37 Facts About Steve Davis

1. Steve Davis made the first maximum break in professional competition in 1982.

2. Steve Davis was a supporter of the Conservative Party for the 1983 General Election.

3. In 2012, Greg Steve Davis entered the Q School, with the aim of winning a place on the professional snooker tour.

4. Steve Davis is a big fan of the French progressive rock band Magma, and even organised a concert in London so he could watch them.

5. Steve Davis was made an OBE in 2000, and is currently honorary president of the Snooker Writers' Association.

6. Steve Davis performed with his collaborator Kavus Torabi at the Glastonbury Festival in 2016.

7. Steve Davis branched out into club work with a more modern sound in 2015 and has regular slots at London bars and nightclubs.

8. Steve Davis joined Brentwood community radio station Phoenix FM in 1996, broadcasting a variety of soul and rock shows during the next ten years while the station broadcast online and on FM under a Restricted Service Licence.

9. In 2013, Steve Davis participated in the thirteenth series of I'm a Celebrity.

10. In 2010, Steve Davis made a cameo appearance in The Increasingly Poor Decisions of Todd Margaret as himself.

11. Steve Davis appeared in a baked beans advertisement in the 1980s.

12. Steve Davis appeared as a commentator for the BBC's snooker coverage and as a guest on television quizzes such as They Think It's All Over and A Question of Sport.

13. In 1995, he co-authored a book, Steve Davis Plays Chess.

14. Steve Davis has become known for his coolness and impeccable conduct in high-pressure situations.

15. Steve Davis is a keen chess player and was for a while the president of the British Chess Federation.

16. Steve Davis has become a proficient poker player, with successful appearances at televised tournaments; these included an appearance at the final table of the 2003 Poker Million together with fellow snooker player Jimmy White, who eventually won.

17. Steve Davis reached the last 16 of the 2003 WPA World Nine-ball Championship, where he faced three-time champion Strickland, held in Cardiff, Wales.

18. Steve Davis has compiled over 300 competitive centuries during his career.

19. Steve Davis continues to play exhibitions and commentate for the BBC's snooker coverage.

20. Steve Davis entered the 2016 World Championship qualifiers but was beaten by Fergal O'Brien in his final match as a professional snooker player.

21. Steve Davis finished number 52 on the Order of Merit.

22. Steve Davis finished number 26 on the Order of Merit.

23. Steve Davis lost his first qualifying matches of the next two tournaments.

24. At the 2005 UK Championship, held in York, Steve Davis reached his 100th major career final, and made his first appearance in the UK final since 1990.

25. Steve Davis reached the semi-finals of the World Championships in 1991 and 1994.

26. At the 1985 World Championship, Steve Davis dropped only 23 frames en route to the final, where his opponent was Dennis Taylor.

27. Steve Davis would go on to reach seven out of the next eight world finals.

28. Steve Davis won the Classic and then the International Masters and English Professional titles in 1981, and became the bookmakers' favourite to win the 1981 World Championship, despite being seeded only 15.

29. Steve Davis came to public prominence after his performance at the 1980 World Championship, where he reached the quarter-finals, defeating defending champion Terry Griffiths en route, before losing to Alex Higgins.

30. Steve Davis turned professional on 17 September 1978 and made his professional television debut on Pot Black, where he played against Fred Davis.

31. Steve Davis was introduced to snooker by his father Bill, a keen player, who took him to play at his local working men's club at the age of 12, and gave him Joe Davis' instructional book How I Play Snooker.

32. Steve Davis has appeared on a number of popular British TV shows, including I'm a Celebrity.

33. Steve Davis has published several books on snooker, including three autobiographies, one technical book, and one comedy book called How to Be Really Interesting.

34. Steve Davis has developed a career as a radio and club DJ, often in collaboration with Kavus Torabi, with whom he appeared at the Glastonbury Festival in 2016.

35. Steve Davis competed numerous times in the WPA World Nine-ball Championship, taking several notable wins, and reaching the quarter finals of the 2000 event.

36. Steve Davis remains active as a television analyst and commentator for the BBC's snooker coverage.

37. Steve Davis is remembered particularly for contesting the 1985 World Championship final with Dennis Taylor, the black-ball conclusion of which still holds the record for the largest after-midnight television audience in British history, with 18.5 million viewers.