Former snooker player Willie Thorne has revealed he has been diagnosed with leukaemia.
The 66-year-old from Leicester who went by the nickname 'Mr Maximum' revealed on Twitter he was battling with the illness.
Thorne said: "I realise everybody is having a tough time, mine's just got worse. I've been diagnosed with leukaemia. I'm devastated, start chemotherapy tomorrow.
"I'm in Spain where the health care is hopefully second to none. Love to you all, Willie x."
Thorne was a popular figure among snooker fans during the 1980s.
He won The Classic, a prestigious tournament held in Bournemouth, in 1985 and was runner-up in the UK Championship that same year, losing an epic final to Steve Davis.