Big break cost me
Snooker bosses fined Hendry for secret Masked Singer stint
Stephen hendry was fined by snooker bosses after his secret shot at stardom on the Masked Singer led to him pulling out of events.
The 54-year-old former world champion was revealed as the character Rubbish on the ITV singing contest on Saturday.
Asked what he told people he was doing while keeping his identity a secret, Hendry said: “I do have wildcards to play in some snooker events and I actually pulled out of a couple of events and got fined by the WPBSA (World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association) for doing it.
“And I couldn’t tell them why because this recording was going on and I couldn’t obviously say why I pulled out ... I just said, ‘Look, I can’t play the tournament’.
“So, yeah, it was, very, very, very strange ... you’re dying to tell people what you’re doing but you can’t.”
The WPBSA, whose commercial arm is the World Snooker Tour, manages professional snooker tournaments.
Hendry said he agreed to take part in The Masked Singer because he “loves” the show and would remain anonymous.
He added: “I have been asked to do the other reality shows but the thing that appealed to me about this one obviously was the fact that you are in a costume. Nobody can see you.
“And obviously (there is no) stress. This is not a singing competition, it’s just a show that you just go in this costume and have fun.”
He said previously he’d only done karaoke while in China so he enlisted singing coach Mark De-Lisser to help him.
Hendry said: “I’m not saying I’m a great singer but I’m better than I thought I was.”