Whirlwind set to blow in
JIMMY White has vowed to fulfil his reputation as the "People's Champion" when he heads to the Grimsby Auditorium on Friday with Alex Higgins for their Stars of Snooker exhibition match.
The 47-year-old Londoner, who has appeared in six World Championship finals without ever winning the title, says both he and Higgins – who clinched the title in 1972 and 1982 – will "get involved" with the audience.
White will answer questions about his 22-day stint in the Australian jungle and the two players will also play a few frames with plucky volunteers – before they lock horns in some 'serious' frames.
The pair's world semi-final clash in 1982 is still regarded as one of snooker's classic encounters and White said he was delighted to bring Higgins – the Hurricane – out of retirement for the Stars of Snooker tour.
The Whirlwind, who finished third in the reality TV series I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here, was last month granted a wildcard for the Wembely Masters by the recently-appointed World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association chairman Barry Hearn – but he lost 6-2 in the wildcard round to Mark King.
White – winner of 10 ranking tournaments and 27 invitation tournaments in his career – is a former World Doubles champion with Higgins, and the pair visited North East Lincolnshire in December 1982 to play an exhibition match at the Beachcomber, Humberston.
They will now reprise their battle 28 years on...
White, who is 56th in the world snooker rankings, joked that returning to Grimsby is "definitely far scarier" than his exploits in the jungle.
"I'm joking of course," the Whirlwind added.
"I love playing the exhibition matches and I'm pleased to be coming to Grimsby.
"We come and really try to get involved with the audience.
"The fans seem to enjoy it. We are playing 16 events on the legends tour and have just sold out the show at the Crucible on April 8.
"We will play a couple of frames with people and then myself and Alex will play a few 'serious' matches, and John Virgo will supply the trick shots.
"It's great that we have got Alex Higgins out of retirement and to have the opportunity to see him play again is phenomenal.
"We aim to try and meet everybody, sign autographs and will have a question-and-answer session."
During his time in the jungle, White braved the infamous "Bushtrucker Trials" alongside fellow contestants, who included model Katie Price, actor George Hamilton, former WBF world heavyweight boxing champion Joe Bugner and chef Gino D'Acampo, who won the competition.
Afterwards he insisted the experience has revived his passion for snooker.
His first return to the snooker circuit was the disappointing exit at the Masters.
White then started 2010 with a 5-4 defeat (he led 4-0) to Preston's Ian McCulloch in the qualification rounds for the Welsh Open.
And last week in the qualifying rounds of the Sanyuan Foods 2010 World Snooker China Open at Pontin's Prestatyn, White lost 5-4 to Xiao Guodong in the second qualifying round.
Despite those results, he said: "I've been playing great snooker in practice since the show.
"When I was in the jungle I lost a bit of timber: my weight went down from 16st and 10lb to 14st and 4lb.
"I'm trying everything I can to improve. It was a great experience and I'm still in touch and good friends with Gino and George Hamilton, who offer me advice.
"My form has been good in practice and it's nice to be back competing in the ranking events.
"It was very disappointing at the Masters because I didn't perform and never got started against Mark, and it was disappointing to lose by just one frame against Ian.
"But that's snooker – you have to be on the ball every tournament and every match.
"That's the challenge involved in stepping out in the big tournaments and it's part of the game of snooker, which I love."
White also took the opportunity to offer his best wishes to Grimsby snooker player Dean Reynolds, who suffered a stroke last April and has since relearned his snooker technique.
Reynolds reached number seven in the world snooker rankings in the 1990-91 season after reached two ranking tournament finals in 1989 – both of which he lost, the British Open to Tony Meo and the Grand Prix to Steve Davis.
"Dean was a great player and I saw him win a couple of tournaments," White said.
"I hope he is doing well and he is more than welcome to come backstage for a chat with me."
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