Willie Thorne’s estranged wife has today described her grief following his death in Spain this week and said: ‘We still loved each other – It is so sad. But now he can rest in peace’.
Former Miss Great Britain Jill Saxby said they spoke every day before he passed away in Torrevieja hospital on the Costa Blanca in Spain on Wednesday.
The Leicester-born snooker star married Fiona Walker in 1985, and they have twin sons, Tristan and Kieran, and a daughter, Tahli. After his marriage broke down he began dating former Miss Great Britain Jill Saxby, and married in 2003, relocating to Spain, prior to parting in November 2019.
Away from snooker he had struggled with gambling addiction, revealing before he died how his wife had stopped him from killing himself after he racked up £1 million in gambling debts.
Ms Saxby, who survives him, along with his children and his brother Robert, said today: ‘We still loved each other. We texted or spoke to each other every day – particularly when he became poorly. Despite the turmoil we loved each other very much for 24 years. It is so sad. But now he can rest in peace’.
Former Miss Great Britain Jill Saxby said she spoke to her estranged husband ‘every day’ until he passed away in Torrevieja hospital on the Costa Blanca in Spain on Wednesday
In March, Thorne was diagnosed with leukaemia and had chemotherapy treatment at Torrevieja hospital and also had multiple blood transfusions, suffered from gout, and had a mystery infection, that saw him return to hospital by ambulance last week, and was placed in ICU.
Thorne, pictured playing snooker in 1976, reached two World Championship quarter-finals
He died from sepsis in the hospital on June 17, after doctors switched of the machine.
A Memorial service for Willie Thorne will be held at La Zenia new church in Orihuela Costa at 11.15am on Wednesday, June 24.
A GoFundMe page was set up by friend and carer Julie O’Niell and British golfer Mark Roe, that raised over €20,000 of which funds will help pay for Thorne’s Memorial service.
The popular personality died in a Spanish hospital yesterday morning after suffering ‘septic shock’ following respiratory failure.
His close friend Gary Lineker described him as ‘one of life’s great characters’ but said he had ‘potted his final black much too soon’.
Thorne, instantly recognisable from his bald head and neat moustache, was well known for his exploits away from the snooker table.
He was married to a former Miss Great Britain winner, featured in Chas and Dave’s 1986 hit song ‘Snooker Loopy’, and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2007.
But he also struggled with gambling addiction, revealing how his wife had stopped him from killing himself after he racked up £1 million in gambling debts.
Former England football captain Lineker, who like Thorne is from Leicester, said: ‘Deeply, deeply saddened to hear that my friend Willie Thorne has passed away. One of life’s great characters.
‘A marvellous snooker player and a lovely man who’s potted his final black much too soon. RIP Willie.’
Lineker and Thorne were both from Leicester and played snooker together on many occasions
Match of the Day presenter Gary Lineker is ‘deeply saddened’ to hear of his friend’s passing
BBC sports presenter Gabby Logan, who appeared on Strictly with the snooker player, wrote: ‘So sad to hear about the death of Willie Thorne. I loved watching his career, we made friends on Strictly Come Dancing where he was the loveliest “team mate”.’
The world of snooker was rocked by news of Thorne’s death.
Fellow player Ronnie O’Sullivan said: ‘Just want to say what a beautiful man – big heart, great company. Had a week in Ireland with him I’ll never forget. Will be missed by a lot of people in the Snooker world. RIP WT.’
Former rival Dennis Taylor also paid his respects, saying: ‘Devastating news about Willie Thorne. We laughed our way around the world for 45 years. RIP Great One. That was my name for him. The Great WT.’
Referring to Thorne’s nickname as a player, Jimmy White tweeted: ‘Rest in Peace Mr Maximum Man.’
World Snooker chairman Barry Hearn added: ‘I had the pleasure of managing the Great WT as part of the Matchroom team in the 1980s. He was a larger than life personality and he was a major part of the rebirth of snooker at that time.
Retired snooker champion Stephen Hendry described Thorne as ‘one of my favourite people in snooker’.
Thorne told in March how he was suffering from leukaemia. He was admitted to Torrevieja Hospital on the Costa Blanca in Spain with dangerously low blood pressure on Sunday.
Thorne appeared on the 2007 series of Strictly Come Dancing with partner Erin Boag
Having been placed in an induced coma, he died shortly before 2am Wednesday morning with members of his family at his bedside.
Announcing his death, his friend and carer Julie O’Neill said: ‘I was with him all the way to the end reading out messages from people.
‘He passed away very peacefully and without pain listening to his children saying they love him gives me some comfort in this difficult time.’
She added that she was grateful for those involved in his care and £17,000 raised to help him on a GoFundMe page would go towards paying for his funeral.
Thorne was married to former Miss Great Britain winner Jill Saxby for 24 years and the couple lived in Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, until they separated.
The retired sportsman, who had three children and two stepchildren, moved to Alicante in Spain last year hoping to rebuild his life after suffering from a long-standing gambling problem.
His addiction regularly saw him lose £20,000 betting on horse racing.
In 2015 he revealed how his wife had stopped him from killing himself over £1 million in gambling debts, which also saw his UK home repossessed after reports he could not pay the mortgage.
Thorne once spoke of how lenders had threatened to chop off his wife’s fingers and take her jewellery to pay off loans.
Speaking five years ago, he said: ‘I couldn’t see a way out. I’d caused so much grief to so many people.’
As a player he reached two World Championship quarter-finals and won the Mercantile Credit Classic in 1982.
After retiring from snooker in 2002 he went on to become a BBC commentator.