Snooker legend Steve Davis, 69, has been away from the sport for a decade but has since built a new life, including a new band and a long-term partnership. The six-time world champion, once snooker's most recognisable figure during the 1980s, has also faced significant controversy during his playing days.
New musical career
Following a post-snooker venture as a DJ, Davis has expanded his musical interests by launching a new band. The Utopia Strong is an electronic outfit established in 2018 and has increasingly commanded the snooker great's attention.
The three-piece ensemble has produced four albums since its formation. The group emerged from an improvised set at Glastonbury 2018, with guitarist Kavus Torabi and Michael J. York rounding out the line-up.
The Utopia Strong embarked on a UK tour in May 2026, performing across London, Manchester, Newcastle, Exeter, Leicester, Hull and Glasgow, as well as numerous smaller venues. The group has previously featured on BBC Breakfast in 2023 and headlined last year's Angel Field Festival at the Capstone Theatre, Liverpool Hope University.
The band is scheduled to return to performing in May 2027 with a show at The Rondo Theatre in Bath. Fans can also enjoy the band's most recent releases, including their 2025 album Doperider.
Affair and split from wife
Davis wed former wife Judith, a one-time Concorde flight attendant, in 1990. The pair had two sons, Greg and Jack, before their relationship was engulfed by controversy. This followed revelations in 1995 that Davis had conducted an extra-marital relationship.
A British tabloid paid 19-year-old Cheree Palla £32,000 to reveal details of their liaison when Davis was 39 and still competing for major championships. "To this day not one man has even compared to Steve in the sack. I mean it, not even close," she told The Sun in 2013. "I was only young and I don't think I really appreciated what an animal he was.
"We would make love seven times a night. I was only 19 and I wasn't experienced at all. I honestly thought it was normal. I have been very disappointed ever since. I haven't had a lover that could hold a candle to him. He taught me everything."
Judith pardoned Davis for his indiscretion at the time, although the couple subsequently divorced in 2005. Reflecting on the affair, Davis downplayed his behaviour and implied his standing actually improved as a consequence. "I wasn't a politician, I was a snooker player - I was only an ambassador of that sport," he remarked. "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."
Davis discovered fresh romance with former accounts worker Jeannie Nash, 16 years his junior, shortly after the breakdown of his marriage. The couple remain together in a long-term partnership to this day.
Net worth
Having flourished during an era when snooker ranked among Britain's most prominent sports, Davis has accumulated substantial financial gains from his achievements. Beyond his playing days, his wealth has been enhanced by a prosperous punditry career, appearing regularly as a commentator for BBC and TNT Sports, while he appeared on I'm A Celeb in 2013.
Davis amassed over £5.6million in tournament prize money. He also secured substantial sponsorship agreements through his partnership with manager Barry Hearn and was once Britain's top-earning sportsman. His current net worth is believed to stand at around £26.5million, considerably exceeding his snooker winnings.
