:00:39. > :00:47.COMMENTATOR: It's been a fabulous match. Ronnie O'Sullivan, well he is
:00:48. > :00:52.back. My first Masters' final. My date with destiny.
:00:53. > :01:00.Taught Tait unbelievable match. That's what it means to Barry
:01:01. > :01:06.Hawkins. Very - COMMENTATOR:. Very proud. Fan twastic venue to
:01:07. > :01:18.play in, especially when it is full up. COMMENTATOR: You cannot get your
:01:19. > :01:22.breath. What a pot that was. The Ally Pally, snooker's theatre of
:01:23. > :01:29.dreams. Only the greats have won the Masters. I would rather play well
:01:30. > :01:34.and lose than play bad and win. COMMENTATOR: It's been sensational.
:01:35. > :01:39.One of the greatest matches you have ever seen. O'Sullivan may have won
:01:40. > :01:45.the title five times. He has also lost five finals. I'm not one for
:01:46. > :01:54.wanting to grind out. It has to come easy to me.
:01:55. > :02:01.Hazel Irvine: Good evening. Great view here of the main Palm Court
:02:02. > :02:08.entrance as the crowds stream into the main auditorium. This place was
:02:09. > :02:14.built in the 1860s to commemorate a royal birth of Princess Alexandra
:02:15. > :02:20.but in Victorian Britain it became known as the People's Palace and
:02:21. > :02:23.140-years on it is the people's champion, Ronnie O'Sullivan who
:02:24. > :02:28.appears to be on cruise control for his sixth Master. The rocket needs
:02:29. > :02:31.only three more frames against world number 8, Barry Hawkins, to complete
:02:32. > :02:37.a remarkable return to the top of his sport.
:02:38. > :02:44.It was nice for the crowd favourite to be back on home turf. Ronnie was
:02:45. > :02:48.expected to steam roll his way towards the sixth Masters' title.
:02:49. > :02:53.But the rocket never had it his own way, setting up Barry to take the
:02:54. > :02:58.first frame. COMMENTATOR: Plenty of tension out there in this opening
:02:59. > :03:00.frame. However, Ronnie soon found his feet, making a wonderful 70
:03:01. > :03:10.break in frame two. And in the And in the very next
:03:11. > :03:15.frame, made the first century of the final. COMMENTATOR: He only needed
:03:16. > :03:20.one chance. What did he do? He clears the table with that
:03:21. > :03:21.magnificent break of 136. Barry had the the opportunity to bounce back.
:03:22. > :03:35.Two great reds. Ultimately, he couldn't take the
:03:36. > :03:39.frame. Ronnie, 3-1 up at the break. It was much the same after the
:03:40. > :03:41.interval. Ronnie taking full advantage of Barry Hawkins' errors
:03:42. > :03:54.to take the next two frames. COMMENTATOR: Oh my word. What a pot
:03:55. > :03:57.that was. A break of 77 in the seventh, including this fantastic
:03:58. > :04:01.pot on the black and Ronnie goes five year.
:04:02. > :04:08.And a 72 break in the final frame of the session for the Rocket to lead
:04:09. > :04:12.7-1 and it looks like he is running away with it.
:04:13. > :04:20.Now he is well on his way to equalling my record of six Masters'
:04:21. > :04:25.titles. The walk from the dressing room to
:04:26. > :04:28.the table is always a surreal affair especially in a two-session match
:04:29. > :04:31.like the Masters' final. You have done it once but this is the final
:04:32. > :04:36.session, you know the crowd will really be up for it. In this match
:04:37. > :04:40.it depends where you are up to in the game. If you are in front by a
:04:41. > :04:44.wrong way, you are worried you might throw it away, don't dare do that.
:04:45. > :04:47.On the other hand, if you are a long way behind, you need that first
:04:48. > :04:52.frame on the board. Whichever way, you are nervous. And what an
:04:53. > :04:57.atmosphere we have with 2,000 people. An atmosphere I'm sure both
:04:58. > :05:00.players would love to have been feeding on but so far in the final
:05:01. > :05:04.it's been the Ronnie O'Sullivan show. As for Barry Hawkins what is
:05:05. > :05:09.it about this evening? He is playing for pride. Trying to change that
:05:10. > :05:16.score board into an air of respectability and if he can have
:05:17. > :05:20.one of those miracle sessions and play no-miss snooker, I might make
:05:21. > :05:23.the Rocket wobble a bit before he gets his hands on this trophy for
:05:24. > :05:27.the sixth time. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
:05:28. > :05:36.the two-time ranking event winner, Barry Hawkins.
:05:37. > :06:17.CHEERING AND APPLAUSE
:06:18. > :06:21.And now, the five time Champion of the World, the Rocket, Ronnie
:06:22. > :06:29.O'Sullivan. CHEERING AND
:06:30. > :07:01.APPLAUSE So are we heading for the most
:07:02. > :07:04.one-sided Masters' final, since last year or can Barry Hawkins produce a
:07:05. > :07:12.career-defining comeback. Let's year or can Barry Hawkins produce a
:07:13. > :07:24.out as we join Ken Doherty and John Virgo.
:07:25. > :07:29.JOHN VIRGO: Fair play to him. He has a mountain to climb but he is not
:07:30. > :07:36.apologising. KEN DOHERTY: Not at all.
:07:37. > :07:38.What a reception he got. The referee finding it hard to control the
:07:39. > :07:51.crowd. What an atmosphere. This is what it is all about, John.
:07:52. > :07:55.Yes, the final night of any of our major tournaments, if you have never
:07:56. > :07:56.been to one, buy a ticket, you are going to love the atmosphere, there
:07:57. > :08:12.is nothing like it. REFEREE: Not with the players on the
:08:13. > :08:34.table, thank you. It's going to be such a tall order
:08:35. > :08:38.for Barry Hawkins. He has Terry Griffiths in his corner. Of course,
:08:39. > :08:46.he will be feeding him words of encouragement. Trying to keep the
:08:47. > :08:50.positive thoughts in the mind but it is very difficult, isn't it, when
:08:51. > :08:54.you are playing against someone who is playing at the highest standard,
:08:55. > :09:02.John, you know, it is difficult to stop. Yes, as John Parrot said at
:09:03. > :09:06.the beginning, Barry willk coming out and he will be just playing for
:09:07. > :09:08.pride. Take one shot at a time. I know it is an old cliche but it
:09:09. > :09:23.applies here. First chance. He played it that pacy because he
:09:24. > :09:28.thought he was going to run into other reds. He thought - if I play
:09:29. > :09:31.it with pace I will be able to run through them. He didn't hit much,
:09:32. > :09:33.and that's why he has finished near the balk cushion. Just the safety
:09:34. > :09:57.shot to play. He has tried to cover part-way down
:09:58. > :09:59.the left-hand side but I think he has just left a gap for Ronnie at
:10:00. > :10:10.the outside of this red. Um, we have seen that happen a few
:10:11. > :10:13.times this week and particularly down that side of the table. It is
:10:14. > :10:16.almost like the ball has drifted slightly.
:10:17. > :10:21.Yes, I was just going to say exactly the same thing. We saw Shaun Murphy,
:10:22. > :10:25.the defending champion in his opening match, concede a frame by
:10:26. > :10:28.three misses but Barry not having it replaced at the moment because he
:10:29. > :10:33.thinks there is a possible pot on. But now he has decided to have it
:10:34. > :10:36.put back and then down that same side, Mark Allen, in the waterer
:10:37. > :10:40.final, he did exactly the same, missed it twice, got a warning but
:10:41. > :10:43.then made certain he hit it on the third occasion. -- in the
:10:44. > :10:52.quarter-final. Neil Robertson as well on that same
:10:53. > :10:57.side. Let's get a birds bird's eye view.
:10:58. > :11:04.Well, perfect there. The good thing about that, as far as the frame
:11:05. > :11:18.goes, it brings the black into play. Yes, whoever can win the safety
:11:19. > :11:20.exchange now, as you say, Ken, with the black in the open, it'll be a
:11:21. > :11:31.good chance. He'd better catch that thin to the
:11:32. > :11:40.left-hand side of the table. The right-hand side of the table is a
:11:41. > :11:49.bit contested. I don't see that? It'll have to be very precise.
:11:50. > :12:19.Well, just playing the containing safety.
:12:20. > :12:24.A little short of pace but that yellow is going to be hampering
:12:25. > :12:38.Barry somewhat. Oh and that considered, what a
:12:39. > :12:40.superb shot this is. Very well-played.
:12:41. > :13:04.APPLAUSE Oh, the chance of a red but very do
:13:05. > :13:14.I have find a path back to balk area. There is a gap. Well, he might
:13:15. > :13:16.miss the reds with a lot of right-hand side. He tried to find a
:13:17. > :13:49.gap. But it was very difficult. That's the name of the game -
:13:50. > :14:51.REFEREE: Foul and a better than that.
:14:52. > :14:51.REFEREE: Foul and a of the reds
:14:52. > :14:56.REFEREE: Foul and a wishes to pot the yellow
:14:57. > :15:11.REFEREE: Foul and a to bring
:15:12. > :15:38.That was unlucky. He was unfortunate not to leave a pot on but that won't
:15:39. > :15:43.do Barry's confidence any good, missing that yellow. He needs to be
:15:44. > :15:45.at the top of his game this evening, if he is going to get anything out
:15:46. > :15:48.of Where is the cue ball going?
:15:49. > :16:23.REFEREE: Foul, Ronnie O'Sullivan 4. Nice pot. I was hoping for a little
:16:24. > :16:27.cannon on the green so he would be on the blue, right-centre but a
:16:28. > :16:29.tricky pot to the left-centre, with the cue ball going up towards the
:16:30. > :16:52.redses. He couldn't have cued that green
:16:53. > :16:58.much better. Looking at, that the pink is out of commission. So is the
:16:59. > :17:00.black. So, doing well, Ronnie here it make this a sizeable
:17:01. > :17:07.contribution. The way they are at the moment. He would love to get the
:17:08. > :17:14.blue back on its own spot. A little bit straight on it.
:17:15. > :17:21.The three reds to the right of the pink, the bottom one spots into the
:17:22. > :17:26.bottom right-hand pocket. He could use that at some stage to dislodge
:17:27. > :17:36.the other two but obviously not on this occasion.
:17:37. > :18:05.Perfect for the blue now. A lovely shot.
:18:06. > :18:10.Very difficult to generate the amount of topspin required to get
:18:11. > :18:16.back up for the blue. So I think that will be end of break. It was
:18:17. > :18:17.always going to be a very difficult ask to make any sizeable
:18:18. > :18:31.contribution, as I said at the time. Where is the cueball going? Well,
:18:32. > :18:33.now it is safe. If it had gone in, it would have been a lot easier for
:18:34. > :18:39.Barry. This game, as we always say, is all
:18:40. > :18:59.about fractions. He needs the blue to husband rescue.
:19:00. > :19:01.I think it has but there is a red in the middle of the table that's
:19:02. > :19:15.possible. Lovely, right in the heart of the
:19:16. > :19:20.pocket. His potting this week has been as good as it has been for
:19:21. > :19:24.quite a while. I have not seen it better. Sometimes this afternoon...
:19:25. > :19:29.Over the years it has been his Achilles heel but this week he has
:19:30. > :19:35.been on top form with his long pot success.
:19:36. > :19:42.I think that's right, 65%. A lot of the time for long pots, they are
:19:43. > :19:45.shots for nothing. Any other part of the game I'm looking for 90% or
:19:46. > :20:00.above, pot success and likewise. Can he get that safe? He judged it
:20:01. > :20:09.well. Well there in the audience there is Hayley Turner. Retired. I
:20:10. > :20:11.can't believe it. And with LesBarton, great follower of
:20:12. > :20:15.snooker, goes to all the tournaments. A great friend of
:20:16. > :20:25.Ronnie's and all the snooker players. Why did you do it?
:20:26. > :20:32.One of the great jockeys, belief me, you have ever seen, lady jockey. --
:20:33. > :20:52.believe me. Oh, that was very thick. He will be
:20:53. > :20:54.lucky not to leave anything here. That was a long, long way away from
:20:55. > :21:14.the pot there. Well, I'm certain Ronnie was
:21:15. > :21:20.convinced he was going to hit that red. He misjudged it. Even Ronnie
:21:21. > :21:24.can see the funny side of that one. It looked like he was playing hard
:21:25. > :21:28.match snooker but he expected that red to career into another one. Once
:21:29. > :21:46.it didn't, it was back up the table and it is a nice easy starter.
:21:47. > :22:39.Didn't want that little kiss on the red. It has just knocked it into a
:22:40. > :22:52.safer position. He still has this red with the rest.
:22:53. > :23:01.Can he - well, it will be difficult to get on his next red.
:23:02. > :23:08.He had to put a lot of pace into it. Tried to screw it in-off the side
:23:09. > :23:14.cushion and that was quite a difficult shot. It's only that red
:23:15. > :23:18.that he knocked safe, John. If he hadn't knocked it safe he could have
:23:19. > :23:23.stunned that red and got on the pink. And that pink there, when you
:23:24. > :23:25.are 7-1 behind, all the more difficult. But Ronnie has not made
:23:26. > :23:42.the best job of that shot. Just a fraction too hard, the bounce
:23:43. > :24:05.off the side cushion. A little bit like the first frame of
:24:06. > :24:10.the match. Very scrappy. Barry Hawkins in the end won it. Of
:24:11. > :24:15.course, that was the only frame he has put on the score board so far.
:24:16. > :24:20.But he won't mind if it is a scrappy frame.
:24:21. > :24:32.A good safety but there is a possible pot on here.
:24:33. > :24:39.Well, he didn't attempt it. You can see the reason why. Excellent
:24:40. > :24:55.safety. Just coming off the side cushion,
:24:56. > :25:00.trying it lay on the red on the top cushion. But he has to be careful.
:25:01. > :25:05.He is going to be leaving a pot on, up to the green pocket, if Ronnie
:25:06. > :25:09.wishes to take it on. The red just below the pink to the left pots but
:25:10. > :25:26.Ronnie again, looks like he is refusing
:25:27. > :25:32.It is certainly a sign, John, with some of the shots that he has
:25:33. > :25:38.refused, that he has certainly kept his focus. OK he is 7-1 ahead. He
:25:39. > :25:42.has certainly kept his focus. He is trying to keep the pressure on his
:25:43. > :25:45.opponent, without pushing the boat out. Yes, absolutely. Taking nothing
:25:46. > :26:03.for granted. This red goes. Once again, much too thick. If you
:26:04. > :26:07.are going to miss those, you have to hit them thin. That cue ball will
:26:08. > :26:31.not go past the blue area, then you leave a chance.
:26:32. > :26:34.Snr well, not the best positional shot. He didn't want that cue ball
:26:35. > :26:46.so close to the side cushion. He made it look easy. The scores are
:26:47. > :26:59.now level. Still not a straightforward run to
:27:00. > :27:32.the winning line, though. Well, he can play the pink here off
:27:33. > :27:36.a couple of cushions and try to get close to the yellow. Although it is
:27:37. > :27:41.on the left-hand side, it is not a problem for Ronnie being able to use
:27:42. > :27:44.the left hand. But he has come a bit wide off the mark where he wanted to
:27:45. > :27:58.be. It is such a big target, that brown
:27:59. > :28:03.and blue Ian indeed the green, for a snooker. -- and indeed.
:28:04. > :28:07.So it is the age-old problem. No problem hitting the yellow. Got to
:28:08. > :28:22.get it safe. Is that safe or will he take it on?
:28:23. > :28:35.It doesn't look like. You always look at this type of
:28:36. > :28:56.shot. Is the safety easier than the pot? That's what he is considering.
:28:57. > :29:03.Well, decided he didn't want it take the pot on, but that's not the best
:29:04. > :29:28.safety. Chance for Barry if he can knock this yellow in.
:29:29. > :29:36.Oh, another couple of inches off that side cushion and it would have
:29:37. > :29:43.been perfect for Barry. Yes, so much tougher. He has opened up the brown
:29:44. > :29:53.and the blue. As you said, John, talk about
:29:54. > :29:57.fractions of the game. Another inch or two off the side cushion and he
:29:58. > :30:00.would have been perfect. But it wasn't straightforward for Ronnie.
:30:01. > :30:17.Played it as a shot to nothing and has got the snooker.
:30:18. > :30:30.Where is this green going? The only hope for Barry that it is dead
:30:31. > :30:32.straight. If it isn't, at a slight angle, he just has to put it, to be
:30:33. > :30:40.on the brown. -- pot it. This brown, to go 18 points in
:30:41. > :31:05.front, with 18 remaining. Well, the chances are coming thick
:31:06. > :31:09.and fast for Barry Hawkins. Can he take this last one? He needs the
:31:10. > :31:25.four remaining colours. He needs a bit of help from the blue
:31:26. > :31:26.or the pink, and he has had none. I don't think he will get another
:31:27. > :31:45.chance this frame now. Not perfect on the blue. No, don't
:31:46. > :31:51.even think he can attempt a double, either. An attempt at the right
:31:52. > :32:02.corner. He doesn't want to knock the blue
:32:03. > :32:05.off the side cushion and lunch to the top cushion near the black,
:32:06. > :32:17.because Barry will bring the black interplay.
:32:18. > :32:27.APPLAUSE Well, it's been an amazing frame,
:32:28. > :32:30.this. The quality of snooker we have seen so far in this tournament and
:32:31. > :32:41.And that's a very good shot by in this match, chances are not being
:32:42. > :32:45.And that's a very good shot by Barry. Remember, if he pots the
:32:46. > :32:49.three remaining balls he will take it will be spotted black and Ronnie
:32:50. > :32:53.can only just get to the edge of this. He has looked to see if he can
:32:54. > :33:00.get to the top cushion first, but I'm not certain he can get enough
:33:01. > :33:02.behind the here. -- the blue here. He did manage to leave distance
:33:03. > :33:21.between cue Borland object ball. Looks very straight, doesn't it? So
:33:22. > :33:23.difficult to try and get macro want it and get the cue ball close to
:33:24. > :33:38.this pink. I'm surprised you didn't say, where
:33:39. > :33:54.is the cue ball going there, John. Trying the stun off the side
:33:55. > :34:01.cushion. He needs the pink to slow up. He has left a pot on, but
:34:02. > :34:08.whether Ronnie would take it on or not, it's risky.
:34:09. > :34:27.For all the barrage of breaks we've seen during the match these are so
:34:28. > :34:31.exciting, these types of frames. They are, and it goes without saying
:34:32. > :34:45.how important this is for Barry Hawkins.
:34:46. > :34:51.Well, it's a good safety shot but the only problem is has he left a
:34:52. > :34:55.double? I'm not quite sure if it is on. The longest frame of the match,
:34:56. > :35:06.this one. The second longest frame was the
:35:07. > :35:07.first frame of the match. This looks a good length.
:35:08. > :35:30.APPLAUSE He has got to hit it, got to get it
:35:31. > :35:33.safe. Well, you would think Ronnie would take this on. This, for the
:35:34. > :35:48.frame. Oh! Whether it going? Oh, no! You
:35:49. > :35:55.can not believe it! It never ceases to amaze you, this game. When you
:35:56. > :35:59.don't need the luck, you get it. What a fluke! All the effort that
:36:00. > :36:04.was put in that frame by both players and it ends like that. Mani
:36:05. > :36:11.O'Sullivan hangs his head in shame, but when he looks at the scoreboard
:36:12. > :36:12.he won't mind. He is seven clear, 8-1.
:36:13. > :36:16.HAZEL IRVINE: The longest frame of the match so
:36:17. > :36:19.far, when it's not your day at appears to be not, he scored a
:36:20. > :36:24.horrible day of trying to keep control of the cue ball and then
:36:25. > :36:28.that, John. It's incredible what can happen on there. Ronnie caught the
:36:29. > :36:31.jaw, comes across, it happens to go over there at the perfect base to
:36:32. > :36:35.come off and get the cannon and going and if you start knocking
:36:36. > :36:38.those in its time for everyone to wrap up. Your impression of what has
:36:39. > :36:42.been an interesting match, but it's been very one-sided. For those
:36:43. > :36:47.joining us, having missed the opening exchanges this afternoon,
:36:48. > :36:51.7-1 obviously anti-rocketed, if you'll pardon the pun, to that
:36:52. > :36:56.immediately after Hawkins had won the first frame. It's been one-way
:36:57. > :37:01.traffic since then, hasn't it? It has on this afternoon's session, it
:37:02. > :37:04.wasn't much that Barry Hawkins had totally bad luck, but he didn't have
:37:05. > :37:08.anything going his way. All the shots he had left were difficult
:37:09. > :37:12.ones and the chasm opened up. Ronnie didn't play unbelievably well but he
:37:13. > :37:15.did enough and did his job. In that frame there, Ronnie O'Sullivan was
:37:16. > :37:20.very patient for his chance to try to win the frame. I know he got the
:37:21. > :37:23.fluke in the end, but there were a lot of shots he turned down. He
:37:24. > :37:26.decided to make Barry Hawkins work as hard as possible for it and it
:37:27. > :37:30.shows great maturity, to know your opponent is the one that is
:37:31. > :37:35.desperate to win the frame and you can pick your moments. As it was,
:37:36. > :37:39.it's not Barry Hawkins' Day at all. It doesn't seem like it. Compared to
:37:40. > :37:46.yesterday, when he beat Judd Trump, his scoring so far in this match, 48
:37:47. > :37:49.and 46 have been his top breaks. Going back to Ronnie, the word to
:37:50. > :37:55.use is businesslike. That's exactly what he has been all day. He has
:37:56. > :38:00.played to play winning snooker. He's two frames away from victory.
:38:01. > :38:07.REFEREE: Mani O'Sullivan the break. COMMENTATOR:
:38:08. > :38:15.That's what they're playing for, a beautiful Waterford Crystal trophy.
:38:16. > :38:21.And of course should Mani O'Sullivan winter night, John, emulates what
:38:22. > :38:33.the great Stephen Hendry did, six Masters titles.
:38:34. > :38:41.Yes, we all accept the weight Ronnie plays, the ability he has, all the
:38:42. > :38:48.records are there for the taking authority is concerned, if he is
:38:49. > :38:52.prepared to it. -- the records are there for the taking as far as he's
:38:53. > :39:18.concerned, if he is prepared to dedicate himself to it.
:39:19. > :39:30.A couple of other interesting spectators in the front row. The
:39:31. > :39:36.guitarist from Oasis, and Andy Goldstein, former presenter of Talk
:39:37. > :39:42.Sport, only joking, Andy. A very keen, avid snooker fans, always
:39:43. > :39:51.making an appearance down here. At the Alexandra Palace.
:39:52. > :40:22.Well, there are worse nudges you could have.
:40:23. > :40:27.It's always interesting to see how Ronnie O'Sullivan goes about making
:40:28. > :40:30.the break. His priority will be thinking now, how can I get on a red
:40:31. > :40:42.to get the black on its spot. He has spotted this one, so
:40:43. > :41:18.obviously the black will go in the opposite corner to this red.
:41:19. > :41:24.He will be a little bit disappointed, he overhit that
:41:25. > :41:28.slightly. He played for the blue in the middle, played for the corner.
:41:29. > :42:44.They are all going Ronnie's way at the moment.
:42:45. > :42:51.If Barry can just get past this brown to play the pot on this red,
:42:52. > :42:56.he wouldn't have to do anything, if he'd pot that it's bound to be on
:42:57. > :43:05.the black. I don't think he can. Having to play the safety. If it
:43:06. > :43:10.runs as it is heading, well, but for the kiss on the brown it wouldn't be
:43:11. > :43:12.very good but he has left Ronnie here a long straight red and he has
:43:13. > :43:46.knocked a few of these in this week. It's not only the pot, it's the
:43:47. > :43:53.control as well, and how sweet a cue that long read. Beautiful.
:43:54. > :43:58.Yes, and the thing is when you strike the ball that well you don't
:43:59. > :44:02.have to hit it particularly hard and that's what he does. He gets right
:44:03. > :44:08.through the cue ball and gets an immediate reaction.
:44:09. > :44:14.That's what annoys him, of course, all his last visit, when he misses
:44:15. > :44:14.That's what annoys him, of course, an easy red. He thinks he shouldn't
:44:15. > :44:52.miss anything. Getting very close to the point of
:44:53. > :45:15.no return in this frame for Barry Hawkins. 56 points and counting.
:45:16. > :45:21.You made the point, John, it's Ronnie's shot time, only 15 seconds
:45:22. > :45:29.per shot now. Earlier in this match it was down to
:45:30. > :45:35.13. I can only think of Tony Draco, who
:45:36. > :45:55.had that sort of average shot time. He needs a red and colour, he
:45:56. > :45:59.doesn't need to overthink this. Bit the bullet, really, he didn't want
:46:00. > :46:04.to knock the red safe under caution but he knew by dropping that red in
:46:05. > :46:11.he'd be nicely on the bank. Bank is all he needs. In it goes, 67 remain.
:46:12. > :46:52.Barry Hawkins won't be winning this frame.
:46:53. > :46:58.Pot this red to leave a nice angle on the pink, so he can dislodge the
:46:59. > :47:29.red he left safe a few shots ago. Nearly a lucky 15, but it didn't
:47:30. > :47:33.matter for the frame. Apart from the missed red, which she didn't leave
:47:34. > :47:39.anything, didn't do a lot wrong that frame. And now he's just one frame
:47:40. > :47:43.away from his sixth Masters title. HAZEL IRVINE:
:47:44. > :47:48.And we are now the record books -- scouring the record books and that
:47:49. > :47:53.belongs to Steve Davis against Mike Hallett in 1988, 9-0. 10-2, Johne
:47:54. > :47:57.Murphy against Neil Robertson, that was a surprise. When you're in this
:47:58. > :48:01.position, when you are dominating a match like that, can you describe
:48:02. > :48:06.what it feels like and how good it feels? Yes, do you know what, the
:48:07. > :48:09.funny thing is you know full well there is a possibility it's not a
:48:10. > :48:18.spectacle because it not going to be close but you don't care that. You
:48:19. > :48:21.just love having it all your own way. I think probably all the top
:48:22. > :48:24.players are pretty good bullies, so they like it that way. I don't think
:48:25. > :48:28.Ron is necessarily the same animal but he will consider it a job well
:48:29. > :48:31.done today. It looks like it will get over the line pretty soon. It
:48:32. > :48:36.would be an amazing achievement were he to win met Wood here. He is eight
:48:37. > :48:42.months out of the game. You look at it, he has beaten a double triple
:48:43. > :48:44.Crown winner, Mark Williams, the reigning world champ, Stuart
:48:45. > :48:49.Bingham, and he's one of the way against Barry Hawkins. It's an
:48:50. > :48:52.amazing achievement. It certainly is, straight in against the cream of
:48:53. > :48:54.the crop, you walk straight through the door and you know you have a
:48:55. > :48:57.the crop, you walk straight through the door and you know you have a
:48:58. > :49:03.touch -- tough match from ball one. I said in commentary it's the best
:49:04. > :49:07.to 19 but you see the players, but this is right in at ball one and
:49:08. > :49:12.this is an unbelievable performance. What can Hawkins do to hold this
:49:13. > :49:14.one? COMMENTATOR:
:49:15. > :49:19.We said at the start of the evening he is playing for pride. I think now
:49:20. > :49:21.he would love to get us to the mid-session interval and to do that
:49:22. > :49:44.he will have to win the next two frames.
:49:45. > :49:53.Barry getting up off the shot, someone shouts in an inopportune
:49:54. > :49:59.moment. When he came out tonight, we remarked on it, how he embraced the
:50:00. > :50:05.reception he got. That's tough to do when you are so far behind.
:50:06. > :50:10.Absolutely, you called it right. It's a sense of pride that you want
:50:11. > :50:12.to get a few frames on the board. It has happened to me, I know exactly
:50:13. > :50:23.how he feels. Ronnie beat me in the UK final one
:50:24. > :50:29.year and it was 10-1. I was just happy to get one frame. But that is
:50:30. > :50:32.the situation. You do get a little bit embarrassed out there. And I
:50:33. > :50:38.hope he doesn't, because he has played magnificently all week.
:50:39. > :50:41.But he would certainly bring the house down and if you did get his
:50:42. > :51:41.first frame on the board tonight. Another excellent safety shot this.
:51:42. > :52:13.An air of desperation about that one. I didn't see where the colour
:52:14. > :52:27.was going to come from if he potted the red.
:52:28. > :52:33.Nothing at this end of the table, so he's going to have to play the
:52:34. > :52:35.straight ball Wood blue. Tried to force the cue ball through the reds
:52:36. > :52:44.but good pop needed. -- pot needed. And got. Super.
:52:45. > :53:43.APPLAUSE Cleverly playing the black and in
:53:44. > :53:54.playing the black he notices Wood nudges the red away from the black.
:53:55. > :53:56.Such a quick thinking snooker brain. A genius at work, John, that's all
:53:57. > :54:05.And the magnitude of this you can say.
:54:06. > :54:10.And the magnitude of this achievement as well is even greater,
:54:11. > :54:14.the fact that his last tournament on the television was back in April, at
:54:15. > :54:31.the World Championship. Eight and a half months ago. Quite incredible.
:54:32. > :54:37.Yes, I was talking earlier on about Barry Hawkins playing for pride, but
:54:38. > :54:41.I think that's what motivates Ronnie, his pride in performance,
:54:42. > :54:45.that's what keeps him going, that's what enables him, if you like, the
:54:46. > :54:49.comeback after a long lay-off. He just wants to show people how well
:54:50. > :54:53.he can play the game. He gets very disappointed some of his interviews
:54:54. > :54:56.afterwards a bit downbeat, but because he's trying so hard to show
:54:57. > :55:07.people how he can play. When he is at the top of his game,
:55:08. > :55:11.which he will tell you he hasn't been this week, he is unbelievable,
:55:12. > :55:33.the greatest player ever. We are here
:55:34. > :55:39.I remember a reporter coming up to me once that the World Championship
:55:40. > :55:43.after he had been a year out and he came back and won it and he said,
:55:44. > :55:47.what do you think about what the other players think, he can have a
:55:48. > :55:49.year out and win it, and they will have two appreciate they are in the
:55:50. > :55:58.era of a genius, and it's a fact. Most importantly it's great to see
:55:59. > :56:12.him back. Just wanting one more red and
:56:13. > :56:29.colour. You feel for Barry. Put up that great performance
:56:30. > :56:37.against Judd Trump. He will be disappointed the way he has played.
:56:38. > :56:46.He has had chances today. But that's the frame, surely.
:56:47. > :56:50.APPLAUSE His six Masters trophy, what a
:56:51. > :56:51.performance. You just have to admire it. I'm sure Barry will admire it as
:56:52. > :57:27.well. INAUDIBLE
:57:28. > :57:33.He likes the top and tail it with a century. -- he would like the top
:57:34. > :57:41.and tail it with a century. Believe me, he will try to get the tonne
:57:42. > :57:48.here, but not quite. He will say, well played. Ronnie will be
:57:49. > :57:51.sympathetic for Barry, who has not played his best
:57:52. > :57:55.sympathetic for Barry, who has not O'Sullivan winning a sixth title,
:57:56. > :58:00.proves once again that when he gets his cue out of the case he is the
:58:01. > :58:03.one to beat. Six times Masters champion, and he winced the Dafabet
:58:04. > :58:14.Masters by 10-1. Brilliant! HAZEL IRVINE:
:58:15. > :58:18.Ladies and gentlemen, let's give it up for those of our finalists
:58:19. > :58:24.lights. Barry, if I can grab a quick word with you. Barry, you always
:58:25. > :58:28.seem to meet this man in finals when he's coming back from a very long
:58:29. > :58:34.sabbatical. To quote Jimmy White, you really must be beginning to
:58:35. > :58:42.annoy you now, yes? I wish he'd retire, to be fair! No, I'm
:58:43. > :58:46.disappointed in my performance today, to be fair. I didn't give
:58:47. > :58:51.Ronnie a game at all. I just said to him there, if he thought he was
:58:52. > :58:56.cueing around corners yesterday he was -- he should have felt my arm
:58:57. > :59:00.today, it's just how it goes sometimes and it's a bit
:59:01. > :59:03.disappointing really. How difficult was it to follow up that wonderful
:59:04. > :59:07.pork -- performance against Judd Trump yesterday, and UK bout into
:59:08. > :59:11.this final, a big occasion, you have a lot to reflect on. It's the first
:59:12. > :59:16.time you've got past the first round. What are the positivity will
:59:17. > :59:20.take away from this week? If someone said I would get to the final and
:59:21. > :59:28.played Ronnie in the final, I would have ripped off their arm but when
:59:29. > :59:31.you get to the final you want to perform and it's hard to take
:59:32. > :59:33.positives at the moment because I'm a bit disappointed in how I
:59:34. > :59:37.performed today, but I played well most of the week. I am sure back I
:59:38. > :59:40.will look back and think I did well, it's one of those things. It is
:59:41. > :59:48.indeed. Barry Hawkins, well played. APPLAUSE
:59:49. > :59:54.He Ronnie O'Sullivan, champion of the Masters once again for a sixth
:59:55. > :59:58.time. I tell you what, after eight months away and I know you are a
:59:59. > :00:04.perfectionist, you must be chuffed with that performance. I'm over the
:00:05. > :00:08.moon. I watched Barry playing in his semifinal over Judd Trump and I knew
:00:09. > :00:12.I needed to raise my level and play like I did against Selby. Today I
:00:13. > :00:16.managed to do that. I managed my emotions well, it is such a big
:00:17. > :00:21.occasion against someone I knew was in form. I'm delighted to play as
:00:22. > :00:25.well as I had done. You were down on yourself yesterday when you came
:00:26. > :00:28.into the studio last night. What has made the difference today. Dr Steve
:00:29. > :00:33.Peters arrived here this morning. Did that help you? Having him here
:00:34. > :00:38.put pressure on me. I have to behave myself, you know. He just mentioned
:00:39. > :00:42.a couple of things to me. He is right. I knew I had to just focus on
:00:43. > :00:47.playing each ball and getting involved in the match. I was able to
:00:48. > :00:53.do that today. It was just a shame Barry just never - if he had played
:00:54. > :00:58.like he did in the semis, we could have had a brilliant match. Well
:00:59. > :01:00.done to Barry. He had another great tournament. Eight months away. How
:01:01. > :01:04.surprised are you to be standing here as a champion? I'm never
:01:05. > :01:10.normally surprised I win tournaments. I'm surprised I have
:01:11. > :01:14.won my first one after eight months. I still think, you know, if I can
:01:15. > :01:18.produce some form, it doesn't matter how much time you take out, you
:01:19. > :01:23.still have the talent and the game there. It is about producing it when
:01:24. > :01:26.it matters and I was able to do it this week. You are now level with
:01:27. > :01:30.the great Stephen Hendry in the Masters' titles. He is a couple
:01:31. > :01:34.ahead of you in the world titles. What motivation is it to keep
:01:35. > :01:39.chasing that? I mean this is just a week. So you are manage to keep your
:01:40. > :01:44.form. It is easier to keep it for a week. But for 17 days, it is a
:01:45. > :01:47.grind. I will give it a go and we'll see what happens.
:01:48. > :01:50.What is the schedule? I know a lot of people watching will want to
:01:51. > :01:54.know, is this you back on the circuit for it the rest of the
:01:55. > :01:58.season? What are your plans? I'll play most of the UK and European
:01:59. > :02:02.events and take it from there, really. And just play whatever you
:02:03. > :02:06.fancy. There are so many tournaments these days, you have the option to
:02:07. > :02:11.pick and chose. We used to only have six. Now you have 36. It is great to
:02:12. > :02:13.have the choices, you know. Ladies and gentlemen, the incredible
:02:14. > :02:19.Rocket, Ronnie O'Sullivan. CHEERING AND
:02:20. > :02:24.APPLAUSE Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome
:02:25. > :02:31.your presentation party. Barry the hen Chairman of World Snooker. The
:02:32. > :02:32.head of sponsorship and the 1984 Masters' champion, the Whirl wind,
:02:33. > :02:48.Jimmy White. The runner-up receiving a silver
:02:49. > :02:54.medal and a cheque for ?90,000. What a run to the final it was for bory
:02:55. > :02:58.Hawkins. APPLAUSE
:02:59. > :03:13.-- Barry Hawkins. And the winner, receiving a cheque
:03:14. > :03:21.for ?200,000, the trophy and the title. 2016, Dafabet Masters'
:03:22. > :03:28.champion, Ronnie O'Sullivan. Your champion, Ronnie O'Sullivan.
:03:29. > :03:53.APPLAUSE Well, eight months out. Didn't seem
:03:54. > :03:58.to matter. Straight back in. Wins the Masters for a sixth time. Sum up
:03:59. > :04:01.the achievement. Basically when he has had a bit of a break, he puts
:04:02. > :04:08.himself under pressure and comes back and does it once again. Yes, I
:04:09. > :04:11.think that it would be fair to say that other than Mark Williams,
:04:12. > :04:14.people didn't perform against him. Still to this day, Ronnie O'Sullivan
:04:15. > :04:18.puts people out of their strike because they know how good he is.
:04:19. > :04:22.They put paid to a few players this week who could have given him
:04:23. > :04:25.trouble. He looks a lot happier than after his semifinal pictures. He
:04:26. > :04:29.sure does. At the beginning of the week we asked him what he was
:04:30. > :04:33.expecting. He said he just wanted to win a match coming back. Obviously
:04:34. > :04:37.there is a bit of kidology when Ronnie is concerned, but he didn't
:04:38. > :04:42.seem to be in the most confident form when he came out. He sets
:04:43. > :04:47.himself exacting standards and sometimes you can't win matches
:04:48. > :04:51.playing at your best. He comes in, as John said in commentary, a bit
:04:52. > :04:55.downbeat. He puts pressure on himself. There is psychology in
:04:56. > :04:59.there. 'S fantastic player. We have seen this week, he is total box
:05:00. > :05:03.office. Every time he plays, the session is sold out. It is brilliant
:05:04. > :05:06.to watch. I thought that performance today was very professional, very
:05:07. > :05:13.business-like. Played every shot correct. Hard-match play. And scored
:05:14. > :05:21.when he got his chances. He was tough to play against. He is almost
:05:22. > :05:26.very hard to play. I mentioned Dr Steve Peters. And we were talking to
:05:27. > :05:30.Damien Hirst about this. The right message in his ear T calmed him
:05:31. > :05:35.down. Not transformed, but it an improved one. He didn't win any
:05:36. > :05:38.opportunities. If the shot was there to play the right shot, and there
:05:39. > :05:44.was nothing but played the right shot. Barry was struggling to get
:05:45. > :05:48.going, and Ronnie knew that. He didn't give him lifelines. He kept
:05:49. > :05:53.the peddle to the metal and he was very proeggs iffal today. I
:05:54. > :05:58.mentioned to Barry, he must be sick of the sight of Ronnie, every time
:05:59. > :06:02.he takes a sabbatical, he comes back and it is Barry he has to play. It
:06:03. > :06:06.has been tough luck from Barry's point of view. From Barry's Hawkins'
:06:07. > :06:10.perspective, he said he had a bad day, he didn't feel comfortable.
:06:11. > :06:14.Sometimes the early part of a match can dictate what happens. Barry
:06:15. > :06:18.Hawkins was left with awkward shots. They went wrong and the end result
:06:19. > :06:22.from that perspective was he got into more of a hole as the match
:06:23. > :06:26.went on. Sometimes you just have to go out - it just wasn't to be for
:06:27. > :06:30.Barry Hawkins. It wasn't the case. He has turned up this week, 16 best
:06:31. > :06:33.players in the world, he's come second. If he reflects on t the
:06:34. > :06:37.final was disappointing, he didn't turn up and play as well as he can.
:06:38. > :06:40.But a big three final. A nice cheque, confidence boosted. He
:06:41. > :06:44.played very, very well. Today wasn't his day, it didn't go his way. He
:06:45. > :06:49.came up against a wonderful champion. But he had a good week. He
:06:50. > :06:53.will have to look back at the match with Judd Trump and show what he is
:06:54. > :06:57.capable of. Back-to-back centuries. And a wonderful victory to beat Judd
:06:58. > :07:02.Trump who was in remarkable form himself. Yes, you can only try your
:07:03. > :07:06.best on the day. I think from Barry Hawkins' perspective, it does cement
:07:07. > :07:12.his place in the top 16 properly. Those top 16 places are very hard
:07:13. > :07:16.fought for and I think he now is a player whose stock has risen but,
:07:17. > :07:21.still, he would love to win one of the big ones. What now for Ronnie?
:07:22. > :07:25.He says he is going to be a pretty permanent feature for the rest of
:07:26. > :07:29.the season. And clearly in this sort of form, which will clearly get
:07:30. > :07:34.better as we go towards the Cruisable, a threat for the #w0r8d
:07:35. > :07:40.title? He is but not the only runner in that field. -- world title. Judd
:07:41. > :07:43.Trump and Robertson will have a say. Williamson will turn his form and
:07:44. > :07:51.and John Higgins has played brilliantly. The tournament has had
:07:52. > :07:56.magnificent standards. Ronnie didn't play Trump. It is a big test, 17
:07:57. > :08:00.days a marathon of the mind. For snooker, great to have him back,
:08:01. > :08:02.yes? Oh, yes. Obviously there has never been a situation where one
:08:03. > :08:07.player has been bigger than the game. But I think we are the closest
:08:08. > :08:10.we have ever had, to be quite honest. The great Alex Higgins was a
:08:11. > :08:15.big draw. You need the big draws, the crowd as you can see, they love
:08:16. > :08:19.t with Jimmy White it was a similar situation. But the game of snooker
:08:20. > :08:22.is in rude health because of so many good players. How much great matches
:08:23. > :08:26.have we seen this week? The standard seems to get better and better. The
:08:27. > :08:30.crowd have really been entertained I think these days. They have and they
:08:31. > :08:35.were entertained in your day and indeed in your day and these eras
:08:36. > :08:41.have co-alested over the years and in fact, we have time in hand
:08:42. > :08:46.because it is foretu to us because at 9.00pm there is a new pock pock
:08:47. > :08:51.drama about to launch in 50 minutes' time. It is the Rack Pack and tells
:08:52. > :08:57.the heady storivity development of snooker in the '80s through the eyes
:08:58. > :09:00.of Alex "Hurricane" Higgins and Steve Interesting Davis and the rest
:09:01. > :09:03.of the merry crew in those days. It is something to behold. We have been
:09:04. > :09:08.behind the scenes during filming of the Rack Pack.
:09:09. > :09:12."Hurricane" Higgins. I'm an entertainerment Please welcome,
:09:13. > :09:16.Steve Davis. I'm going to make you and me very rich. I know Will hope
:09:17. > :09:26.that's your snooker cue. What are you doing, Alex?
:09:27. > :09:30.You have to tell the story of how snooker went from the backrooms of
:09:31. > :09:32.these small clubs to become a massive national sporting event. It
:09:33. > :09:39.is the story of the characters and the people behind that, you know.
:09:40. > :09:43.You have the people who are burgeoning management like Barry hen
:09:44. > :09:47.making it proeggs iffal and organised and commercialised, the
:09:48. > :09:49.sport, and the raw natural talents of Higgins and White, who were great
:09:50. > :10:08.folk heroes of their day. I was wondering if you might provide
:10:09. > :10:09.me with some information about the tables and facilities in this
:10:10. > :10:22.establishment. Now he, what the pockets are like
:10:23. > :10:28.and the slate. -- you know. Do you need me to call your mum? No
:10:29. > :10:35.matter how many times you looked at t Davis emerges as, you know, he
:10:36. > :10:37.transformed the game with Barry hen and Higgins, his shadow hangs over
:10:38. > :10:50.that whole era. -- with Barry Hearne. I'm sorry, I
:10:51. > :10:55.can't he keep my eyes open. What do you say we make that interesting. If
:10:56. > :10:59.you say so, Alex. They became the two opposing forces, if you like,
:11:00. > :11:04.that seemed to be the story we were telling. I have been waiting a long
:11:05. > :11:08.time to meet a man like you, Davis. I bet that's something you don't
:11:09. > :11:13.hear very often. You see, I think snooker is going to be big. Properly
:11:14. > :11:19.big. Bigger, even than wrestling. I'm being serious. And I want us to
:11:20. > :11:25.go into partnership together. It was really interesting to get into the
:11:26. > :11:29.world of snooker, especially in its golden age and how sexy it was and
:11:30. > :11:33.how cool it was. It is definitely very unique and probably could have
:11:34. > :11:40.only happened at that time and just shows you how snooker mad the world
:11:41. > :11:45.was, you know. The working title with the film was Dallas with Balls
:11:46. > :11:52.which is a quote from Barry Hearne. We had good and bad day guys and
:11:53. > :11:59.snooker in the middle. The millions out there don't tune in to watch the
:12:00. > :12:04.snooker. They tune in to watch the soap opera. It is Dallas with Balls
:12:05. > :12:07.and you are JR and Bobby Ewing rolled into one It was a brilliant
:12:08. > :12:13.character to play. There is plenty to go with. When you watch all the
:12:14. > :12:18.footage of Barry, he is a real character. Davis, I want you to meet
:12:19. > :12:22.Brian, he is going to write your autobiography. I'm only 23. It
:12:23. > :12:26.doesn't matter. He will pad it out, loads of diagrams. That way even
:12:27. > :12:30.Jimmy White can read it. It has been a difficult project in lots of ways.
:12:31. > :12:33.We have picked a period piece with characters people remember well and
:12:34. > :12:37.fondly and we have had to be accurate to that and in the middle
:12:38. > :12:41.of it all they have to play snooker, one of the most difficult sports in
:12:42. > :12:44.the world. They have learned the sport, how to hold the cue and walk
:12:45. > :12:48.around the table properly. One of the tricky things of this job was
:12:49. > :12:51.learning to play like Steve and hold his physicality and his chance and
:12:52. > :12:55.his cue action and sort of get my head around playing like that.
:12:56. > :13:01.COMMENTATOR: He can pot this black and I think he has to go for it.
:13:02. > :13:04.This is the big shot of the frame. And that, coupled with visual
:13:05. > :13:10.effects, I think no-one has really tried before, in any kind of snooker
:13:11. > :13:16.or pool film. Now another difficult red into the centre pocket. We are
:13:17. > :13:20.confident our film has captured the accuracy of sport in a really
:13:21. > :13:27.interesting way. COMMENTATOR: Alex not able to afford any mistakes.
:13:28. > :13:31.Right-hand corner. You only vb one view of snooker, the camera above
:13:32. > :13:34.the table in any match. It is always the same angle. This film totally
:13:35. > :13:40.takes you down to the level of the players. -- you only have one view.
:13:41. > :13:45.It little bit of rock 'n' roll. It has everything.
:13:46. > :13:50.The script is funny and the way it is brought together by the actors,
:13:51. > :14:03.brings a lot of humour to it. You are four hours' late. They are
:14:04. > :14:09.baying for blood in there. Where have you been? They love me. I am
:14:10. > :14:12.eight people's champion. Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome, the world
:14:13. > :14:21.champion, Alex... But it is also dark as well. And that's necessary.
:14:22. > :14:30.Me and you, James. We are the only two that ever played for love.
:14:31. > :14:37.You need tragedy and comedy in there. There is a lot of tragedy. A
:14:38. > :14:45.lot of really emotional heart-felt, heart-warming scenes as well.
:14:46. > :14:56.I love you babby. From the first moment I held you in my arms. And
:14:57. > :15:02.now your daddy is playing in the final tomorrow. It's going to change
:15:03. > :15:07.everything. I hope that it's a timeless story. The drama is there.
:15:08. > :15:12.I think anybody can appreciate that. I hope that viewers of the modern
:15:13. > :15:18.game actually might go - yes, you know, there was a time when perhaps
:15:19. > :15:25.the game had a few more characters. # We'll show you what we can do
:15:26. > :15:27.# With a load of balls and a snooker cue...#
:15:28. > :15:31.We all know the way people consume drama and TV these days is changing
:15:32. > :15:36.and hopefully we are at the forefront of that and this will be a
:15:37. > :15:39.project that reaches out to a lot of people and creates more
:15:40. > :15:44.opportunities to do things like this in the future. The reason why we
:15:45. > :15:47.want to launch it and premier it on iPlayer is because it has such a
:15:48. > :15:51.following from that era. There is a lot of nostalga and want and love
:15:52. > :15:55.for snooker. Tonally, it is strong, big emotional moments and a lot of
:15:56. > :15:59.wild behaviour. It feels right people would come to find it on
:16:00. > :16:03.iPlayer and hopefully further down the line it'll go on the telly. This
:16:04. > :16:14.is the box office. And in a slightly surreal situation,
:16:15. > :16:19.I'm delighted to welcome to the studio, the real Steve Davis, the
:16:20. > :16:22.real Barry Hern, and the man who played Barry, rather brilliantly, I
:16:23. > :16:27.have to say in the film, Kevin Bishop. Kevin, someone said to me
:16:28. > :16:31.your portrayal was perfect apart from the fact you were not loud
:16:32. > :16:36.enough. I'm in the sure that's accurate. What was it like to be
:16:37. > :16:40.Barry Hern? It was nice to read a character on the script that jumped
:16:41. > :16:44.out on the page. It is great to see someone with great lines, with a lot
:16:45. > :16:48.of charisma. To play that person, you really know, it was really easy,
:16:49. > :16:54.because it was there to jump into, you know. I loved it. I'm slightly
:16:55. > :16:58.nervous sitting next to bory. As I usually am whenever he is in the
:16:59. > :17:03.room. But, the director, Brian Welsh said to me - don't play him too big.
:17:04. > :17:08.We want it to be more dramatic and a lot of Barry 's lines in the film
:17:09. > :17:12.are very, very funny. I said I feel like they were jokes, we can make
:17:13. > :17:16.them funnier. He said it pull it back. When I met Barry for the first
:17:17. > :17:19.time I realised I probably could have gone three or four times'
:17:20. > :17:25.bigger. He is quite a character in real life. Barry what was your
:17:26. > :17:29.impression and your input? None, none really, I think it is from
:17:30. > :17:34.research. They saw Steve and me. They forbade the actors to meet the
:17:35. > :17:39.characters in real life. I never met Kevin until after it was all done.
:17:40. > :17:43.But, you know, it was one of the most enjoyable experiences of my
:17:44. > :17:48.life, for a long time watching this. It transported you back, you know,
:17:49. > :17:53.to your youth, if you like, to when it was so exciting, all beginning,
:17:54. > :17:58.me and the ginger nut taking on the world. And I phoned Steve before he
:17:59. > :18:02.had watched it and said - there are two things you have to know about
:18:03. > :18:07.this film, it is brilliant, one, and two, I come across like a bit of a
:18:08. > :18:11.loud mouth barrow boy and you come across like a boring nerd. They've
:18:12. > :18:15.nailed us both. That's exactly how we were. Steve, did you realise how
:18:16. > :18:21.much of a nerd you actually were, until you saw the film? Obviously
:18:22. > :18:26.not. But it is frightening being in the same room as two Barry Herns. I
:18:27. > :18:29.wasn't ready for the first one. Obviously Barry has grown to be a
:18:30. > :18:33.caricature of himself over the years but back then they were all treading
:18:34. > :18:37.new paths. Barry was like, effectively like my older brother
:18:38. > :18:41.leading me down a road. I was just a kid who could play snooker but Barry
:18:42. > :18:45.had experience in the world. He was full of bravado. To me it was like -
:18:46. > :18:48.this bloke knows everything. He is always positive. You nailed that
:18:49. > :18:54.part fantastic. Now, obviously, now, you know every time he comes out
:18:55. > :18:58.with a cliche but at the time he was started along the cliche road. I was
:18:59. > :19:04.learning cliches big time. You You got the moment. I have to say the
:19:05. > :19:07.actors, throughout the whole thing were breath-takingly good. Whoever
:19:08. > :19:12.cast this is the real hero of the movie. They have found - I mean,
:19:13. > :19:17.unbelievable detail and unbelievable characters that made me think that I
:19:18. > :19:22.was actually on a time machine going back 30-odd years. That's got to be
:19:23. > :19:30.the greatest he compliment. Whoever cast it did an amazing job. There is
:19:31. > :19:34.one moment you, Kevin, as Barry were teaching Steve how to be robotic and
:19:35. > :19:38.ruthless and menacing by sipping his water in a certain way. I loved
:19:39. > :19:42.that. I wondered how much truth is there in that scene and could it
:19:43. > :19:46.have been true, if it wasn't? I think it was pretty nailed on. You
:19:47. > :19:51.didn't have to deal with him early on? They captured so many key lines.
:19:52. > :19:56.Of course in any movie they are going to stretch the boundaries a
:19:57. > :19:59.little bit. But they captured the whole mood of it, because although
:20:00. > :20:03.life has been sweet they were the most exciting times of my life and
:20:04. > :20:08.working with Steve on this mission, for both of us, was just, to
:20:09. > :20:12.recapture t I had almost forgotten how good it was until I saw the
:20:13. > :20:20.film. Well, your portrayal of this man is brilliant. And Luke T wrecks
:20:21. > :20:26.daway's portrayal of the Hurricane was terrific. You are with him now.
:20:27. > :20:30.I have had the privilege of watching this Luke. I'm going to shake your
:20:31. > :20:35.hand. What a job you have made of it. I knew Alex Higgins for over 30
:20:36. > :20:39.years and what a job you have done. When you were approached what was
:20:40. > :20:43.initial thinking First of all I was fortunate to be asked to play such
:20:44. > :20:48.an incredible character and someone who has influenced the game so much
:20:49. > :20:54.and been such a legend for so many people. I felt honoured. Did you
:20:55. > :20:59.play snooker? I played a few games of pool in the pub. That was T I was
:21:00. > :21:03.being taught from scratch. I think you said to me you use ood YouTube
:21:04. > :21:08.to find the footage. How many hours of that did you watch? I don't think
:21:09. > :21:12.there is much on YouTube I haven't watched in terms of Alex's games and
:21:13. > :21:16.interviews and documentaries. It is a really good research to see him
:21:17. > :21:21.and get his physicality around the table. And you had a very good
:21:22. > :21:26.snooker player, Tony Chapel. A legend. He was amazing. Thank you,
:21:27. > :21:30.man. He was so helpful. We only got a limited amount of time with with
:21:31. > :21:33.him but he was incredible at teaching myself and Will and James
:21:34. > :21:37.to played Jimmy White, all the different styles they played in. It
:21:38. > :21:43.is all the mannerisms that were just his. Boys, we were in the studio and
:21:44. > :21:47.the legacy lives on, we are always in the studio going - hello, babes,
:21:48. > :21:52.how are you doing. You will end up getting that It is hard not to, I
:21:53. > :21:57.know. He is an amazing character and just, you know, it was an honour to
:21:58. > :22:04.be able to bring him to the screen. We went out the other night. Me and
:22:05. > :22:07.Stephen Hendry and we talked about Alex for about 40 minutes. That was
:22:08. > :22:11.the character he was. The legacy. We are still talking about him. And
:22:12. > :22:15.there has been Hurricane Alex this weekend. He has touched down in that
:22:16. > :22:20.way. I felt it was fantastic. I'm going to watch it again. You did a
:22:21. > :22:26.brilliant job. All the Beggs for what you do in the future. Really
:22:27. > :22:31.great. I have to ask Steve. How much does that portrayal by Luke actually
:22:32. > :22:36.sum-up both his genius of the Hurricane but also with the tragic
:22:37. > :22:40.self-destructiveness in the end? I think he nailed it, as all the cast
:22:41. > :22:44.Z it was like being back there at the time. When I was watching the
:22:45. > :22:48.early part, obviously my own nerdy part I was laughing, but by the end
:22:49. > :22:52.I was in tears because it was like that. And I didn't know the whole
:22:53. > :22:57.story of Alex Higgins behind the scenes but it is true to life, I
:22:58. > :23:00.think it all happened, if not exactly then very close to it. It
:23:01. > :23:06.could have happened exactly that way. I actually thought - by the end
:23:07. > :23:10.I was sorry for Alex. It shows how the drinking destroyed him. It was
:23:11. > :23:15.about the fact that perhaps he was tortured by my image, the fact that
:23:16. > :23:19.that was what everybody was telling him he should have been like but it
:23:20. > :23:24.was laughter and tears. Ffs a fantastic piece of drama. Any
:23:25. > :23:28.snooker player -- it was a fantastic piece of drama. Any snooker player,
:23:29. > :23:33.or fan, even if they didn't grow up in that era will love it. And from
:23:34. > :23:38.the '80s to right now. Kevin your impression on what you have seen,
:23:39. > :23:40.you have seen a modern-day personality par excellence, in
:23:41. > :23:45.Ronnie O'Sullivan. How much did you enjoy that experience? Fantastic. It
:23:46. > :23:48.is my first time I have been to the snooker. I have been watching the
:23:49. > :23:53.tournament the whole way through. Today I have been watching it, glued
:23:54. > :23:59.to T it is amazing. It has been incredible. He is so good, Ronnie at
:24:00. > :24:04.the moment. He is fantastic. I must admit I feel a bit sorry for poor,
:24:05. > :24:09.old Barry. I'm sure you do and something he will reflect on but he
:24:10. > :24:13.has got to a final. Just a thought, Kevin, I don't know if he he
:24:14. > :24:22.currently has had manager. Maybe I will take him on, you never know. I
:24:23. > :24:27.can make him rich. Barry as El Supremo, what is your view of
:24:28. > :24:32.Barry's return? Well, somebody summed it up by saying no player is
:24:33. > :24:36.bigger than the sport but Ronnie probably gets as close as you can
:24:37. > :24:41.get. He has put bums on seats and millions of viewers on the seat
:24:42. > :24:44.watching. He has a God-given talent. My only worry about Ronnie is he
:24:45. > :24:49.doesn't appreciate it enough for what God has given him and the
:24:50. > :24:55.entertainment he can give to people. I'm happy to see him back. He came
:24:56. > :24:59.back in a Championship League. He played in a tournament in four days.
:25:00. > :25:03.He won every match and made nine centuries. He got through to a final
:25:04. > :25:07.which will be played in a month or so's time. He has a love for the
:25:08. > :25:12.game. He has his demons and moments of self-doubt in the same way that
:25:13. > :25:16.the great man, Alex had. I want to see Ronnie stay in the right path
:25:17. > :25:19.and the right path for him is playing competitive snooker. You
:25:20. > :25:25.won't win every game because there are so many great players but he
:25:26. > :25:31.shows the talent. The spark that we need in any sport. The top players.
:25:32. > :25:35.It lights up the bill boards for the Crucible. It it is another baby
:25:36. > :25:42.altogether. It is 17 days. It is real, hard slog. Whether Ronnie has
:25:43. > :25:47.the consistency. Again going back it Alex, a wonderful player had who
:25:48. > :25:51.never had the consistency when he played. If Ronnie can keep the
:25:52. > :25:58.consistency and keep fresh, he can win several more. There are no
:25:59. > :26:04.gymmys. No gymmys. 17 days of something you will never miss.
:26:05. > :26:09.That's about all we have time for. Let me remind you of what is coming
:26:10. > :26:12.next over the next few weeks and months. Next up, it is the Welsh
:26:13. > :26:17.Open snooker, starting on BBC Wales from Monday 15th February:
:26:18. > :26:29.and before you can say frame-winning contribution, it'll be time to head
:26:30. > :26:33.to Sheffield as Stuart Bingham tries to break the Crucible curse and win
:26:34. > :26:36.it the next year. It all gets under way on Saturday, 16th April and
:26:37. > :26:40.continues until, well, about July - or at least sometimes that's what it
:26:41. > :26:45.feels like. Speaking of the World Championships. Another one tomorrow
:26:46. > :26:50.here on BBC Two from 1.00pm, at the start of the world indoor balls. But
:26:51. > :26:54.it is just about time to say goodbye. My thapgs to my guests
:26:55. > :26:58.here. We are very much looking forward to seeing the Rack Pack
:26:59. > :27:02.shortly. In fact once we have wrapped up here we are going
:27:03. > :27:08.straight to iPlayer and to download it and to have a very good laugh at
:27:09. > :27:15.Steve Davis' ginger Barnett for the next couple of hours. So from all of
:27:16. > :27:17.us here at the Ally Pally, it has been a great week. We will catch you
:27:18. > :28:26.very soon. Goodbye. MUSIC: (They Long To Be) Close To You
:28:27. > :28:30.by The Carpenters