By Elliott West
“I want to illuminate the darkness Jimmy dragged himself through as he lost much more than those famous six World Championship finals”.
Steven Waddington
Introduction
Jimmy White has been a dominant force in snooker for decades. A winner of ten ranking titles, the man they call ‘The Whirlwind’, plays the game how it should be played, fast, furious and with flair. Now 61, White still holds a tour card and is also busy playing on the World Seniors tour and in his work as a pundit for Eurosport’s snooker coverage. So it is good to hear that a new drama is in the offing about this legend of the game. The actor Steven Waddington who starred as Police Superintendent Smith in the 2014 film The Imitation Game, has written a screenplay and will direct the drama. Aneurin Barnard who was in the film Dunkirk will play Jimmy and Ray Winstone is also lined up for the film. It will concentrate on and condense the colourful life of White and base it on one night when Jimmy is forced to confront his darker side.
Produced by Black Water Pictures and Lipsync Productions, filming will start this April in London. A film that looks at the genius of Jimmy White as a snooker player and how his inner demons would tear him apart. A player who reached six World Championship finals but lost all of them. Someone who blew away £35,000 on a crack cocaine addiction
A Must
This is a script that couldn’t be turned down. Aneurin and Ray jumped at the chance when they were offered the roles and there was no question that they would say no. Jimmy is someone that they have both admired for years. A poignant and funny script that is waiting to be told. Both are perfect for the roles because they come from the same ilk. A story that will mix the shady days of London snooker clubs in South London and the success that would ensue. A play that idolised Alex Higgins and aimed to produce his brilliance on a snooker table. The zip, long pots and breaks that came from nothing.
Jimmy remains a rock star of the sport and joins Alex and Ronnie as players who put bums on seats and sell-out venues. White might be slightly older but he has learnt from his life mistakes. He now leads a clean life and is a devoted father. A player who still believes he can win the World Championship and practices more now than he ever did in his pomp. The Whirlwind still kicks up a storm and is captivating to watch in an exhibition or on a practice table as I can vouch having met him and spent time with him on numerous occasions.
A genuine legend of the game. Jimmy comes from an era when snooker was bursting with interesting characters. Don’t get me wrong the top players of today are not lacking personality, it’s just times have changed. We could discuss where snooker would be today without the ever colourful Ronnie but that is for another time.
To me Jimmy White was magnificent and still is. Not just a wonderfully exciting snooker player but a real sporting hero. It seemed we all wanted Jimmy to win. At his best he was mesmerising to watch. We could actually feel his pain when Stephen Henry cane back from 14-8 to win the world final. I was actually in the local snooker hall when this happened. You could feel the sadness in the room. It takes a fantastic personality for people to really care about someone they’ve never met. That’s what Jimmy achieved in his snooker pomp. To be so loved by the people.
I look forward very much to viewing his life story. I hope it captures how loved he has always been.
The likes of Jimmy, Alex Higgins and the incredible Ronnie O’Sullivan have helped make snooker popular in my lifetime. Personally I love snooker, so I’ve enjoyed all sides of the game. I admire Steve Davis and Stephen Hendry for their dominance and incredible mental toughness. To be almost disliked for being a winner yet remaining at the top takes some strength. I wonder if Jimmy White would have so much love if he had won 4 world titles? It’s an interesting thought. I think the answer is most definitely yes. Players like Jimmy, Alex and Ronnie are loved for style more than anything else. They provide exciting moments which capture hearts. Snooker addicts like myself and occasional viewers alike. We all seem to adore these gods of snooker
What I love about Jimmy is he still loves the game and loves competing. He was just a boy when I was playing decent snooker and we all thought he would be guaranteed to win a World Championship. He’s still great to watch.