Willie Thorne reveals suicide attempt and £1 million gambling debt
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Updated 18/05/2015 at 13:27 GMT
Snooker legend Willie Thorne broke down in tears on national TV as he opened up about how his gambling addiction left him wanting to take his own life.
Snooker legend Willie Thorne at the Crucible
Image credit: Imago
Thorne spoke out about his addiction to gambling after the Daily Mirror revealed that he is almost £1 million in debt.
The BBC presenter fought back tears as he appeared on ITV daily show This Morning alongside his wife Jill and talked of how he attempted suicide as his addiction took a hold of his life.
"It happened over two years," Willie told This Morning's presenters.
"I borrowed money off 35 people and owe almost £1 million."
"Eight or nine months ago I really lost control. I put too much money on and I kept borrowing money to try and get it back.
"Snooker players have a lot of free time. I think the biggest wrong thing with this country is that you get credit.
"I would ring up an ask for £1,000 to put on a horse,” he added.
“But by the time I got through to the operator I was borrowing £5,000."
Wife Jill revealed that money lenders came to their house, while she said that people had told her to leave her husband over his mounting debt and addiction.
"I wasn't in at the house but another family member was," his wife Jill said. "I knew it was turning into a problem."
"Something's broken you try and mend it, you don't just throw it away," she said.
"We just take every day as it comes. You are not cured overnight."
Thorne broke down in tears as he talked about his depression and addiction, while he added that the betrayal of his friends was the hardest thing to take.
"I have let my friends down,” he said. “That upsets me the most. I want to look forward to life again.”
Thorne received a flood of supportive messages on social media after his TV appearance and he moved to thank fans for their responses.
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