The snooker great was once labelled the “Mr Boring” of his sport, but his life away from the baize has proved anything like his previous predictable reputation.
Steve Davis OBE(Image: PA Wire)
During a glittering career, Davis built a reputation as one of the most dominant figures the game has ever seen. After emerging on the professional circuit in the late 1970s, the Londoner reached eight World Championship finals, winning six titles and holding the world No.1 ranking for seven straight seasons.
In contrast to more flamboyant contemporaries such as Jimmy White, Davis’ success was rooted in a clinical, methodical approach — quietly dismantling opponents with ruthless efficiency.
His straight-laced persona even saw him nicknamed ‘Interesting’ on the satirical show Spitting Image, though he would later embrace and subvert that image. Since retiring in 2016, Davis has carved out a lifestyle far removed from the one many associated with him during his playing days.
Now a familiar face as a TV pundit at major tournaments, the 67-year-old has also surprised fans with a very different path — one that has raised eyebrows decades after headlines surrounding a controversial affair with a 19-year-old. Here’s a closer look.
Surprising new career
Since stepping away from professional snooker, Davis has traded the table for the turntables, building a reputation as a DJ and musician with appearances at venues across the UK.
A long-time progressive rock fan — with a vinyl collection said to exceed 10,000 records — he formed electronic group the Utopia Strong alongside musician Kavus Torabi, releasing two albums together.
His musical ventures have taken him to major stages, including DJ sets at Glastonbury Festival and even supporting Blur at Wembley Stadium. He has also worked behind the scenes on various production projects and, most recently, curated the 2025 Simple Things Festival in Bristol — leaving some fans stunned by his reinvention.
Reacting to a promotional clip featuring Davis, one viewer joked: “Is this actually Steve Davis or an AI video? I hope it’s real because it’s pretty cool lol.”
Others echoed the surprise, with one writing: “The first thing I’ve seen and thought ‘that’s AI’ that has turned out to be mind-boggling factual,” while another added: “I did not expect this at all — respect to Steve Davis.”
One fan summed up the general reaction: “Incredible. This guy has so much talent it makes my head spin.”
Speaking to the Mirror, Davis himself admitted the direction his life has taken feels “ridiculous”.
“I didn’t know my life would turn out like this… My life seems to have gone in reverse,” he said. “I started off practising eight hours a day in a dark room, and now I’m DJing at Glastonbury.”
Reflecting on that shift, he added: “I come from another world… Music is my drug of choice.”
Music has long been part of Davis’ life. He hosted a radio show on Phoenix FM in the 1990s and famously featured on novelty track Snooker Loopy with Chas and Dave as part of the Matchroom Mob.
Beyond music, Davis has explored other pursuits too, competing in the World Pool League and serving as president of the British Chess Federation between 1996 and 2001.
Davis has swapped the snooker table for the turntables
Split from wife and affair claims
Davis married former Concorde flight attendant Judy Greig in 1990, and the couple had two sons, Greg and Jack.
Their marriage ended in 2005 after 15 years together, with Davis revealing that his wife had “met someone else”.
“Perhaps I was giving the table too much attention,” he later admitted. “I was difficult to live with… but so are all sports people.”
The divorce came a decade after a tabloid paid dancer Cheree Palla £30,000 to detail claims of a brief affair with Davis when she was 19 and he was 39.
Palla alleged an intense relationship and later dubbed him the “king of the bedroom”.
“I wasn’t a politician, I was a snooker player – I was only an ambassador of that sport,” Davis later commented. “So I didn’t lose much sleep over it in the end really. It’s not like I had people all over the place. I think my street cred went up quite a lot actually”.
Although his wife initially forgave him, the couple later separated. Davis went on to begin a long-term relationship with accounts worker Jeannie Nash, who is 16 years younger than him.
Huge snooker fortune
Given his success on the table, it is little surprise Davis ranks among the wealthiest figures in the sport.
He earned more than £5.6 million in prize money during his playing days, while lucrative endorsement deals — brokered by promoter Barry Hearn — helped make him Britain’s highest-paid sportsperson in the late 1980s.
His earnings have continued to grow in retirement through punditry and other ventures, with his current net worth estimated at around £26.5million.
