Steve Davis OBE

Steve Davis turned professional in 1978 and went onto win The World Snooker Championship 6 times during the 1980s (1981, 1983, 1984, 1987, 1988 and 1989), a record at the time.

Perhaps his most famous match was the 1985 final against Dennis Taylor. In a nail-biting match that saw a record post-midnight audience on British television and a record audience for BBC2 of 18 million people, Taylor finally defeated Davis 18 frames to 17, winning the final frame on the final ball.

It was during this period that Davis received an MBE from Her Majesty the Queen, something that gives him great pride. Subsequently, Steve received an OBE in the 2003 New Year’s Honours List.

Over Davis’ professional career he has amassed 71 major titles, been a member of the successful English World Cup team on four occasions – captaining it twice – and won the World Doubles title four times. In 1982, Steve had the honour of being the first ever snooker player to compile a televised maximum break of 147 – a feat he achieved in the Lada Classic winning him….. a Lada estate car!

After being written off as past his prime Steve shocked the sporting world in 1997 when he won the Masters title against all odds. At 8-4 down to red-hot favourite Ronnie O’Sullivan in the final session, Steve won six frames in a row, including the highest break, to win the biggest cheque of his career. That mesmerising performance led to Steve being voted BBC TV Snooker Personality of the Year.

Over the past ten years Steve, as well as maintaining his top snooker ranking, has been competing against the best in the world at 9-Ball pool, the most popular cue sport in the world. He has represented Europe in the Mosconi Cup on nine occasions, was a member of the winning side in 1995 and potted the final 9-ball to clinch the Cup for Europe in December 2002.

Steve Davis is also an avid poker player, spending many hours playing online. He has competed in some major televised events, plays regularly in the World Series in Las Vegas and even reached the final table of Pokermillion in 2002.

In December of 2005 at the age of 48, Davis rolled back the years as he reached the final of the UK Championship, 25 years after he first won it. That saw him rocket to No.3 in the world rankings.

A regular commentator and pundit on BBC snooker productions, Steve Davis manages to compete at the same time. At the World Championship in April 2010, the unfancied Davis, aged 52, won his first round match against the odds and then dumped reigning champion and World No.1 John Higgins out of the competition to reach the quarter finals in what was described as the biggest upset in snooker history.

Steve Davis remains in demand as an entertaining after dinner speaker.