SNOOKER: Betfred.com World Championship – Live on BBC TV & British Eurosport

Snooker’s greatest showpiece gets underway this weekend as the iconic Crucible Theatre in Sheffield once again plays hosts the sport’s biggest stars in the Betfred.com World Championship.

BBC Television and British Eurosport will provide comprehensive live coverage throughout the 17-day tournament, where four-time champion John Higgins (above) defends his title.

The ‘Wizard of Wishaw’ defeated Judd Trump 18-15 in a thrilling final twelve months ago.

Higgins, who lost his father before the tournament began, came back from 12-9 down to defeat Trump to emotionally reclaim the crown he had won three times previously in 1998, 2007, and 2009.

Only Steve Davis (six) and Stephen Hendry (seven) have clinched more world titles in the modern era, dating from BBC’s first coverage from the legendary Crucible Theatre in 1977.

But while Higgins strode gloriously to his fourth world title, last year’s event was best remembered for the emergence of snooker’s newest big-time star in Judd Trump.

His fearless potting, along with his exuberant and attacking style of play drew comparisons with some of the sport’s greatest natural talents, including Ronnie O’Sullivan and Jimmy White.

Having reached his first World final, viewers captivated by Trump’s progress watched in their millions to see him come up short against John Higgins.

But the concluding session of the 2011 final was the most watched session of a major snooker final for many years, peaking with more than five million on BBC Two and a sizeable jump from the 3.6 million peak for the 2010 final.

World Snooker Championship Final 2011 – Higgins v Trump

Final Frame | Pictures: BBC Sport (via OneFourSevenDream)

The 2012 tournament promises to be another closely fought battle between the sport’s biggest and brightest names, with the defending champion facing China’s talented Liang Wenbo in the very first session of this year’s championships.

Among the bookmakers favourites claim his first world title this year is the ‘Jester from Leicester’ Mark Selby, who was also runner-up to Higgins in 2007.

Three-time champion and fans favourite Ronnie O’Sullivan is also amongst those tipped for the title following a slight upturn in form, as is 2010 champion Neil Robertson, and the reinvigorated Welshman Mark Williams, who claimed the title of 2000 and 2003.

Among the many players to watch out for in Sheffield is the tournament’s youngest ever competitor – Belgium’s Luca Brecel. 

The 17-year-old won four matches in the qualifying rounds, beating Mark King in the last of those matches, to earn his place at the Crucible.

Brecel faces a tricky first round encounter against four-time major winner Stephen Maguire.

Seven-time champion Stephen Hendry also had to make his way through the qualifiers to get to the tournament proper, having dropped out of the world’s top 16.

The Scotsman faces Stuart Bingham in the first round, in a repeat of their 2000 opening round clash when Hendry, the defending world champion, was knocked out by Englishman 10-7.

1997 world champion and regular BBC commentator Ken Doherty has also qualified for this year’s tournament, though his esteemed BBC colleagues Steve Davis and John Parrott – who made a comeback to the sport this year – failed to make it past the qualifying rounds.

The most intriguing tie of the first round this year is the match between Ronnie O’Sullivan and Peter Ebdon.

Ebdon, the 2002 world champion, faced O’Sullivan at the Crucible in a memorable quarter-final back in 2005, with Ebdon’s slow-go tactics, at times taking up to three minutes to take a shot, getting under the skin of O’Sullivan whose game fell apart at crucial moments.

Every match from this year’s will be shown live on BBC TV and British Eurosport.

Here’s SOTB’s guide to how you can follow the 2012 World Snooker Championship:

This year marks the 35th anniversary of BBC television coverage of the event, having covered every tournament at the Crucible since 1977.

For the first time at the World Championships, the BBC’s snooker coverage will air in high-definition on the BBC HD channel, bringing the vibrant colours and sounds of the sport’s greatest tournament to life.

Hazel Irvine and Rishi Persad will once again share presenting duties throughout the fortnight, with a purpose built studio based inside the ‘Cue Zone’ located within Sheffield’s Winter Gardens, which is directly opposite the Crucible Theatre.

Expert analysis and commentary will provided by the regular BBC team of Steve Davis, John Parrott, Dennis Taylor, Willie Thorne, John Virgo, Neal Foulds and Terry Griffiths.

Further contributions will come from Ken Doherty and Stephen Hendry later in the tournament, depending on their progress during the championships.

The majority of the live TV coverage will be shown on BBC Two, with Saturday afternoon airings on BBC One (and BBC One HD).

BBC Two will have live coverage of the afternoon sessions in the first week, with the first hour of each evening session being covered from April 28.

Those who want to watch uninterrupted snooker throughout each day throughout the tournament, or switch between matches on the two different tables, can do so via pressing the Red Button.

Fans can catch up on each day’s play with a regular nightly highlights programme on BBC Two, followed by a further two hours of coverage in Snooker Extra.

All of the BBC’s coverage will be available to watch online via the BBC Sport website, and viewers can watch full programmes again on-demand via the BBC iPlayer.

British Eurosport will also be providing complete coverage of snooker’s greatest tournament.

Live coverage from the Crucible will be shown on British Eurosport and British Eurosport 2, with every session also live in high definition on the Eurosport HD channel.

Eurosport’s commentary team includes Dave Hendon, Mike Smith, 1986 world champion Joe Johnson, Alan McManus and Mike Hallett.

Highlights programmes will air at various times throughout the fortnight, and all the action will be available to watch via the online Eurosport Player.

The pan-European channel’s coverage from Sheffield concludes their busiest season ever since they started covering the sport.

Outside the major UK-based tournaments, Eurosport has provided exclusive coverage numerous tournaments, including the World Open, World Cup, China Open, German Masters and the PTC events, including last month’s Grand Finals in Galway.

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Tournament Format

 

First Round – Best of 19 Frames

Second Round – Best of 25 Frames

Quarter Finals – Best of 25 Frames

Semi Finals – Best of 33 Frames

Final – Best of 35 Frames

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TV / Match Schedule

* denotes final session of match

 

Saturday 21st April

Morning (10am)

John Higgins (SCO) 5-4 Liang Wenbo (CHN) – R1

Martin Gould (ENG) 3-6 David Gilbert (ENG) – R1

Afternoon (2.30pm)

Stuart Bingham (ENG) 1-8 Stephen Hendry (SCO) – R1

Neil Robertson (AUS) 7-2 Ken Doherty (IRE) – R1

Evening (7pm)

John Higgins (SCO) 10-9 Liang Wenbo (CHN)* – R1

Mark Allen (NIR) 4-5 Cao Yupeng (CHN) – R1

 

TV

LIVE – 10am-11pm – BBC Red Button / BBC HD / British Eurosport

LIVE – 1.30pm-4.30pm – BBC One (HD) | 4.30pm-5.15pm – BBC Two

Highlights – 12.05am-12.55am – BBC Two

 

Sunday 22nd April

Morning (10am)

Stephen Maguire (SCO) 6-3 Luca Brecel (BEL) – R1

Martin Gould (ENG) 8-10 David Gilbert (ENG)* – R1

Afternoon (2.30pm)

Shaun Murphy (ENG) 5-4 Jamie Jones (WAL) – R1

Mark Allen (NIR) 6-10 Cao Yupeng (CHN)* – R1

Evening (7pm)

Stuart Bingham (ENG) 4-10 Stephen Hendry (SCO)* – R1

Neil Robertson (AUS) 10-4 Ken Doherty (IRE) – R1

 

TV

LIVE – 10am-11pm – BBC Red Button / BBC HD / British Eurosport

LIVE – 2pm-5pm – BBC Two

Highlights – 11.10pm-12am – BBC Two

 

Monday 23rd April

Morning (10am)

Stephen Maguire (SCO) 10-5 Luca Brecel (BEL)* – R1

Matthew Stevens (WAL) 8-1 Marco Fu (HKG) – R1

Afternoon (2.30pm)

Shaun Murphy (ENG) 8-10 Jamie Jones (WAL)* – R1

Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) 7-2 Peter Ebdon (ENG) – R1

Evening (7pm)

Stephen Lee (ENG) 4-5 Andrew Higginson (ENG) – R1

Matthew Stevens (WAL) 10-3 Marco Fu (HKG)* – R1

 

TV

LIVE – 10am-11pm – BBC Red Button / BBC HD / British Eurosport

LIVE – 1pm-5.15pm – BBC Two

Highlights – 11.20pm-12.20am – BBC Two

 

Tuesday 24th April

Morning (10am)

Judd Trump (ENG) 5-4 Dominic Dale (WAL) – R1

Ding Junhui (CHN) 4-5 Ryan Day (WAL) – R1

Afternoon (2.30pm)

Graeme Dott (SCO) 1-8 Joe Perry (ENG) – R1

Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) 10-4 Peter Ebdon (ENG)* – R1

Evening (7pm)

Stephen Lee (ENG) 6-10 Andrew Higginson (ENG)* – R1

Mark Selby (ENG) 3-6 Barry Hawkins (ENG) – R1

 

TV

LIVE – 10am-11pm – BBC Red Button / BBC HD / British Eurosport

LIVE – 1pm-5.15pm – BBC Two

Highlights – 11.20pm-12.10am – BBC Two

 

Wednesday 25th April

Morning (10am)

Graeme Dott (SCO) 1-10 Joe Perry (ENG)* – R1

Ding Junhui (CHN) 9-10 Ryan Day (WAL)* – R1

Afternoon (2.30pm)

Judd Trump (ENG) 10-7 Dominic Dale (WAL)* – R1

Mark Williams (WAL) 6-3 Liu Chuang (CHN) – R1

Evening (7pm)

Ali Carter (ENG) 8-1 Mark Davis (ENG) – R1

Mark Selby (ENG) 3-10 Barry Hawkins (ENG)* – R1

 

TV

LIVE – 10am-11pm – BBC Red Button / BBC HD / British Eurosport

LIVE – 1.40pm-5.15pm – BBC Two

Highlights – 11.20pm-12.10am – BBC Two

 

Thursday 26th April

Afternoon (1pm)

Ali Carter (ENG) 10-2 Mark Davis (ENG)* – R1

David Gilbert (ENG) 3-5 Neil Robertson (AUS) – Round 2

Evening (7pm)

Joe Perry (ENG) v Stephen Maguire (SCO) – R2

Mark Williams (WAL) 10-6 Liu Chuang (CHN)* – R1

 

TV

LIVE – 1pm-11pm – BBC Red Button / BBC HD / British Eurosport

LIVE – 1pm-5.15pm – BBC Two

Highlights – 11.20pm-12.10am – BBC Two

 

Friday 27th April

Morning (10am)

John Higgins (SCO) 3-5 Stephen Hendry (SCO) – R2

David Gilbert (ENG) 6-10 Neil Robertson (AUS) – R2

Afternoon (2.30pm)

Joe Perry (ENG) 5-11 Stephen Maguire (SCO) – R2

Ryan Day (WAL) 6-2 Cao Yupeng (CHN) – R2

Evening (7pm)

John Higgins (SCO) 4-12 Stephen Hendry (SCO) – R2

David Gilbert (ENG) 9-13 Neil Robertson (AUS)* – R2

 

TV

LIVE – 1pm-11pm – BBC Red Button / BBC HD / British Eurosport

LIVE – 1pm-5.15pm – BBC Two

Highlights – 12.10am-1am – BBC Two

 

Saturday 28th April

Morning (10am)

Joe Perry (ENG) 7-13 Stephen Maguire (SCO)* – R2

Ryan Day (WAL) 9-7 Cao Yupeng (CHN) – R2

Afternoon (2.30pm)

John Higgins (SCO) 4-13 Stephen Hendry (SCO)* – R2

Mark Williams (WAL) 3-5 Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) – R2

Evening (7pm)

Ali Carter (ENG) 5-3 Judd Trump (ENG) – R2

Ryan Day (WAL) 13-7 Cao Yupeng (CHN)* – R2

 

TV

LIVE – 10am-11pm – BBC Red Button / BBC HD / British Eurosport

LIVE – 1pm-5.30pm / 7pm-8pm – BBC Two

Highlights – 12.20am-1.10am – BBC Two

 

Sunday 29th April

Morning (10am)

Jamie Jones (WAL) 4-4 Andrew Higginson (ENG) – R2

Matthew Stevens (WAL) 3-5 Barry Hawkins (ENG) – R2

Afternoon (2.30pm)

Ali Carter (ENG) 7-9 Judd Trump (ENG) – R2

Mark Williams (WAL) 5-11 Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) – R2

Evening (7pm)

Jamie Jones (WAL) 10-6 Andrew Higginson (ENG) – R2

Matthew Stevens (WAL) 8-8 Barry Hawkins (ENG) – R2

 

TV

LIVE – 10am-11pm – BBC Red Button / BBC HD / British Eurosport

LIVE – 2pm-6pm / 7pm-8pm – BBC Two

Highlights – 11.35pm-12.25am – BBC Two

 

Monday 30th April

Afternoon (1pm)

Ali Carter (ENG) 13-12 Judd Trump (ENG)* – R2

Matthew Stevens (WAL) 13-11 Barry Hawkins (ENG)* – R2

Evening (7pm)

Jamie Jones (WAL) 13-10 Andrew Higginson (ENG)* – R2

Mark Williams (WAL) 6-13 Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG)* – R2

 

TV

LIVE – 1pm-11pm – BBC Red Button / BBC HD / British Eurosport

LIVE – 1pm-6pm / 7pm-8pm – BBC Two

Highlights – 11.20pm-12.10am – BBC Two

 

Tuesday 1st May

Morning (10am)

Stephen Hendry (SCO) 1-7 Stephen Maguire (SCO) – QF

Ryan Day (WAL) 5-3 Matthew Stevens (WAL) – QF

Afternoon (2.30pm)

Jamie Jones (WAL) 3-5 Ali Carter (ENG) – QF

Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) 3-5 Neil Robertson (AUS) – QF

Evening (7pm)

Stephen Hendry (SCO) 2-13 Stephen Maguire (SCO) – QF

Ryan Day (WAL) 5-11 Matthew Stevens (WAL) – QF

 

TV

LIVE – 10am-11pm – BBC Red Button / BBC HD / British Eurosport

LIVE – 1pm-6pm / 7pm-8pm – BBC Two

Highlights – 11.20am-12.10pm – BBC Two

 

Wednesday 2nd May

Morning (10am)

Jamie Jones (WAL) 7-9 Ali Carter (ENG) – QF

Ryan Day (WAL) 5-13 Matthew Stevens (WAL)* – QF

Afternoon (2.30pm)

Stephen Hendry (SCO) v Stephen Maguire (SCO)* – QF

Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) 9-7 Neil Robertson (AUS) – QF

Evening (7pm)

Jamie Jones (WAL) 11-13 Ali Carter (ENG)* – QF

Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) 13-10 Neil Robertson (AUS) – QF

 

TV

LIVE – 10am-11pm – BBC Red Button / BBC HD / British Eurosport

LIVE – 1.30pm-6pm / 7pm-8pm – BBC Two

Highlights – 11.20pm-12.10am – BBC Two

 

Thursday 3rd May

Afternoon (1pm)

Stephen Maguire (SCO) 3-5 Ali Carter (ENG) – SF

Evening (7pm)

Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) 5-3 Matthew Stevens (WAL) – SF

 

TV

LIVE – 1pm-6pm / 7pm-9pm – BBC Two / BBC HD / BBC Red Button

LIVE – 1pm-4pm / 7pm-10pm – British Eurosport

Highlights – 11.20pm-12.10am – BBC Two

 

Friday 4th May

Morning (10am)

Stephen Maguire (SCO) 6-10 Ali Carter (ENG) – SF

Afternoon (2.30pm)

Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) 11-5 Matthew Stevens (WAL) – SF

Evening (7pm)

Stephen Maguire (SCO) 10-14 Ali Carter (ENG) – SF

 

TV

LIVE – 1pm-2pm / 3pm-5pm / 7pm-9pm – BBC Two

LIVE – 10am-11pm – BBC Red Button / BBC HD / British Eurosport

Highlights – 12.25am-1.15am – BBC Two

 

Saturday 5th May

Morning (10am)

Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) 15-9 Matthew Stevens (WAL) – SF

Afternoon (2.30pm)

Stephen Maguire (SCO) 17-12 Ali Carter (ENG)* – SF

Evening (7pm)

Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) 17-10 Matthew Stevens (WAL)* – SF

 

TV

LIVE – 1pm-5.30pm – BBC One (HD) | 7pm-9.30pm – BBC Two

LIVE – 10am-11pm – BBC Red Button / British Eurosport

 

WORLD SNOOKER CHAMPIONSHIP FINAL 2012

Sunday 6th May

Afternoon (2pm)

Ali Carter (ENG) 3-5 Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) – 8 frames

Evening (7pm)

Ali Carter (ENG) 7-10 Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) – 9 frames

 

TV

LIVE – 2pm-6.10pm / 7pm-11pm – BBC Two / BBC HD

LIVE – 4.30pm-5.30pm / 7pm-10pm British Eurosport

 

Monday 7th May

Afternoon (2.30pm)

Ali Carter (ENG) v Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) – 8 frames

Evening (7.30pm)

Ali Carter (ENG) v Ronnie O’Sullivan (ENG) – 10 frames

 

TV

LIVE – 2.30pm-6pm / 7.30pm-11pm – BBC Two / BBC HD

LIVE – 3.15pm-5.30pm / 7.30pm-10.30pm – British Eurosport

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