One of snooker’s great characters, famed for his break-building, attacking play and good sense of humour, Willie Thorne became a star of the sport in the 80’s and 90’s. Mr Maximum answered your questions about his career, the state of the modern game and his Strictly Come Dancing experience…

How often do you play snooker now?
Jack Jenkins, Wigston
I don’t play at all. I haven’t played for ten years really. I just do the odd trick shot when I’m doing after dinner speaking and things like that. Retiring was probably the best thing to do as I was getting beaten by people I shouldn’t have lost to. When I was good, I was excellent, but when I was bad I was hopeless.

What was your proudest career moment?
Chris Palmer, Glen Parva
You’d think it would be winning my first tournament, but it probably wasn’t as everybody had built it up saying, “When is Willie going to win a tournament?” I was expecting some sort of euphoria when I won my first Mercantile but that didn’t happen. I won 13 tournaments but the Mercantile was the only major. Making my first 147 in a tournament was as good as anything.

Out of the current crop of players, who do you enjoy watching?
Tim Beckett, Leicester
I love watching Shaun Murphy, who’s very close to me and I work with him on his break building. I still like watching Hendry and O’Sullivan is obviously a genius. Mark Selby is the one for me though. He’s improved out of all proportion. I’ve known Mark since he was 14 when he first came into my club in Leicester. He can definitely win the World Championship and I’d put him in the top two or three players tactically in the World.

Where did the nickname Mr. Maximum came from?
Wendy Brooks, Rutland
It’s people messing around about the number of 147 breaks I made. I made 198 of them before I retired. It was a nickname that came from Gary Lineker. I had 38 147’s against Gary and it was a wind up every time in the press.

Who was the greatest player you faced?
Steve Bell, Hinckley
Ronnie O’Sullivan. The best match player was Steve Davis, the best break-builder, Steven Hendry and the best for natural ability, Ronnie O’Sullivan. If they all played at their best, Ronnie O’Sullivan would win.

Was there any player that you had a rivalry with?
Mukesh, Birmingham
Playing players that everybody thought were slow, like Cliff Thorburn or Terry Griffiths, I did well. I never lost to Griffiths. I had a good record against him and Dennis Taylor. I think Dennis beat me once in about 12 games. I had a good record against Davis too. When you play somebody like that you’ve got to play well. I only had one way of playing, and that was knocking the balls in.

Do you enjoy the TV work?
Dave Collins, Narborough
After I stopped playing I would’ve found it difficult not being involved in snooker. The BBC stuff means that I’m involved with the players and keeping up with the modern game. I miss playing, but I don’t miss the practice.

Tell us about your Strictly Come Dancing experience?
Patricia King, Leicester
It was the greatest experience of my life and it wasn’t until I finished that I realised how much I’d enjoyed it. I danced with Erin Boag who’d danced with Martin Offiah, Peter Schmeichel and Colin Jackson. They were all fitness fanatics and then she had to lump me around! She was lovely and we’re close friends. On the day I went out I finished fourth. It was a blessing in disguise though, because if I’d stayed in I would’ve been wearing pink Lycra doing the samba!

What is your opinion on Ronnie O’Sullivan’s comments that snooker is a dying sport?
Darren O’Brien, Ratby
If it’s not broke don’t fix it. Ronnie’s saying it is because of the lack of crowds, but look at cricket, if it’s not Twenty20 then nobody is there and in football if it’s not Man United then you get empty seats. The World Championships were outstanding and at the last eight I didn’t know who was going to win.

I remember watching you play at ‘Osborne’s’ snooker club in Leicester before you were famous. Didn’t your parents own the ‘Shoulder of Mutton’ pub on the Braunstone estate? It was one of the toughest pubs in Leicester and your dad was as hard as nails…
Roger Henson, Braunstone
I learnt how to play at Osborne’s. I went there and quickly found out that I was poor compared to some of the players there. Brian Cakebread, who recently passed away, was a regular century break player and after playing with him it took me about a year to become the best in Leicester, then the best in the Midlands. It was down to Brian and Osborne’s that I improved.

The ‘Shoulder of Mutton’ was one of the toughest pubs in Leicester. My dad was quite rough and ready, but he wanted to change things and he renamed it ‘The Falcon’ and it became a nice pub. I had a snooker table put in one of the rooms and used to practice there.

What does Leicester mean to you?
Carol McClean, Evington
It’s my life. I was born and bred here and my parents are from Anstey. I count myself as a Leicester person and regardless of where I end up I’ll always look for Leicester results first, whether it is football, cricket or rugby.

What is your guilty pleasure?
Brian Moler, Leicester
My guilty pleasure is gambling which has been a problem for me and it still can be. Now and again I want to have a bet, but at the time I was gambling, I was earning plenty of money. It’s not quite the same now, I still earn a good living but it’s not what it was and I can’t afford to lose the money that I used to.

For more information on Willie Thorne visit the website of his representatives www.championsukplc.com