James “Jimmy” White is a professional snooker player from the UK. Nicknamed “The Whirlwind” for his aggressive yet fluid style of play, he’s commonly known as the “People’s Champion” for his success in the sport. ‌ Alongside Steve Davis, White is one of the most celebrated England snooker players of all time. White competed in six world championship finals as a runner-up, also securing dozens of snooker achievements under his belt. He has taken the UK Championship, the Masters, and the Nations Cup. He was the first left-handed player — and only the second player overall — to record a maximum break at the World Championship tournament. ‌During his career, he had 10 tournament wins and achieved his first ranking title at the Scottish Masters.

Childhood and Early Life

Born as James Warren White in 1962, Jimmy White grew up in South London, Tooting. In his early years, he studied at Ernest Bevin School. Academics were never his priority though — from the age of eight or nine, he spent most of his time truant from school, spending more and more time at a nearby snooker hall. ‌It was then that he discovered his natural aptitude for snooker. He went on to start a successful amateur career, winning the English Amateur Championship in 1979, then becoming the youngest-ever winner of the World Amateur Snooker Championship at age 18. ‌

Breaking Into the Professional Snooker Scene

Over his long and illustrious career, Jimmy White has become one of the most popular snooker players of all time. After breaking into the professional scene in 1980, he claimed all of the sport’s top honours. He had reached his first World Championship final by 1984 and returned for five consecutive finals — coming painfully close to victory several times. “The Whirlwind” made his mark as an aggressive and flamboyant player.

In over 40 years since his debut, he spent 21 seasons ranked in the top 16 elite snooker players. He’s also one of only a handful of players to have made over 300-century breaks in a professional competition. Along with these notable achievements, Jimmy White completed the maximum break at the Crucible Theatre. This is one of the hardest game plays, which only seven snooker players have achieved in the sport's history.

Jimmy had a rollercoaster ride; he won and lost several games between 1976 and 1980, against notable snooker players like Stephen Hendry, Dave Martin, Dennis Taylor, Alex Higgins and Steve Davis. Jimmy White won his first professional title after defeating Cliff Thorburn in the Scottish Masters final. He followed this with the Northern Ireland Classic snooker tournament, beating Steve Davis by eleven frames. By 1981, White was a well-established world snooker professional.

Jimmy White and the World Championship Final (1980 - 2000)

After over a decade of snooker tournaments, the player reached the World Championship on six occasions. In the first round of the World Championship, White lost to reigning champion, Steve Davis in a close game, with a winning result of 8-10.

Between 1984-5, Jimmy received an invitational tour card, but it was in 1986 when he would finally win his first ranking event title at the Mercantile Credit Classic. The amateur turned professional also won the Grand Prix in 1992, his first title of the 90s alone.

Jimmy made it to the semi-finals of the 1990 World Championship, played against nemesis Stephen Hendry, who won by just one point! In 1994, the two would face each other again, but White lost to a deciding frame against Stephen Hendry. White missed a straightforward black ball, costing him the world title at the semi-final and losing the play – a shot that still haunts him to this day. In a turn of events, White beat Hendry in the 1998 World Championship in the first session, defeating the double world champion by a landslide.

Jimmy White successfully made it to the World Championship Final on six occasions; in 1991 and 1995 he played against John Parrott, losing in the final frame after a strong 11-11 tie.

Outside of the UK, White played in the Hong Kong Masters in 1988 – a professional non-ranking invitational event – defeating six-time tournament winner Neal Foulds in the final match by 3 points.

To finish the first string of his career, Jimmy White played in the Irish Masters, a tournament that began in 1978 but was dominated for the majority by Steve Davis (eight-time world champion). White made it to the quarter-finals in 2000 against John Higgins, another frustrating loss for the snooker legend.

The New Millenium: 2000s to Now

In 2013, Jimmy White took to the World Seniors Championship, but lost to Stephen Hendry in the quarter-final. Shortly after, Steve Davis regained his crown, toppling White's place in the professional World Snooker circuit. 2 years later, White sadly lost the deciding frame against Gerard Greene in the first round of the World Championship Qualifier.

White played against Stuart Bingham in the Gibraltar Open, the former World Championship winner. This quick win gave White a boost, although he lost to David Lilley later that year. During this decade, Jimmy's rankings would take a hit, dropping over thirty placed to the bottom 56.

Jimmy White took to the World Seniors Championship again in August 2019, but lost 3-4 to Ronnie O'Sullivan in the first round. A year later, White returned to regain his title, winning 5-4 against Ken Doherty. During the interim, Jimmy White qualified for the 2020 European Masters, beating Hammad Miah in a narrow 5-4 win in the first round.

White competed against new players too, drawing against Ross Bulman and winning the opening frame, followed by a nail-biting match against Ali Carter, winning 10-5. But in the second round, White did not manage to win another frame, ultimately losing to Carter 4-10. Come 2020, Jimmy White would win £10,000 in prize money at the World Championship.

In April 2021, a wave of nostalgia reunited fans and snooker players alike. Stephen Hendry and Jimmy White faced each other again in the first qualifying match, but Stephen Hendry won by 3 frames. Still, White received another tour card for the upcoming Main Tour, continuing to play for England.

Taking the Spotlight

Over the years, Jimmy White's snooker success has led to a number of media appearances. He took a top prize on the BBC game show Big Break and became the first (and only) winner of the ITV show Tenball. He also placed third on the popular show I’m a Celebrity...Get Me Out of Here! ‌He made his film debut in the movie Jack Said, playing the role of a dodgy snooker club owner. In the movie The Rack Pack, which took on the story of the rivalry between Alex Higgins and Steve Davis in the 1980s, he was portrayed by James Bailey.

Net Worth and Success

After his legendary career, Jimmy White has enjoyed considerable financial success. He’s now one of the richest professional snooker players; his net worth as of 2020 is estimated to be about $9 million. ‌

Personal Life

Jimmy White is a Chelsea supporter, enjoying a variety of sports to this day. He has five children from his first marriage with Maureen Mockler. White previously had a Bull-Terrier called Splinter; in the 1990s, Splinter was dognapped and held for ransom, who was returned once White paid the fee. He also participates in pool and poker, previously winning the Poker Million tournament held in 2003, alongside Steve Davis.

Jimmy White is surrounded by fame. He met Ronnie Wood (Rolling Stones legend) on a night out, and unbeknown to White was that Wood was a huge snooker fan. The rock 'n' roller is now an "old mate". White is also close friends with professional poker player, Dave "The Devilfish" Ulliott.

Along with his incredible achievements, White also wrote an autobiography in November 2014 titled "Second Wind", in which he also disclosed that he was addicted to crack cocaine for 3 months following his defeat against Steve Davis in the 1984 World Championship final.

What is Jimmy Up to Now?‌

In recent years, Jimmy White has continued to play, enjoying success on the World Seniors Tour. He took the top prize in the World Seniors Championship in both 2019 and 2020. ‌ He's not simply involved in the sport itself — he also acts as a commentator for snooker coverage on Eurosport UK. ‌Today, he lives in Epson, Surrey, and is now in a public relationship with girlfriend, Jade Slusarcyzk, a popular beauty queen and TV presenter. He credits her as his support system — helping him stay on track and get to a good place in his life.… show more