Jimmy White - Personal Life

Personal Life

In 1995 after a routine check-up with his doctor, White was diagnosed with testicular cancer after discovering a lump. He was operated on almost immediately and soon after given the all clear. He married Maureen White, and they have five children, Lauren, Ashleigh, Georgia, Breeze and Tommy. He currently lives in Oxshott, Surrey.

Despite being best known for snooker, White is also a pool and poker player. Along with Steve Davis and Alex Higgins, White was a member of Europe's victorious Mosconi Cup pool team of 1995, and won the deciding match against Lou Butera. He won the second Poker Million tournament, held in 2003, which also had Steve Davis at the final table. He is also good friends with professional poker player Dave "The Devilfish" Ulliott.

In the late 1990s, White's bull terrier, Splinter, was dognapped and held for ransom. Splinter became the first dog to have a colour poster on the front page of The Times. White paid the ransom and Splinter was returned to him. Splinter went on to live for another three years.

In 1999, he was awarded an MBE. Coincidentally, the three players to have beaten him in the world finals (Davis, 1984; Hendry, 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994; Parrott, 1991) have also received an MBE. In 2005, as part of a sponsorship deal with HP Sauce, he changed his name to Jimmy Brown for the Masters.

In November 2007, his father, Tommy White, died aged 88. With his daughter Lauren Albert, White is a director of Jimmy White Ltd, which had a turnover of £180,359 in 2006. White has been a fan of Chelsea Football Club since 1972.