My wife saved me from suicide over £1million gambling debt, says snooker star Willie Thorne
FORMER snooker player Willie Thorne has revealed how he tried to end his life over £1million gambling debts.
The 61-year-old fled to a hotel room with a knife and wrote letters to his family after his betting addiction spiralled out of control.
But the BBC commentator was saved when his wife Jill Saxby tracked him down. ‘People think because I’m the guy off the TV, I must have loads of money,’ Mr Thorne said.
‘Nothing could be further from the truth. The house I live in is mortgaged to the hilt and the cars are on lease. Yes we should have a nice house in Spain. Yes I should be enjoying my retirement. But there is nothing left – and I’ve no one to blame but myself.’
Mr Thorne, who starred in Strictly Come Dancing in 2007, said his problems started 15 years ago when he retired from professional snooker.
But his addiction became worse when his beloved mother Nancy died aged 87 in 2013. Mr Thorne told the Sunday Mirror. ‘I wanted to get away from how I was feeling, to win enough to live happily ever after – I know it sounds daft.’ He borrowed from money-lenders and friends, then made the failed suicide bid in June last year.
Then at Christmas two men turned up at his home in Leicester, demanding £300,000. Mr Thorne said: ‘I had a call saying unless I came up with the money they would chop [Jill’s] fingers off to get to the diamond rings.’
Now he is declaring himself bankrupt and has not placed a bet for three months. Mr Thorne, who has three children and two stepchildren, added: ‘I never want to see another betting slip in my life.’