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Willie Thorne in induced coma after respiratory failure

Former snooker player is well known as a commentator on the BBC

Former snooker star Willie Thorne has been placed into an induced coma in hospital in Spain after suffering respiratory failure. Photo: PA Wire/PA Wire

Tue Jun 16 2020 - 16:08

English former professional snooker player Willie Thorne has been put into an induced coma after suffering respiratory failure while being treated for leukaemia in Spain, his carer has said.

Thorne, 66, had been rushed to hospital last week due to very low blood pressure.

“The doctor called me yesterday to inform me that on Sunday Willie went into respiratory failure and he is now in an induced coma and mechanical ventilation,” his carer Julie O’Neill wrote on his fundraising page.

“We are all hoping that the treatments the hospital are giving him while in this induced coma will help to improve his overall condition and at some point enable him to breathe on his own and be brought out of this coma.”

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O’Neill wrote last month that Thorne had sepsis throughout his body and was unable to move his arms or legs, but since then his condition had appeared to improve.

Thorne turned professional in 1975 and won one ranking title as well as reaching the World Snooker Championship quarter-finals in 1982 and 1986. He is also known in Britain as a snooker commentator.