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Metro
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Metro
Ken Doherty on Jimmy White classic matches, big nights out and moving gestures
Ken Doherty and Jimmy White first met in a ranking event in January 1991 and will do so again in August 2025 at the Saudi Arabia Masters. The two snooker icons are still battling away on the professional tour with the Irishman now 55 years old and the Whirlwind picking up wins at 63 years old. They have been drawn to face each other in the opening round in Jeddah on Friday, an awful long way from their first match at the Mercantile Credit Classic in Bournemouth over 34 years ago. Doherty is looking forward to it, but admits he would prefer not to be facing his old mate. 'He's good pal of mine so I would have rather played somebody else, but you can't help but get excited about playing someone like him,' Crafty Ken told Metro. 'We've had some wonderful matches over the years and it's a match that gets the juices flowing.' The Darlin' of Dublin remembers that first experience of the Whirlwind in Bournemouth, but more so their first clash in a final, a year later at the Rothmans Grand Prix. 'I know the first big final we played was the Grand Prix at the Hexagon in Reading, he beat me 10-9,' remembers Doherty. 'We had a wonderful match, amazing occasion. I remember I made a century (117) to go 9-all and didn't get much of a chance in the decider. 'The place was absolutely packed. You can imagine what the Hexagon was like, close to London and he always had a big crowd following him anyway. It was on the BBC, it was wonderful, my first big ranking final. We've had some great matches over the years.' Doherty's memories of White go back a long way before they were at the table together, with a teenage Dubliner given the task of sorting out the Whirlwind's dressing room at the legendary Irish venue Goffs. 'I remember when I worked at Goffs as a 14-year-old,' said Doherty. 'I used to have to clean out his dressing room at times. That was part of my job, as well as being an usher and getting Alex Higgins a vodka and orange juice when he would ask for an orange juice, you know?' Asked what he would have to clear out of White's dressing room, Doherty chuckled: 'Oh, well…that's another story. You wouldn't know! You could go in there and it would look like it wouldn't have been touched and you'd go in another day and you'd think a bomb went off.' They became rivals on the table and friends off it, but the wildly popular Londoner was a hero for Doherty as a youngster. 'Without a doubt,' he said. 'Alex Higgins firstly, then Jimmy White. He would have been a hero to a lot of the players who took up the game in the 80s, because he was on the television, burst onto the scene, was so attractive to watch, went for his shots and was so exciting. 'You were always gunning for him to win the World Championship in all those six finals that he lost. It was heartbreak for a lot of fans, including myself.' On those early meetings as professionals, Doherty recalls: 'I was in awe of him, just to play him you were nervous, you had to pinch yourself.' The Whirlwind had a rock and roll reputation in his partying days, but his popularity also came through his kind nature, which Doherty has experienced over the years. 'We became friends and he's been very good to me and even my son,' explained the 1997 world champ. 'He moved to to a school not far from Jimmy in Surrey to board and he was only allowed out at weekends. 'I didn't even ask him and Jimmy said to me: 'Look at weekends, if you're taking your son out, rather than go all the way back to Sheffield, stay at my house. There's a room up there for the two of you, you're welcome any time. That room is yours.' 'I'll never forget that, you know, he was extremely good to me. We always have a great laugh together.' Doherty has no shortage of tales about the great laughs he has had with White, but there is one that stands out thanks to the Whirlwind's superstar pals. 'You talk about rock and roll lifestyle, this was one of the greatest nights,' remembers Doherty. 'We'd played a tournament in China and we were going from the north down to Hainan and we had to be there for the Sunday for the opening ceremony. I'd lost on the Tuesday and he rings me in the hotel room on Wednesday and says: 'Alright, son, what you doing now? I got a call from Ronnie Wood, you fancy coming to see the Stones with me on Macau Island on Saturday night?' 'I said: 'On Saturday night? Jim, I'd love to but if we don't go to the red carpet opening on Sunday we'll get a 500 quid fine.' More Trending 'Jimmy goes: 'A monkey? A f***ing monkey? It's the Rolling Stones and you're with the Whirlwind of London Town, mate!' I thought for a minute, I said: 'Yeah, what am I thinking? Let's go to Macau!' 'So he took me to the Rolling Stones and we were all VIP at the front of the stage and I was in Ronnie Wood's dressing room, Keith Richards comes in, I have a photograph of the four of us. It was one of the best nights of my life. 'We got to Hainan Island on the Monday instead of the Sunday, got beat again early, as you can imagine after being on the beer with Jimmy over the weekend. I got back from the tournament in Hainan and there was the fine, 500 quid in the post. It was the best 500 quid I've ever I've ever spent. It doesn't get any better than that.' MORE: Kyren Wilson ends Ali Carter fairytale in brilliant Shanghai Masters final MORE: Zhao Xintong opponent reveals surprise strength of 'the future of snooker' MORE: Ali Carter talks Shanghai Masters bonus, Zhao Xintong future and Ronnie O'Sullivan clash
Edinburgh Live
11-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
Steve Davis was astonished by Queen Elizabeth II's five-word comment to him
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Snooker legend Steve Davis recently recounted an encounter with the late Queen Elizabeth II that left him astounded, revealing her surprising interest in his career and the sport. The south London native, who soared to fame in the 1970s and became a snooker powerhouse through the 1980s, clinched six World Championships and featured in eight finals before hanging up his cue in 2016 at the age of 58. With an illustrious reputation over four decades, his fame had even reached the Queen, who sadly passed away in September 2022. READ MORE - Prince Harry's incredible £8,000 Disney-themed gift he gave Prince Louis READ MORE - Prince Harry and Meghan's 'wake up call photo' that made them quit royal family At a gathering in Leamington Spa back in November 2022, Davis shared an anecdote from 1989 when he was awarded his MBE. He described to the audience how Her Majesty had inquired "Did you win the final?", demonstrating her attentiveness to his achievements. (Image: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images) (Image: © 2025 PA Media) (Image: GETTY) The snooker star, now 67, painted the picture: "You get put in this room, a posh guy comes in, he goes all the knighthoods at the front, form a queue, then the CBEs and the OBEs then all the crud at the back. When it is your turn, you are going to turn, and then bow, the Queen is going to be in front of you." Davis reminisced about his triumph at the Rothmans Grand Prix that Sunday, having trumped Dean Reynolds with a commanding 10-0 victory in the final, marking a period when he was at the top of his game. He recollected feeling validated as the best by none other than the Queen herself, reports the Mirror. With a smile, Davis detailed the moment of receiving his MBE: "It was my turn. I go like this, I turn, I bow, I take two steps forward, she pins on my MBE and as we are shaking hands she speaks to me. "She says, 'We had to go out of the country over the weekend. Did you win the final?' I thought, 'The Queen watches snooker!' I went, 'Yes ma'am,' and she went, 'Well done!'". Bursting with pride, Davis was eager to share his unexpected Royal encounter saying, "So I am off down to my local social club in Plumstead to tell everybody the Queen watches snooker and she thinks I am the best thing in the game. Fantastic,". Years later, after receiving an OBE, Davis recalled meeting Her Majesty again: "Five years later I get awarded the OBE." He humorously noted the procedural change upon his upgrade: "It is like an upgrade, you get further up the queue. That is the only difference I could see, but this time I was no longer the best thing in the game. Stephen Hendry had come along and taken all my ranking points, all my prize money, all my sweets." Reflecting on the evolution of his career, Davis shared a light-hearted moment during the OBE ceremony that signalled a shift in his status as a sportsman: "Well, the Queen confirmed I was no longer the best thing in the game. It is my turn." With laughter, he recounted the pivotal exchange with the Queen: "I took two steps forward, she pinned on my OBE and as we were shaking hands, once again she spoke to me. She said, 'Tell me, do you still play?' and that effectively was the end of my career!".
Daily Mirror
10-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Steve Davis was caught off guard by Queen Elizabeth's five-word comment
Steve Davis was stunned by what the Queen said while receiving his MBE (Image: © 2025 PA Media) Snooker icon Steve Davis was once left shocked by Queen Elizabeth II's comment which revealed she was a fan of both him and the sport. Davis, from south London, rose to prominence in the late 1970s and dominated snooker throughout the eighties. He won six World Championships and reached eight finals before retiring in 2016 aged 58. As a household name for over 40 years, Davis' reputation extended far and wide, even reaching the late Queen, who passed away in September 2022. In a story he shared back in November 2022 at an event in Leamington Spa, Davis recalled the time he received his MBE in 1989. He revealed to the crowd how the monarch surprised him by asking, 'Did you win the final?', which showed she had been closely following his career. The 67-year-old said: 'You get put in this room, a posh guy comes in, he goes all the knighthoods at the front, form a queue, then the CBEs and the OBEs then all the crud at the back. When it is your turn, you are going to turn, and then bow, the Queen is going to be in front of you. 'I had just won the Rothmans Grand Prix on Sunday. I beat Dean Reynolds in the final 10-0. I was the best thing in the game. I was beating everybody for fun at that time and the Queen confirmed I was the best.' Davis then recounted his meeting with the Queen, adding: 'It was my turn. I go like this, I turn, I bow, I take two steps forward, she pins on my MBE and as we are shaking hands she speaks to me. Queen Elizabeth II revealed she watched snooker (Image: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images) "She says, 'We had to go out of the country over the weekend. Did you win the final?' I thought, 'The Queen watches snooker!' I went, 'Yes ma'am,' and she went, 'Well done!'" Brimming with pride, Davis rushed down to his local social club to share the news and give himself a congratulatory pat on the back. "So I am off down to my local social club in Plumstead to tell everybody the Queen watches snooker and she thinks I am the best thing in the game. Fantastic,' he said. A few years on, Davis was awarded an OBE and met Her Majesty once again. He explained: 'Five years later I get awarded the OBE. Davis reigned supreme in snooker in the eighties (Image: GETTY) "It is like an upgrade, you get further up the queue. That is the only difference I could see, but this time I was no longer the best thing in the game. Stephen Hendry had come along and taken all my ranking points, all my prize money, all my sweets.' The snooker icon was then reminded of his diminishing abilities by being asked the question every sports star dreads. Davis, while chuckling, continued: 'Well, the Queen confirmed I was no longer the best thing in the game. It is my turn. 'I took two steps forward, she pinned on my OBE and as we were shaking hands, once again she spoke to me. She said, 'Tell me, do you still play?' and that effectively was the end of my career!'
