Former snooker and Strictly Come Dancing star.

[mickiedimond13]

<p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Former snooker and Strictly Come Dancing star Willie Thorne has died in hospital in Spain after suffering ‘septic shock’ following respiratory failure.<br /></p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>The 66-year-old was surrounded by his children – who told him how much he was loved – at Torrevieja Hospital, near his rented Alicante flat, when he died at 1.55am.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Thorne, who announced he was battling leukaemia in March, was taken to hospital last week with dangerously low blood pressure and was put on a ventilator in an induced coma on Sunday.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>His carer Julie O’Neill said on a GoFundMe page he was not responding to treatment – including three types of antibiotics for three different infections – so doctors decided to ‘turn off the machines’.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>The sporting legend, who was married to former Miss Great Britain Jill Saxby until last year, was first admitted to hospital on May 2 and had three blood transfusions, treatment for a virus, MRI scans and heart checks.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Ms O’Neill wrote: ‘I was with him all the way to his end and reading out messages to him from people. He passed away very peacefully and without pain listening to his children saying they love him that gives me some comfort in this difficult time.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>’Over here in Spain everything happens very quickly so today myself and his family will he making plans and will inform you accordingly.'</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>She added she was grateful for everyone involved in the former snooker player’s care and the £17,000 raised would go towards his funeral. </p><div class=”mol-img-group xwArtSplitter” style=”style”><div class=”mol-img”> <div class=”image-wrap”> </div> <noscript> </noscript> </div><div class=”clear”></div><p class=”imageCaption”>The 66-year-old (pictured in 1994), who announced he was battling leukaemia in March, 파라오카지노주소 was taken to hospital last week with a dangerously low blood pressure</p></div><div class=”mol-img-group xwArtSplitter” style=”style”> <div class=”mol-img”> <div class=”image-wrap”> </div> <noscript> </noscript> </div> <p class=”imageCaption”>Thorne’s carer Julie O’Neill wrote on the GoFundMe that Thorne (pictured) died at 1.55am after going into septic shock at Torrevieja Hospital</p></div><div class=”mol-img-group xwArtSplitter” style=”style”><div class=”splitLeft”><div class=”mol-img”> <div class=”image-wrap”> </div> <noscript> </noscript> </div></div><div class=”splitRight”><div class=”mol-img”> <div class=”image-wrap”> </div> <noscript> </noscript> </div></div><div class=”clear”></div><p class=”imageCaption”>He was married to ex-Miss Great Britain winner Jill Saxby (left, together in 2010) and lived in Broughton Astley, Leicestershire.

He starred as part of snooker’s ‘Matchroom Mob’ and went on to become a BBC commentator and appear on the 2007 version of Strictly Come Dancing (right)</p></div><div class=”mol-img-group xwArtSplitter” style=”style”> <div class=”mol-img”> <div class=”image-wrap”> </div> <noscript> </noscript> </div> <p class=”imageCaption”>Carer Ms O’Neill said on a GoFundMe page (pictured) he was not responding to treatment – including three types of antibiotics for three different infections – so doctors decided to ‘turn off the machines'</p></div><div class=”mol-img-group xwArtSplitter” style=”style”> <div class=”mol-img”> <div class=”image-wrap”> </div> <noscript> </noscript> </div> <p class=”imageCaption”>Carer Ms O’Neill’s full post on the GoFundMe page revealing that Willie Thorne had died this morning in hospital in Spain</p></div><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Thorne turned pro in 1976 aged 21 and went on to reach two World Championship quarter-finals, winning his only ranking title – the Mercantile Credit Classic – in 1985.

He became popularly known as Mr Maximum for holding the record for the most maximum 147 breaks.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>He starred as part of snooker’s ‘Matchroom Mob’ and went on to become a BBC and Sky commentator and appear on the 2007 version of Strictly Come Dancing, coming 12th with professional partner Erin Boag.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>His first marriage to Fiona Walker, who he had twin boys and a daughter with, ended in 1990 when he went off with shop assistant Denise Foster in 1990.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>While he was married to Ms Saxby, now 60, they lived in Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, until they split after 24 years – mainly due to the sports star’s gambling addiction, which saw him borrow up to £1million.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>Ms Saxby had been trying to make their relationship work, but his addiction had made it impossible.

Days after the couple split, Thorne’s £475,000 home was repossessed after reports the mortgage had not been paid.</p><p class=”mol-para-with-font”>The house, which had been shared by the couple, had fallen into <span style=”font-size: 16px;”>disrepair while the pair were living in Spain. </span>In 2015, the sport star revealed how his wife stopped him from killing himself over the £1million gambling debts a year earlier.</p><div><div data-track-module=”am-related_carousel^related_carousel” data-track-selector=”.rotator-panels a:not([class*=external])” data-dm-rotator-rotate=”false” data-track-pos=”static” data-preferred-shared-network-enabled=”” data-dm-rotator-auto-init=”” id=”p-30″ class=”related-carousel with-fb-or-tw news half” data-dm-rotator-active-class=”active” data-dm-rotator-page-count=”1.0″ data-dm-social-article-auto-init=”” data-dm-rotator-page-size=”1″> <div class=”rotator bdrcc”> <div class=”rotator-title”> <h2>RELATED ARTICLES</h2> <ul class=”rotator-pages link-xocc”> <li class=”rotator-prev”>Previous

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