JIMMY WHITE has opened up on the medical diagnosis that changed his life – and wishes he’d known sooner.
The charismatic snooker legend, 62, was diagnosed with ADHD two years ago.
White – known affectionately as The Whirlwind – found fame in the 1980s and became a firm fan favourite on the baize.
A two-time Major winner, the Tooting native has revealed he is now being medically treated for the condition.
White told Stephen Hendry’s Cue Tips podcast: “I’m gonna give you an exclusive.
“I got diagnosed with ADHD about two years ago.
“I’ve had to work. With ADHD you think about fifteen things at once.
“So I’m now down to sort of like normal.
“I have to be medicated and all that and it’s completely changed my life.”
White was known for his rapid breaks and no-nonsense style at the table.
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But he admits he wishes he’d known about his ADHD sooner.
The condition – attention deficit hyperactivity disorder – causes sufferers to be impulsive and have a short attention span, according to the NHS.
White continued: “When you’re under pressure, looking back all these things were going through my mind and all of a sudden I’m starting to miss everything.
“The pockets are closing up as I’m hitting them and the balls are getting like footballs.
“That for me now, looking back, if I’d known what I had I’d have been able to refocus better. That was a big thing.”
White has also been open about his battles with drink and drugs.
The Whirlwind struggled with an addiction to crack when he was a young star.
And he admits the habit “drained” his bank account of over £35,000.
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
- 1969 – John Spencer
- 1970 – Ray Reardon
- 1971 – John Spencer
- 1972 – Alex Higgins
- 1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
- 1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
- 1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
- 1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
- 1977 – John Spencer (2)
- 1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
- 1979 – Terry Griffiths
- 1980 – Cliff Thorburn
- 1981 – Steve Davis
- 1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
- 1983 – Steve Davis (2)
- 1984 – Steve Davis (3)
- 1985 – Dennis Taylor
- 1986 – Joe Johnson
- 1987 – Steve Davis (4)
- 1988 – Steve Davis (5)
- 1989 – Steve Davis (6)
- 1990 – Stephen Hendry
- 1991 – John Parrott
- 1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
- 1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
- 1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
- 1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
- 1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
- 1997 – Ken Doherty
- 1998 – John Higgins
- 1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
- 2000 – Mark Williams
- 2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 2002 – Peter Ebdon
- 2003 – Mark Williams (2)
- 2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
- 2005 – Shaun Murphy
- 2006 – Graeme Dott
- 2007 – John Higgins (2)
- 2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
- 2009 – John Higgins (3)
- 2010 – Neil Robertson
- 2011 – John Higgins (4)
- 2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
- 2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
- 2014 – Mark Selby
- 2015 – Stuart Bingham
- 2016 – Mark Selby (2)
- 2017 – Mark Selby (3)
- 2018 – Mark Williams (3)
- 2019 – Judd Trump
- 2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
- 2021 – Mark Selby (4)
- 2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
- 2023 – Luca Brecel
- 2024 – Kyren Wilson
Most World Titles (modern era)
- 7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
- 4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
- 3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
- 2 – Alex Higgins
White told Louis Theroux‘s documentary Gods of Snooker: “Cocaine was absolutely everywhere.
“It was like the devil’s dandruff, but crack – it’s evil. I tried smoking it and got completely addicted.
“I remember I had £35,000 in an account and I drained that on crack.”
Jimmy added to The Sun on Sunday: “It’s impossible to say how much I used to drink in my wild days.
“It was drink after drink and line after line and I’d go missing for days.
“It took 15 years to get sober and I don’t miss that life at all.”
