was edited as Thorne has in fact missed a pot on the black early on.
Thorne has been described as a skilled break-builder and possibly the "missing link" between old-school percentage play and the current aggressive game. He took 19 seasons to record 100 competitive century breaks.
Thorne also won the World Seniors Masters in 2000 – beating Cliff Thorburn
Cliff Thorburn
Clifford Charles Devlin Thorburn CM, known as Cliff Thorburn is a retired professional Canadian snooker player...
in the final.
Personal life
He currently lives in Broughton AstleyBroughton Astley
Broughton Astley is a large village and civil parish in the Harborough district of Leicestershire, England. It is situated in the south west of Leicestershire, about east of Hinckley and about from the centre of Leicester.- History :...
, Leicestershire
Leicestershire
Leicestershire is a landlocked county in the English Midlands. It takes its name from the heavily populated City of Leicester, traditionally its administrative centre, although the City of Leicester unitary authority is today administered separately from the rest of Leicestershire...
, England and is married to former librarian in Stocksbridge Library and Miss Great Britain
Miss Great Britain
Miss Great Britain is a female beauty contest currently held in London. Between 1956 and 1989, it was held in the seaside resort of Morecambe. It is one of the oldest of its kind in the country, with the first edition held in 1945...
winner Jill Saxby. He has three children with his first wife Fiona.
He ran a club in Leicester
Leicester
Leicester is a city and unitary authority in the East Midlands of England, and the county town of Leicestershire. The city lies on the River Soar and at the edge of the National Forest...
for many years, where Mark Selby
Mark Selby
Mark Anthony Selby is an English professional snooker and pool player. Runner up in the World Snooker Championship 2007, he was the 2006 WEPF World Eight-ball Champion. Selby has won the Masters on two occasions, the Welsh Open and the Shanghai Masters...
used to often compete in junior tournaments as a youngster.
Thorne competed in Series 5 of Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing
Strictly Come Dancing is a British television show, featuring celebrities with professional dance partners competing in Ballroom and Latin dances. The title of the show suggests a continuation of the long-running series Come Dancing, with an allusion to the film Strictly Ballroom...
with professional dance partner Erin Boag
Erin Boag
Erin Boag is a professional ballroom dancer. She has danced from the age of three, originally starting ballet and later moving into ballroom, Latin and jazz...
, before being voted out on 20 October in 12th place (out of 14).