"I was NOT happy when Ronnie tied MY record!" 🎱 Stephen Hendry | Up Front

[@QuickyA2011]

I was a kid growing up through the 90s. Tiger Woods, Michael Schumacher and Stephen Hendry were the bona fide, superstars (unbeatable). Kids won't realise how big he was. Those three dominated the 90s from my perspective.

[@anthonycrompton6922]

And Phil Taylor!

[@DrShakamoto9]

@@anthonycrompton6922wouldn’t say Taylor was in that category in the 90s

[@AuPairChina]

Pete Sampras!

[@QuickyA2011]

@@AuPairChina I'd give you Sampras 👍👏

[@johnsguitarpage4415]

Micheal Jordan too

[@patrickcrowther9195]

I grew up with Steve Davis as my snooker hero, so when Stephen Hendry came along and stole his thunder I was not best pleased. Obviously I was in awe of his talent and loved watching him play. Since his retirement - and the same thing happened with Davis - he has let his guard down and shown his true and engaging personality. His KZbin channel is great (the episodes with Davis and his pal Mark Williams are comedy gold) and highly recommended. It must be so difficult for sports stars in their later years when their glories seem ever further away, but Hendry should never forget what an immense impact he made on his chosen profession. He played snooker in a way no one had done before and made the competition look like also rans. Quite an achievement and one all fans of the game will never forget.

[@thomasharlos6872]

He is a true legend that will never be forgotten by any real snooker fan.

[@ronmckay504]

Brilliant

[@wayneanthonyholmes4437]

Also a has been that cried wolf when he couldn't handle the rising standards! Yips was BS! Too much of an inflated ego when he know himself he won stand a chance today.He's a fraud!

[@colinvolckman3313]

Stephen, you will never be a nobody! As many have said, you are a true legend and always will be 👌👍🏻

[@wayneanthonyholmes4437]

A has been to me

[@wayneanthonyholmes4437]

@@colinvolckman3313 Also a has been that cried wolf when he couldn't handle the rising standards! Yips was BS! Too much of an inflated ego when he know himself he won stand a chance today.He's a fraud!

[@MrBillUp]

Being a huge Jimmy White fan (my idol) I despised Stephen Hendry all through the 90's. I really hated him. But now after watching his KZbin channel, and meeting the "off the table" Hendry, I love him to bits. I wish him every success in the future.

[@WarrsSnooker]

I’ve got to say, this is possibly one of the best sports interviews I’ve seen in the UK, you can tell the guy asking questions knows exactly what the audience wants to hear. Superb questions and superbly delivered. It’s a subscribe from me

[@joesretrostuff]

Funny you say this, I was finding him annoying for interrupting all the time, I found it distracting. Scouring the comments to see if others feel the same, obviously not

[@karonroberts5888]

Someone else probably wrote the questions

[@digeme69]

Not necessarily, Simon Jordan is a regular on talk sport in the mornings with Jim White. He's far better than most as he's articulate and speaks his mind. Some of them on there find it hard to string a cogent sentence together.@@karonroberts5888

[@LoveHitch78]

​@@karonroberts5888 You obviously have no idea about Simon Jordan then... He doesn't need others to form his opinions, and therefore his own questions.

[@karonroberts5888]

@@LoveHitch78 I know he’s a prat.

[@tanta3343]

What a fantastic interview. I honestly had no idea Stephen was such a class gent. I’ve got a newfound respect and admiration for him

[@QueensGurkhaRegiment]

My favourite player of all time. Coming home from school putting the tv on bbc2 and watching Stephen Hendry made my day. True legend. ❤

[@intothewild5045]

Boring

[@intothewild5045]

Jimmy or Ronnie or Alex ate the best. Second tier, Hendry, Davis, Dennis. For talent, in my opinion

[@onewithsource9742]

Them days

[@satjinder]

I was a jimmy white fan but had to admit Hendry was probably the best ever player under pressure. To be in a world final knowing the whole audience and the whole country wanted you to lose and clear up was absolutely phenomenal

[@davidhellewell4241]

Like Novak djockovic

[@kevinbailey3384]

To be fair, and taking nothing away from Stephen Hendry, who I really like, Jimmy White would surely have won one, had he slept better and not maybe had his refuelling as he did at Sheffield

[@thomaswelch-dr5gn]

@@kevinbailey3384 nah, white never had the makings of a varsity athlete!

[@josephahiggins5920]

​@@thomaswelch-dr5gnsmall hands. That was his problem

[@davidhellewell4241]

​@@PoX-ampNo I was making a comparison of the mental side of things. Don't get into a hissy fit and relax

[@brianmcsherry1338]

A true legend so overlooked by history, he actually talks the game up when ronnie gets onto this podcast it’ll be “I can’t stand the game”, “I wouldn’t tell youngsters to play snooker”! Stephens a real one for snooker!

[@whitekoala4172]

Problem is Ronnie is mentally ill. Doesn’t even believe what he’s saying.

[@PomBare]

But the point of the podcast is to be honest.

[@sydclark5581]

​@@PomBare Lol, 😀😁😂🤣😃😄😅😆 The point of a pod cast or interview is to entertain the audience that's gonna watch it

[@rikspilz4991]

It's good advice tho to play a sport where you don't have to sit and suffer for long periods not being able to do a thing about it. Unless you enjoy the unique mental challenge that snooker brings for poor financial returns (for majority)

[@supermancd1988]

@@sydclark5581and more often than not, the most honest guests are the best ones.

[@LienLeon]

Stephen Hendry was my favourite snooker player being Scottish and all but not only that he was special. He might see himself as mortal but what he did in snooker will always be seen as legendary for a certain generation. Class interview.

[@wrcoles]

If there were as many tournaments per year when he was playing (some years there were 6) as today (think there’s around 20-25) he would have had sooo many more records. His strike rate was nuts

[@rossi73-gv6kg]

Great interview. For me, Hendry will always be the G.O.A.T

[@sainsburmcmanus]

Growing up as a kid in the 90s I kinda hated Hendry cause of his dominance & I always had a soft spot for Ronnie. But as I’ve gotten older I’ve grown to love Stephen and have so much respect for his game and what he did for snooker. Absolute legend.

[@cliftonhodge7672]

I had exactly the same mindset 🤔

[@mightywhite4553]

Absolutely fantastic , loved this , watching Stephen Hendry play in his prime was just poetry in motion, a true genius, well done Simon for doing this

[@clubfillerspinkknickers9791]

Ok calm down

[@andyc609]

I never found myself supporting Hendry as a player, he was too good! and he was kind of robotic like Davis but after watching Stephens KZbin channels and listening to him talk he's probably become one of my favourite people in snooker, very honest likeable guy, it'd be great if he could get over these psychological problems and find his A game and make a come back

[@michaeltrumph121]

He's changed now.

[@redsutn9597]

He's the only person I want commentating when I watch Ronnie. No one else has a clue

[@tweedlio2763]

Fantastic interview. He'd similar to Schumacher or Seb Loeb or Phil Taylor in many respects. Very clinical, ruthless and no nonsense approach where winning was everything. No flair or extravagance, just get the job done.

[@Mike-1000]

*I've finally come to terms with him smashing Jimmy White about for all those years*

[@eliapace2614]

I do like Stephen. Amazing player, decent bloke, down to earth.

[@Coolagreen16]

1. Ronnie 2. Stephen I think Ronnie's longevity and natural flair makes him the number one goat - both goats though. Stephen was a machine - hard to imagine you could even beat him for a long time back in the 90s. Both very honest when it comes to being interviewed - hopefully Ronnie likes Stephen more now - both very likeable guys.

[@memphisbulls1859]

Great interview , it’s also a refreshing change to hear Simon talk about someone else’s achievements with a sense of being impressed instead of making little chips about how they could of been better . If you enjoyed this and haven’t already I’d highly recommend Hendrys autobiography “Me and the Table” as a perfect insight to a sports person’s obsession to be the best , no matter what it takes. A true ambassador for the game that is still leading the way with his KZbin channel pushing Snooker to the masses

[@royalhero4608]

Damn I wasn't expecting this one at all, what a player! Hendry's YT channel is absolute quality too, unsurpassed for snooker content

[@pa-mo]

It's interesting that Ronnie still says Stephen is the GOAT, and I've thought the opposite but I think about it differently now. It's impossible for a player in the past to remain the GOAT for very long. Various things change in every sport in such ways that it seems as if the former GOAT has been surpassed, but it's an unfair competition that advantages the newer player, in and unfair modern playing field. For example: - In snooker, the cloth has changed immensely, making the cue more controllable than ever before. It makes Ronnie look like a better break builder now, but if Stephen had grown up with that cloth he could have been the same. - In every sport, new players get to learn from and build upon past players. Ronnie trained his game by watching Stephen. If Stephen had come later, he could have learned his game and break-building from Ronnie (instead of from Higgins), and he could have been even better at it. Stephen was unquestionably the GOAT in his time or the GOTT (Greatest of Their Time) and destroyed everyone for years. Ronnie is the GOAT now, and is the Greatest of Their Time (GOTT) now, but he doesn't dominate quite as well as Stephen did in his time. So Ronnie is the new GOAT because each generation builds upon the previous and today Ronnie could probably beat Stephen at his best on today's tables (though it would be interesting to see Ronnie on the old tables against Stephen!) And Ronnie's longevity is further strengthening his GOATness. But Stephen was a much more dominant GOTT in his own time, which is less glorified today, but maybe a higher praise.

[@freshstef2k7]

Stephen Hendry my favourite player of all time. A true legend. Enjoyed this

[@paulkirby2761]

The Crucible final he lost to Peter Ebdon was the one that got away IMHO. I think that was his last Crucible final and there was a decline in Stephen after that. That would have, should have been his 8th. Peter showed great bottle to snatch it at the end with a nice break after Stephen made several uncharacteristic nervy mistakes after a strong comeback to take it to a deciding frame but ya, vintage Hendry wins that one all day long.

[@phillipurry]

Steven was my absolute hero i watched him as a spotty 17 year old (me too so that endeared him to me as well) who was fearless and smashing anyone and everyone playing him.

[@simontaylor3211]

One of the all time greats both as a player and a commentator/pundit

[@noelhagan2880]

My favourite player of all time....grew up watching this man dominate the sport I love for over a decade...ice cold on the green baze....and rightly known as a goat of the game along side Ronnie 👌👌

[@MichaelThomas-cs8ml]

Top top sportsman. Absolutely love the respect Stephen and Ronnie have for each other as well. The two 🐐

[@OfficialFingazMC]

Brilliant player! Back in the good days of snooker!

[@dannygray-mi3xn]

At his best, Stephen Hendry was THE greatest player ever.... end of.

[@OfficialFingazMC]

@@dannygray-mi3xn But Ronnie wins it for entertainment value...

[@dannygray-mi3xn]

@@OfficialFingazMC I know. I love Ronnie.... but Stephen in the early 90s was unbeatable mate

[@OfficialFingazMC]

@@dannygray-mi3xn Oh yeah defo, went from Davis to Hendry to Ronnie. Well Hendry and Ronnie battled it out for a fair while. Not gonna lie I haven't properly watched the snooker since probably it stopped being sponsored by Embassy lol.

[@garywalker4417]

What a great listen that was, thanks to both of you. It’s sad that he lost his touch a little and possibly his hunger but what an interesting man he has matured into away from competitive snooker.

[@smiley19881999]

Phenomenal interview! I know Ronnie has worked his way up to be where he is now but anyone who didn’t grow up in the 90’s will never comprehend how dominant and unbeatable Stephen Hendry was on a snooker table… it was Michael Jordan, Tiger woods and Stephen Hendry.. absolute legend and always will be

[@IAmTheHound]

Great interview - I really enjoy watching Hendry discuss snooker, both on his own channel and elsewhere. It's clear (as Hendry acknowledges) that Ronnie has surpassed him, both statistically and on the level of play at their best, but Hendry is a close second and, as someone who rooted for Jimmy constantly against him, I have the utmost respect for Hendry, his achievements and the new level of attacking play and break-building he brought to the game.

[@waseemasghar3159]

A legend and probably the most dominant force in the history of Snooker. Just my humble opinion. At his peak, he was unbeatable.

[@SnookerFan-kl1jj]

No one is unbeatable.

[@DerekPorter-s9x]

Absolutely class player speaks absolute truths and100% honesty and still speaks highly of the sport doesn't bring snooker down like others in the sport and represents Scotland 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿 well

[@laurencerich]

What a fantastic chat with one of the best players ever in snooker. I didn't like Hendry much back in the day as I was a Jimmy white fan. But he was one of the greatest, like Steve and now Ronnie. A real insight to his career and after. I don't watch snooker as much because the characters in the game have changed now. Doesn't feel the same.

[@dontbewoke]

Stephen Hendry is unlike most top sportsmen insofar as he's achieved the highest of highs as well as the lowest of lows within his chosen sport ; truly fascinating and a perspective unlike any other , great stuff to listen to.

[@rigsby1454]

His attitude towards Ronnie as well is admirable. They both love each others games

[@CHAROTTEMCNAIR]

@@WayneAnthonyHolmes-ez9mh All time GOAT Ronnie O"Sullivan!

[@soleknight3212]

@@user-bg9er5vs5y WTF? I love Ronnie, but Hendry beat Ronnie when they were both in their PRIME when it really mattered - at the Crucible Semi Final 2002. Ronnie was cocky and said he wanted to "beat him up". Hendry went on to tear Ronnie a new one.

[@YlL-ji2sl]

​@@user-bg9er5vs5yStephen introduced Ronnie at his Podcast as the best player who ever picked up a queue and Ronnie answered well thats you mate. They are good friends with a mad amount of respect towards each other. And to be fair it's very difficult to chose between the two.

[@wayneanthonyholmes4437]

@@YlL-ji2sl Hendry always crumbled against top opposition,Not if your name was Jimmy.Hendry literally won 4 of his 7 world titles against Jimmy,then Ebdon,and Nigel Bond! Wow,World Class opposition Not. Hendry also lost to Ken & Ebdon in World finals! Stephen Hendry is one of the most overrated players ever that wont stand a chance today.Fact! Its the hardest era in snooker history! Another fact!

[@blehoo1]

Stephen- you are about as far from a 'nobody' as anyone is likely to be. The greatest ever at your sport and an inspiration to so many. Thanks for giving such an honest interview. Never forget what you achieved and thanks for being so personable on your channel and in interviews like this.

[@andyharrod1436]

2nd greatest Ronnie O’Sullivan has over taken him

[@overthewebb]

@@andyharrod1436 Ronnie is probably the goat and he's the most naturally gifted player of all time. However, and it's a big however, Ronie is mentally weak and it's a huge part of the game. Would Ronnie have beaten Hendry in his prime? I think not and Ronnie would agree with that. Hendry in his prime was a machine who cold and emotionless and that is what made him the best

[@Theo-ul8qm]

Love Stephen and loved this interview! I do think Simon cuts him off a couple of times, or quickly changes subjects, like they're on a schedule or something. Would've happily watched a longer interview just to hear more from Stephen!

[@jamesadcock5235]

I played Stephen in a under 16 tournament at pontins prestatyn 40 years ago. Such a long time ago i cant believe that i once played snooker and u can forget how good he once was. Only player that i saw play one frame and thought he is the best player i have ever seen.

[@munnauk7355]

Legend of a player 🙏🙏

[@mriwhite4309]

I’ve always respected how Stephen talks about the time Ronnie quit the match half way through. He’s never criticised Ronnie and never looked to put down what in effect was his biggest rival

[@spanishpeaches2930]

​​@@user-ce4xw6ju2yTo just say he quit because Hendry was winning shows a considerable lack of empathy in your part for someone who clearly was having mental troubles plus it also shows a total lack of class on your behalf....ironically...something your hero does show about the incident. Btw head to head Ronnie/Stephen.. 30/20...to Ronnie.

[@popeye4827]

why would he care he got to a final ... and got more money

[@Ryan-fq8xw]

Stephen . You were the reason I picked up a cue . (Fair enough , nothing ever came of it 😝)but some of the best years of my life was in a snooker club every day for hours . In my head I was you , I studied your game trying to emulate it . That’s part of your legacy to me and countless others mate , let alone all your achievements. Also you’re Scottish 👍

[@allistermcginlay6476]

At his best, he dominated in a way no one else did....he walked around the table like no other player, and I include the top five players (Davis, 2 Higgins, O'sullivan, Selby) because winning was the challenge for him and success went with the victories.... To put it in perspective at his height, Stephen Hendry was a winning machine, frightening to play against and transferred to the modern time would be winning over 50% of todays tournaments, and every year he would be in the crucible final playing against worthy opponents.... he reigned supreme for 10 years, and players like O'sullivan, Higgins, and Williams had the scars from his skills to make them better players and increase the longevity of their game's....

[@snookerstones]

A proper sportsman. I love Hendry and Ronnie. 2 proper legends.

[@Charlieandersali]

The episode on Stephen’s channel with him and Ronnie potting balls and chatting is phenomenal

[@martinlilly]

Excellent interview Simon, and the first time I have heard of the full reason on why Stephen can't perform the way he would like. I know he is now 54, but when you look at Higgins and Williams being of a similar age playing to the highest level you were often left wondering why Stephen can't do the same especially given his stature and talent, and the fact that hes involved with Sightright like Williams is. How amazing would it be if he could find the source of the problem and then begin to play the way he does in practice to have the opportunity to have one last showdown with Ronnie at the latter stages of the Crucible. Now that would be a treat.

[@mcvicarross7]

He was never the same player after the incident on the plane where his cue was snapped! Apparently there was numerous attempts 2 try & build a new cue as similar 2 his original as possible but it never worked. I believe the talent & skill Hendry had he should've bn able 2 practically pick up any decent cue & perform but maybe not. Still always a fan of his 🤚👍

[@Joop175]

😂

[@desabc221]

UPFRONT is so enjoyable. Looking forward to some new guests. I know you had Gatland. How about Brian O’Driscoll? Plenty of controversy and he speaks well…

[@edmundpower1250]

What it took Stephen to achieve it took Ronnie twice as long. For that reason alone Stephen is the GOAT

[@agfi88]

Ronnie's longevity makes him the goat, hendry was done by his 30's, Ron still winning and almost 50.

[@jameslittler4151]

Legend. One of the best sportsmen of all time. For me, right up there with the likes of Pele, Diego Maradona, Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Roger Federer, Tiger Woods, Sir Donald Bradman and Cliff Lazarenko. Respect.

[@iblacka1]

I never got to see Stephen in his heyday because I moved to the USA in 82, but i just can't get enough of him now what a beautiful person he turned into!

[@chezzmaine]

My favourite snooker player used to watch him ever since being a little kid when I was 6/7yrs old.. I dunno why I liked him so much even as a kid , but the 90’s were a great era in snooker

[@smasherdobson4884]

He had the eye of the tiger I can remember being at me nana's lying in front of the gas fire lol It felt like years watching Hendry I can remember looking in his eyes you just knew he wasn't going to miss. That's why I loved him..

[@chezzmaine]

@@smasherdobson4884 haha I used to watch him at my nans too quite often actually, she never minded me watching snooker so it was all good.. yea he had that focused look on his Face Id always remember

[@mostlikely2509]

Steven, dont be to hypercritical of yourself! Once a legend- forever a legend!!! Massive inspiration!

[@BubbleLorax]

Always the Goat in my mind. I will never forget switching of the tv in a rage during the match with Mike Hallet only to discover i missed one of the greatest final comebacks pf all time. Absalout Legend

[@duncanmills391]

You missed a brilliant final, it was edge of your seat stuff!

[@GM-pj8kd]

One of the best watch on Simon’s podcast. You can actually see the admiration he has for Hendry. Overall although i enjoy watching Ronnie have to see Hendry was more ruthless and a savage for that 10 year period true goat of the game.

[@steviesvideos319]

Fantastic interview from Simon and the production team. My snooker heros in the 80's were Higgins, Reardon White and Davis, thought Davis would never be bettered until this young Scots kid came along and exploded snooker into a new level. I used to resent watching Stephen 😂 because Jimmy White and Davis kept getting spanked by him, but he really grew on me his break building was phenomenal, , i admired him greatly , Stephen is a fantastic ambassador for snooker, love his youtube channel as well.

[@neilmiller6214]

Best I’ve seen, he never missed, his positional play was always perfect and he was cool under pressure. He truly is the king of the crucible. He won 7 words in 10 years, that will never be topped.

[@michaeltrumph121]

He missed plenty, but his opposition in the early 90s was poor.

[@TheBillPodcast]

Outstanding interview. It would be great if Stephen could find the right person to be in his corner and help him enjoy the heat of battle again.

[@craigstonley8924]

brilliant episode and one of your best Simon as an interviewer. Well done

[@Gws525]

Loved this episode. Could listen to SH all day. Sad to think that even someone like him can see himself as a nobody at times. Crazy. The sort of legacy he has left does not fade - he'll be forever remembered as one of the Goats. Great interview.

[@KeithHiew]

I hear Stephen talking about the mental side of his game that went to pieces, I can’t help but think of the badminton player Kento Momota, who in 2018 and 2019 just almost completely dominated the badminton scene. He had an accident that killed his driver in early 2020, briefly threatened a comeback at the end of 2021, but then is now just shadow of his former self. I wish they can find a way to come back.

[@nathanhosea489]

Good god, Momota. The moment I heard about his crash, I immediately thought to myself: "The guy will never be the same". Part of the reason why Axelsen is so dominant nowadays is because Momota was never the same after his crash.

[@jesseboy7951]

all things considered, how Stephen talked about Ron makes him a much better man than a lot of people think. obviously he has an ego, he's a great champion that only saw victory as a possible outcome yet he was gracious enough to put everything aside and admit what a genius Ron is and how better he is in a lot of aspects. nothing but respect, Mr. Hendry, well done.

[@soleknight3212]

Ronnie is the greatest and I love him, but Hendry is up there and possibly the most ruthless champion of all time. Will never forget the 2002 Crucible Semi-Final with them both facing off in their prime. Ronnie said before the match, "I just want to beat him up and send him home". In a close and exciting match, Hendry proceeded to hand Ronnie's a** to him.

[@BoyinaBubble]

Brilliant chat. Truly incredible player. His KZbin channel genuinely is great.

[@samisalman541]

How much i loved listening to Stephen 18.20 when said he never playing for his own cash for gambling as he not natural gambler its such educational thanks Stephen.

[@gregd3344]

Great interview. Would love to see more snooker player interviews

[@BelfastManUtdTherapy]

love to see ronnie obviously but some players like Judd , Neil Robertson etc, some of the other top players should try to raise their profile and the game

[@j.w8030]

Stephen Lee 😂

[@stevenclark5530]

Interesting growing up the three people who were absolutely dominant in their sport to the point of being best ever were Hendry, Tiger Woods and Phil Taylor. Getting older i always thought, reading between the lines and from you heard from others that they weren't necessarily the nicest people but just put it down to being so driven and focussed on winning. Delighted to be proved wrong with Hendry: between seeing this and his YT channel he comes across as a decent guy with great sense of humour and really down to earth.

[@rigsby1454]

Amazing to hear him talk about the decline. Shows why Stephen respects Ronnie so much to continue playing at that level at that age

[@DMMJBSM]

Not a snooker fan, watched the odd match 80s - 90s when it was on bbc, mainly if it involved Stephen, as he’s Scottish. Was going to just flick through this interview , but watched the full video, really enjoyed it.

[@DarthKratos81]

Excellent interview. In my opinion he is GOAT. A Legend and a real champion and ambassador for the game.

[@peterthomas8810]

He won 5 world titles in a row id like to see Ronnie o Sullivan do that .

[@hanazam3815]

also a match fixer great player

[@alexroome5380]

Incredible player, the best pundit and brilliant KZbin channel…overall LEGEND of the game…period!!!

[@wayneanthonyholmes4437]

Don't like both. Selby fan here!

[@MrDeancameron]

Really enjoyed this. Great chat as always. Thanks 👌🏼

[@5thdawg917]

Hendry was playing before I was even born in the early 90s. I was his fan growing up. I miss watching snooker regularly. Nowadays there so much entertainment to choose and keep up with in the Internet era. I also want to pay respect to my 2nd favourite Paul Hunter. R.i.p. I hope his family is doing well.

[@garysandy536]

brilliant show and insight with an absolute legend of the game. Superb interview as always from SJ, looking forward to many more.

[@derekcomer4858]

I was really interested to hear .Stephen talk, he’s very open and honest and Simon asked some interesting questions. However he routinely didn’t let him finish, he tried to put words in his mouth and often tried to make it about himself. When you have a guest of Stephens calibre surely it’s best to listen intently . Room for improvement.

[@conmcginley6961]

Exactly. I knew before listening, that Jordan wouldn't let Stephen finish his replies. All about his ego Can't stand the man

[@garyvideoschannel2045]

I grew up in stevens era, he was a monster, unplayable the usain bolt of snooker, and remains a legend in my eyes. I'm a massive ronnie fan and since he is tied with steven i want him to go on and get the eighth title, however while he was below 7 i didn't want him to beat stevens record because steven is a GOAT and that record should of remained his, even ronnie could never achieve the consistancy and dominance that hendry did..

[@EannaButler]

Stephen - get onto Steve Peters 50:31 - "...almost like a different person, a different life..." - exactly how The Nugget describes it, with his music and modular v. snooker glory.. Great interview, thanks both...

[@paulkirby2761]

I think most would say that Ronnie is more naturally gifted and would probably have 10+ world titles if he didn't go wayward mentally at times but it was that steely determination and mental strength that also made Stephen as successful as he was along with his excellent play so it's hard to dismiss Stephen as an inferior player than Ronnie since having that mental grit is as important to what makes a champ a champ as natural skill.

[@MarkSiosal]

I'm a couple of years younger than Stephen so I saw his whole career. He did a "Night With...." in Annan that I was at & I got to ask a question. I asked him "how did you win the world championship with a broken arm? How debilitating was it"? I think Ronnie would give it "it was awful & winning it was unbelievable"....Stephen said "it wasn't actually as bad as the press & pundits were making out. My cue action wasn't really compromised". Such a humble guy.

[@kevinbailey3384]

Ronnie is the best player ever as he can make centuries with either hand and is just astounding to watch. Having said that Hendry is so enjoyable to listen to, a great analyst and commentator

[@22cryogen]

I respect Stephen so much for being honest about how his game suffered when he began to experience the "yips." Anxiety can, so what bizarrely, be so specific, which he described so well. It's like tree roots that continue to grow underneath everything without someone even realising. And despite this, he made a "shit" 147....

[@bfdcluberlang5681]

I was born in 1991 and grew up when hendry was in his prime. He was an absolute animal. Strangely it was almost boring how good he was as you just knew he'd clear up. He was a miserable sod but I adored him 😂

[@mjsteier]

Just like Steve Davis the decade earlier .

[@mjsteier]

Joe Johnson upset the snooker world in 1986 beating Steve Davi’s in that final

[@garyverth4887]

Great video Simon. Enjoy listening to you and Jim on TalkSport.

[@StewartEvans52]

Great episode Simon,maybe Phil Taylor at some point?,would be interesting to hear his story.

[@scottmackintosh5934]

I had a wonderful opportunity to meet Stephen when I was a kid. Me, my gran and my brother went into the snooker club where Hendry practiced. We seen him playing. Our table was round the corner with a wall in between so we couldn’t see him when we were playing. We were both too nervous to go and talk to him so my gran went and got an autograph for us and he asked her to get us to go and meet him. We were too shy. Still regret it. It would have been some memory. After we played we went and watched him for a little while. This must have been around the time that his cue was broken. Either just before or just after. Even writing this now I’m annoyed with myself but I was only about 10 and very quiet. At least we seen him play

[@Donalob]

Used to hate Stephen years ago simply because of his dominance and supported Ken Doherty as an Irish fan, but after following his channel on YT I love the guy. I'd recommend his channel if you haven't followed it already.

[@lfcspectre4335]

Sir Simon = Top LAD Proper Clobber ✊💯 Facts What a legendary snooker player Stephan Henry was.

[@dontbewoke]

Crap trolling.

[@matthewchilds1862]

🤣🤣 I’m Simon Jordan I’m sick off the nonsense out there , that’s why I’ve joined Up with a company that ruins the lives of vulnerable People . How noble of you . 👍

[@carlsmythe9838]

Brilliant interview! Great questions from Simon. Really open answers from Stephen. Loved it.

[@masseysmoviemadness1411]

No one could come back from behind like Hendry. Never seen anyone be so far behind and yet the odds would still be on him - and he'd somehow dig his way through and win from miles behind. It was insane. That fight and determination is second to none. Ronnie's phenomenal but no one's ever done it like Hendry did. Guy was the absolute best

[@allymckenzie102]

Brilliant episode. Simons questions spot on as usual. Stephen is a massive hero of mine. Both podcasts are a great watch/listen.

[@garybouttell5598]

That interview was excellent. Stephen is still a legend. I love his KZbin channel. Simon doesn't mess around with BS questions either.

[@samisalman541]

I love Stephen Hendry words when said he is Grady in winning.

[@mohammedfarid9161]

I have been a ROS fan since he first burst onto snooker scene & I have a tendency to only watch games that ROS is involved in,but Steven to his credit has always been very dignified & respectful towards Ronnie & it was perhaps outside influences ie Naseem Ahmed etc which caused Ronnie to make those disrespectful remarks towards Steven H. Nevertheless Steven has proved he was the GOAT for over a decade yet still has the knowledge & capacity to laud Ronnie's talent.Respect to Steven.

[@monkeyface6139]

I know Simon isn't for everyone, but these interviews outstanding. He get them to talk freely and he's genuinely interested in what they have to say. He's the new Parky.

[@tsaoandy9732]

I’m a big fan of Stephan, but when I saw he started to get beat by O’Sullivan repeatedly I knew he was at his personal low, as much as I admire Ronnie, I was gutted Hendry stopped winning. I’m a classical trained violinist, it’s so very different and yet very similar. Technique can be practised but it’s the mind that allows the physical side to perform. It really is a shame that he couldn’t get over his mental block, as I’m quite into psychology as well, I was right about him before watching this interview, his decline is a psychological one. What he went through is actually really tough, he couldn’t see a way out and believed no one out there could help him. I get what people keep saying Ronnie wins in a more difficult era, but snooker is a personal game, if you are going to clear the table, make a 147, no one can stop you but yourself. And Hendry proved he simply played his own game and kept everyone away from the table. I think if Ronnie plays like Hendry he would have broken that record long time ago. But it’s the fact Hendry had enough beating and gave up trying to come back to his form, Ronnie has a way to get in the zone and so far he is still able to do that, and psychologically it’s super intimidating for his opponents, anyone who got to the final playing Ronnie failed to perform because they were already scared, I just can’t believe players are still counting Ronnie to play badly instead of working on focus on playing their own game. I think Selby annoyed him a lot but Ronnie when he wants to, could still beat Selby in a scrappy game. Just a shame the person who can really test Ronnie retired so early but that is life. Schumacher had a ski accident, Federer never expected someone like Djokovic and Nadal to exist, it happens.

[@BelfastManUtdTherapy]

great episode. used to hate Hendry when i was an 8 year old, for taking over steve davis, he ruined snooker for alot of us cos he was too good, never smiled, never had any real character apart from WINNER. now i love him and respect his ridiculous talent.His 765 odd century break record was done playing in less frames played than by o'sullivan when he beat it, another great achievement people dont know. HOWEVER, Ronnie O'Sullivan is in a different galaxy for style, talent, longevity, moments of singular genius. Stephen Hendry is Cristiano Ronaldo. Ronnie O'Sullivan is Lionel Messi. Peace!

[@VeteranHedonist]

It's good to see you doing another sport. I do love a bit of snooker. And who is better equipped to ask questions that nobody else would dare to than Simon Jordan. I think snooker players are very interesting people and nowadays very introverted.

[@aurigo_tech]

Regarding the state of the game: as a viewer I find it very exiting to see the players in something new. New formats of the game like 6-red snooker or the shootout. I think Snooker Plus (with 2 additional balls) could be very interesting and exiting as well because it changes some fundamental game mechanics we are so used to (like the black spot being the main area for high scoring). So perhaps there could be more of that.

[@iansimpson27]

Re. Stephen getting his condition on certain shots, one type that sticks out for me was off-straight mid-distance pots with the cue ball near the cushion. I remember Dennis Taylor saying in commentary during his return to form at the 2008 WSC that it was the one type of shot where he was still vulnerable. His missed pink by a wide margin vs. Stephen Maguire in 2012 was also that type of shot. Overall, great insightful interview. I reckon Stephen Hendry's game is/was a lot more entertaining to watch than he generally gets credit for - perhaps he's suffered by comparison with the flamboyance of Jimmy White and Ronnie O'Sullivan, but he remains one of the most attack-minded players on the circuit and through the 90s and early to mid-00s it worked very well.

[@dontbewoke]

5:00 Simon should have let Stephen elaborate there ; he needs to pay more attention to his interviewee and pause his own train of thought to allow the interviewee to share.

[@Lmtthw8651]

Wow, can't believe after he beat O'Sullivan in that World Championship Semi-final (so was still playing great then), the following year was when his cue was broke, an hours interview and it's not even mentioned as what is surely the most critical turning point to what happened there after and what was discussed !! Crazy it wasn't factored into the interview.