SNOOKER ICON STEPHEN HENDRY ON SIX-FIGURE DIVORCE BILL AND NEW RELATIONSHIP

The Masters final, a must-watch event for snooker fans, is set to reach its dramatic conclusion this Sunday. The esteemed tournament kicked off on January 11 and has featured the sport's elite players competing for the £350,000 top prize.

Stephen Hendry, a six-time champion of the competition, knows exactly what's required to succeed at the Masters, having secured five consecutive victories from 1989 to 1993, plus another in 1996. Whilst Hendry is familiar with the pressure-cooker environment of top-level sport, the snooker legend has also experienced his share of personal turbulence away from the table.

As with any sporting celebrity, their private lives frequently face intense public interest, with supporters keen to discover more about their beloved figures. One chapter of Hendry's life that has attracted significant media attention is his divorce from Mandy more than a decade ago, following almost 20 years of marriage.

Hendry, now 57, later began a relationship with Lauren, a children's entertainer and actress, who is 20 years younger than him, reports the Mirror.

In his 2018 memoir 'Me and the Table', Hendry revealed details about the considerable financial settlement he encountered: "The three years between my leaving and the divorce itself are the most stressful of my life. The legal bill from the divorce comes to a hefty six-figure sum. Mandy will continue to live in the house in Scotland with the boys."

Hendry candidly shared the moment his feelings changed, revealing: "People talk about mid-life crisis. But I met someone else and it knocked me for six. Driving back from a shopping trip, my wife Mandy asks me what's wrong. She assumes it's money-related. I tell her it isn't. Then she tells me to stop the car, saying that we're not going an inch further until I tell her what's going on.

"So I do. I tell her that I have feelings for someone else. She is shocked and devastated. It's the last thing she expected me to say. She knows me well enough to know that other women have never been my thing. We drive home in a fog of bewilderment, but we don't tell the children. There are tears and conversations late into the evening. Mandy informs me she wants me to move out until we've sorted things.

"I stay with friends and family while Mandy and I attempt to patch up our marriage. We agree to give it another go. I'm riddled with guilt about the whole thing, but I'm also in love with someone else."

He continued: "I first met Lauren when she was selling merchandise after a Legends snooker exhibition. She's attractive and we smile at each other, but I think nothing of it. Gradually, we start to say, "hi" and share a bit of small talk.

"I would never be one to go striding over to any woman who caught my eye – after all, I'm the person who got to know my wife's parents before I plucked up the courage to talk to her. As time goes on, we chat more often. It's becoming clear we have a connection. The Legends events travel to each venue with the same support staff. Over the next few months Lauren and I become friendly.

"After a while we realise we're falling in love. That's very unsettling. I am married to the woman I've been with for almost 30 years. We have two amazing boys and a great lifestyle."

Hendry went on to reveal that despite having no intention of hurting his wife Mandy, he found himself powerless against his feelings. In 2013, a family getaway to Portugal was organised in a bid to salvage their marriage, yet conversations about their future continued to dominate.

After extensive talks, the couple agreed that parting ways was the best course of action, and the time had come to break the news to their sons, Blaine and Carter.

"This is the hardest thing I have ever done and will probably ever have to do," Hendry admitted. "I try to be as gentle as possible, telling them I have feelings for someone else. But however you try to explain things to children, there is going to be upset and hurt. Carter is upset; Blaine becomes very quiet, just like I did when I found out about my parents splitting up. It's horrible, and I feel like the worst person in the world."

Hendry and Thundow have been together for nearly 12 years, with Hendry maintaining his presence in the snooker world despite no longer competing at the highest level.

His YouTube channel 'Stephen Hendry's Cue Tips' has garnered a substantial following, boasting nearly half a million subscribers. In addition to this, Hendry also engages in punditry work.

2026-01-18T16:55:27Z