UNDERDOG Zak Surety normally sits on his sofa and watches the full 17-day World Snooker Championship in his PANTS.
But on Bank Holiday Monday, he will don a bow tie and waistcoat for the first time in the hallowed surroundings of the Crucible.
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The Basildon Bull Dog – the world No.73 – is a huge fan of the sport and never misses a session when it comes to Sheffield.
And he also prepares for matches by binge-watching episodes of EastEnders on the BBC iPlayer.
Excited Surety, 33, said: “Honestly, I’m the biggest snooker nerd when it comes to the Crucible.
“I like to sit in my pants for 17 days and just watch every session on TV.
“I don’t move – 10am to midnight every day, just watching snooker. So to be involved with it now, it’s unreal.
“I haven’t even been there to watch before.
“I’m keen on my running. A few years ago, I thought I had never actually seen the place.
“I typed the address into my iPhone maps and ran towards it. When I saw the Stage Door, I felt my knees buckle.
“Not many people know but EastEnders goes up on the iPlayer at 6am.
“It’s perfect prep for a game – a bit of Phil Mitchell and then the Crucible.”
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Surety wanted to walk out to the feel-good Wham! classic “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go” but the BBC could not secure the licence.
Instead he will be introduced to millions watching around the world to Midas Touch by Midnight Star.
A motley crew of Surety fans will be heading up to Sheffield to watch his opener with Ding Junhui – the Godfather of Chinese snooker – from 2.30pm.
This has been a breakthrough season in which he reached the semi-finals of the World Open in Yushan in March where he lost to veteran John Higgins.
The Essex lad is a real character and has some funny names for his two pet dogs, including one named after singing icon Elton John, 78, whose real name is Reginald Kenneth Dwight.
Surety – who pulled out of a Pro-Am in Belgium due to his Worlds appearance – said: “I have a Staffy (Staffordshire Bull Terrier) called Obi and a French Bulldog called Elton John.
“Obi is named after the Star Wars character. He’s a rescue dog. We got him on May 4 – so it was meant to be, eh?
“I’m not a big fan of Elton’s music. I just like getting to the top of the park and when he’s naughty, shouting out Reginald!
“I get a few dodgy looks obviously but it’s all part of the fun.
“Now I have qualified, someone will have to step in and do some dog sitting.”
Surety is a 2001- tournament outsider and one of three debutants in the draw.
He added: “I said to my dad the other day, it’s probably the strongest top-16 we have had in snooker.
“So, I have to turn up, smile and see what I can do. Keep the form going. Bring it on!”
List of all-time Snooker World Champions
BELOW is a list of snooker World Champions by year.
The record is for the modern era, widely considered as dating from the 1968-69 season, when the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA) took control of the sport.
The first World Championships ran from 1927 – with a break from 1941-45 because of World War II and 1958-63 because of a dispute in the sport.
Joe Davis (15), Fred Davis and John Pulman (both 8) were the most successful players during that period.
Stephen Hendry and Ronnie O’Sullivan share the record for the most titles in the modern era, with seven each.
- 1969 – John Spencer
- 1970 – Ray Reardon
- 1971 – John Spencer
- 1972 – Alex Higgins
- 1973 – Ray Reardon (2)
- 1974 – Ray Reardon (3)
- 1975 – Ray Reardon (4)
- 1976 – Ray Reardon (5)
- 1977 – John Spencer (2)
- 1978 – Ray Reardon (6)
- 1979 – Terry Griffiths
- 1980 – Cliff Thorburn
- 1981 – Steve Davis
- 1982 – Alex Higgins (2)
- 1983 – Steve Davis (2)
- 1984 – Steve Davis (3)
- 1985 – Dennis Taylor
- 1986 – Joe Johnson
- 1987 – Steve Davis (4)
- 1988 – Steve Davis (5)
- 1989 – Steve Davis (6)
- 1990 – Stephen Hendry
- 1991 – John Parrott
- 1992 – Stephen Hendry (2)
- 1993 – Stephen Hendry (3)
- 1994 – Stephen Hendry (4)
- 1995 – Stephen Hendry (5)
- 1996 – Stephen Hendry (6)
- 1997 – Ken Doherty
- 1998 – John Higgins
- 1999 – Stephen Hendry (7)
- 2000 – Mark Williams
- 2001 – Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 2002 – Peter Ebdon
- 2003 – Mark Williams (2)
- 2004 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (2)
- 2005 – Shaun Murphy
- 2006 – Graeme Dott
- 2007 – John Higgins (2)
- 2008 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (3)
- 2009 – John Higgins (3)
- 2010 – Neil Robertson
- 2011 – John Higgins (4)
- 2012 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (4)
- 2013 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (5)
- 2014 – Mark Selby
- 2015 – Stuart Bingham
- 2016 – Mark Selby (2)
- 2017 – Mark Selby (3)
- 2018 – Mark Williams (3)
- 2019 – Judd Trump
- 2020 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (6)
- 2021 – Mark Selby (4)
- 2022 – Ronnie O’Sullivan (7)
- 2023 – Luca Brecel
- 2024 – Kyren Wilson
Most World Titles (modern era)
- 7 – Stephen Hendry, Ronnie O’Sullivan
- 6 – Ray Reardon, Steve Davis
- 4 – John Higgins, Mark Selby
- 3 – John Spencer, Mark Williams
- 2 – Alex Higgins
