Willie Thorne’s funeral will be held next week in Spain.
The late snooker legend – who sadly passed away on Wednesday (17.06.20) aged 66 – will be laid to rest in the Spanish city where he spent his final days, with a church service followed by a celebration in his memory at an Alicante bar.
His friend and carer Julie O’Neill revealed mourners will gather at Evolution Bar la Fuente, where he played with the pool team and golf association and held a number of charity events.
She said: "We are planning a beautiful service. This is an immensely difficult time for many. The world lost a champion."
Willie was diagnosed with leukaemia in March and placed in an induced coma earlier this month after suffering respiratory failure, and he passed away days later.
Confirming the tragic news via his GoFundMe page, Julie wrote: "It is with a very heavy and broken heart that I have to officially announce that at 1.55am this morning Willie Thorne lost his battle and passed away.
"Willie went into septic shock and was not responding to any treatment so the decision was made by the hospital to turn off the machines
"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. (sic)"
During his television career, the snooker star – who was declared bankrupt in 2015 – covered the sport as a commentator for BBC, and for Sky Sports from the 1990s until coverage was dropped in the mid-2010s.
In 2007, he also competed on ‘Strictly Come Dancing’ alongside Erin Boag, although the pair were voted out just three weeks in.