Willie Thorne

William Joseph Thorne (4 March 1954 – 17 June 2020) was an English professional snooker player who turned professional in 1975 and competed until 2001. He won one ranking title, the 1985 Classic, and reached the final of the 1985 UK Championship, losing 16–14 to Steve Davis after leading 13–8. He peaked at world No. 7 in the rankings during the mid-1980s. Thorne was noted for his break-building ability and was among the first players to compile 100 century breaks in competitive play. He achieved a maximum break at the 1987 UK Championship and earned the nickname "Mr Maximum". Throughout his career he also battled a serious gambling addiction, which he discussed publicly in interviews and in his autobiographies. After retiring from professional play, Thorne became a snooker commentator, working primarily for the BBC from the 1980s until he was dropped from their broadcast team after the 2017–18 season. He also commentated for Sky, ITV, and BBC Wales. In June 2015, Thorne was diagnosed with prostate cancer, and in March 2020 he announced he had been diagnosed with leukaemia. He died on 17 June 2020 in Torrevieja, Spain, aged 66, after being placed in an induced coma following respiratory failure.