Snooker legend Willie Thorne’s ex-Miss Great Britain wife, 61, she finds love again with financial adviser, 59, a year after star’s death

• Willie Thorne’s widow Jill has begun dating a year after the snooker star’s death
• Jill was introduced to financial adviser John Harrington, 59, by friends 
• Former Miss GB said they have been seeing each other for a few months 

Willie Thorne’s widow is dating as she finds love again a year after the snooker star’s death. 

Jill Saxby was introduced to John Harrington, 59, by friends and the former Miss GB is now dating the financial adviser. 

Jill and John posted photos together on social media, where one shows them spending time together at Rudyard Lake in Staffordshire. 

Willie Thorne’s (right) widow Jill (left) is dating as she finds love again a year after the snooker star’s death

The pair have been seeing each other for a few months, The Mirror reported. 

Jill, 61, said: ‘It’s still early days. We’re not rushing into anything, but we’re enjoying each other’s company.’  

Willie died in June last year following a leukaemia diagnosis in March. He had chemotherapy treatment at Torrevieja hospital in Spain. 

He had multiple blood transfusions, suffered from gout, and had a mystery infection, that saw him return to hospital by ambulance, and was placed in ICU. 

Jill Saxby (right) was introduced to John Harrington (left), 59, by friends and the former Miss GB is now dating the financial adviser

Willie died in June last year following a leukaemia diagnosis in March. He had chemotherapy treatment at Torrevieja hospital in Spain

He died from sepsis in the hospital on June 17, after doctors switched off the machine. 

Willie, instantly recognisable from his bald head and neat moustache, was well known for his exploits away from the snooker table. 

He also featured in Chas and Dave’s 1986 hit song ‘Snooker Loopy’ and appeared on Strictly Come Dancing in 2007.  

Thorne turned pro in 1976 aged 21 and went on to reach two World Championship quarter-finals, winning his only ranking title – the Mercantile Credit Classic – in 1985. He became popularly known as Mr Maximum for holding the record for the most maximum 147 breaks.

He starred as part of snooker’s ‘Matchroom Mob’ and went on to become a BBC and Sky commentator and appear on the 2007 version of Strictly Come Dancing, coming 12th with professional partner Erin Boag.

The pair have been seeing each other for a few months and Jill said that they’re not rushing into anything and are enjoying each other’s company

His first marriage to Fiona Walker, who he had twin boys and a daughter with, ended in 1990 when he went off with shop assistant Denise Foster in 1990.

While he was married to Ms Saxby, now 60, they lived in Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, until they split after 24 years – mainly due to the sports star’s gambling addiction, which saw him borrow up to £1million.

Ms Saxby had been trying to make their relationship work, but his addiction had made it impossible. Days after the couple split, Thorne’s £475,000 home was repossessed after reports the mortgage had not been paid.

While he was married to Ms Saxby, now 60, they lived in Broughton Astley, Leicestershire, until they split after 24 years – mainly due to the sports star’s gambling addiction, which saw him borrow up to £1million

The house, which had been shared by the couple, had fallen into disrepair while the pair were living in Spain. In 2015, the sport star revealed how his wife stopped him from killing himself over the £1million gambling debts a year earlier. 

He had taken a knife to a hotel and written letters to family members – only to be found by Ms Saxby in the nick of time. It was the second time he had tried to kill himself, having swallowed a half empty tub of sleeping pills in 2002 and later waking up in Leicester Royal Infirmary.

His lifestyle led to health problems and he had a mild stroke in 2010, was diagnosed with prostate cancer in June 2015, followed by another stroke in the September. 

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