Stephen Hendry Opens Up About Divorce and New Love in Snooker Comeback
As the 2025 World Snooker Championship approaches, seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry is set to join the BBC as a pundit, bringing his wealth of experience to the commentary team. However, the Scot’s personal life has been making headlines in recent years, particularly his divorce from his ex-wife Amanda Hart after 19 years of marriage. According to a report by the Express, Hendry has spoken candidly about the pain he caused his former wife when he revealed he had fallen in love with someone else.
The Express reports that Hendry met Amanda at Pontins when he was just 16 years old, and the pair married in 1995. During their nearly three decades together, they had two sons, Blaine and Carter. However, their marriage came to an end in 2014. In his 2018 autobiography, Me and The Table, Hendry revealed the hurtful way he broke the news to his wife. "Driving back from a shopping trip, my wife Mandy asks me what’s wrong," he wrote, as quoted by the Express. "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."
Hendry’s new love, Lauren Thundow, a children’s entertainer and actress, was 19 years his junior when they met. The Express reports that Hendry first met Lauren when she was selling merchandise after a Legends snooker exhibition. Despite their significant age gap, Hendry has spoken about the connection they shared. "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," he recalled. "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," Hendry said, according to the Express.
In a separate interview on The Tommy Tiernan Show, Hendry reflected on his parenting and admitted that his career choices may have impacted his role as a father. "No, I probably haven’t been the best (type of dad) because in sport I think you make sacrifices to get to the top," he said, as reported by the Express. "Family and relationships can be difficult and can be sacrificed because I was all about being the best in snooker and snooker was all that mattered. So that makes you a very selfish person and I think it takes that sort of special person to get to the top in an individual sport. When you look at most top sportsmen who have dominated sports, most of them pretty much all are divorced or have been divorced."
Throughout his illustrious career, Hendry has achieved incredible success, including 36 ranking tournament victories from 57 finals. He was awarded an MBE in 1994 for his contributions to sport. At 56, Hendry remains one of the greatest players to have graced the sport, boasting five consecutive Masters titles from 1989 to 1993. As he joins the BBC line-up for the 2025 World Snooker Championship, he will be alongside other snooker legends, including Steve Davis, John Parrott, Ken Doherty, and Dennis Taylor, as well as iconic Crucible host presenter Hazel Irvine.
As the Express reports, Hendry’s appearance as a BBC pundit marks a new chapter in his career, one that will see him share his expertise with a new generation of fans. While his personal life has been subject to scrutiny, Hendry’s commitment to his sport remains unwavering. With his unique insight and experience, Hendry is set to bring a fresh perspective to the BBC’s coverage of the 2025 World Snooker Championship.
