Alex Higgins: The People's Champion
Documentary charting the life of snooker legend Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins. Contributors include Jimmy White, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Dennis Taylor and Barry Hearn.
One man transfixed television viewers during snooker's golden age - Alex 'Hurricane' Higgins. This poignant documentary charts the remarkable rise and fall of the snooker genius, from his early days growing up in Belfast to his climb to the top of the sport as two-time world champion.
Higgins was pure showbiz, a mercurial talent at the table who played the game like nobody had done before. Boxing had Muhammad Ali, football was blessed by George Best - snooker had Alex Higgins. Yet like Best, Higgins's brilliance was flawed by his demons. We chart the depressing lows - the alcohol abuse, threatening to have fellow Ulsterman Dennis Taylor shot, headbutting a senior member of snooker's hierarchy and falling out of a top floor window and living to tell the tale after a row with his then-girlfriend.
The Higgins story is completed with the final chapter of his life spent battling throat cancer; desperate hours spent in pubs and working men's clubs trying to rekindle his halcyon days; finally unable to eat properly because he'd lost his teeth and in the end, ultimately found dead alone in sheltered accommodation.
At times uplifting, but at other moments very sad - this is a rollercoaster journey charting the life of snooker's 'rock and roll star'.
Contributors include Jimmy White, Ronnie O'Sullivan, Dennis Taylor, Barry Hearn, Steve Davis, Ray Reardon and members of the Higgins family.
Last on
Music Played
-
Just Jack
Embers
Credits
Role | Contributor |
---|---|
Narrator | James Nesbitt |
Producer | Jason Bernard |
Director | Jason Bernard |
Participant | Jimmy White |
Participant | Ronnie O'Sullivan |
Participant | Dennis Taylor |
Participant | Barry Hearn |
Participant | Steve Davis |
Participant | Ray Reardon |
Broadcasts
- Wed 1 Sep 2010 21:00
- Sun 26 Sep 2010 19:00
- Sun 17 Apr 2011 19:00´óÏó´«Ã½ Two except Wales
- Sat 4 May 2013 16:30´óÏó´«Ã½ Two except Northern Ireland
- Wed 14 May 2014 22:30
- Thu 15 May 2014 02:15
- Mon 15 Dec 2014 22:35
- Sun 17 Jan 2016 20:30
- Mon 18 Jan 2016 00:15
- Tue 19 Jan 2016 20:00
- Thu 15 Nov 2018 22:00
- Sun 19 Apr 2020 17:00´óÏó´«Ã½ Two except Scotland
- Sun 3 May 2020 22:35´óÏó´«Ã½ One Northern Ireland & Northern Ireland HD only
- Sun 2 Aug 2020 21:00
- Sun 9 May 2021 22:00´óÏó´«Ã½ Two except Scotland
- Wed 19 Apr 2023 21:15
- Sun 28 Apr 2024 23:10
Featured in...
Legends of Sport
The biggest names in sport - and the stories behind them.
The Love of Sport
Striving to succeed in sport – no matter what life throws at them
World Snooker: Crucible Classics
Classic matches from previous snooker World Championships at the famous Sheffield venue.
Gods of Snooker
Take a look back at the golden era of snooker.
Cueing Greatness
Exploring legends of the snooker table.
Sport Northern Ireland
Passionate people, striving to succeed in sport – no matter what life throws at them
´óÏó´«Ã½ Sport: Snooker
The latest snooker news plus live results, performance reviews, video and analysis.