Willie Thorne

Willie Thorne, born William Joseph Thorne on 4 March 1954, was an English professional snooker player who turned professional in 1975 and competed until 2001. He won one ranking title, the 1985 Classic, reached the final of the 1985 UK Championship, and peaked at world number 7 in the mid-1980s. Noted for his break building, he was among the first players to compile 100 century breaks in competitive play and made a maximum break at the 1987 UK Championship, which earned him the nickname Mr Maximum. He battled a serious gambling addiction that he discussed in interviews and autobiographies, and after retiring he worked as a snooker commentator, mainly for the BBC. He died in Torrevieja, Spain, on 17 June 2020, aged 66.