Steve Davis holds secret DJ gig at World Snooker Championship in nearby pub

 BBC snooker pundit Steve Davis swapped the baize for the decks in Sheffield.

Steve Davis as a DJ at the 2024 World Snooker Championship

Pubgoers in Sheffield were surprised and delighted when snooker legend Steve Davis dropped in to play a secret DJ set during the World Championship. The six-time world champion has been front and centre of the BBC’s tournament coverage, but was able to take some time for another passion of his.

Davis rocked up to Hallamshire House in Crookesmoor on Friday night and after spending some time talking to the local punters, treated them to an impromptu DJ set, according to The Sheffield Star. Since retiring, the now-pundit also moonlights as a techno performer. He has played over 100 shows with his band, the Utopia Strong, and also featured at the Glastonbury music festival.

The Hallamshire House does have a full-size snooker table, but Davis stayed away from displaying his skills on the baize, instead concentrating on music as he enjoyed a moment off-duty. It is the second year in a row that the 67-year-old has visited the venue.

Having first been influenced by progressive rock while in sixth form, Davis went on to feature with several other snooker stars alongside Chas & Dave to create 1986 record ‘Snooker Loopy’.

The novelty hit reached the top 10 on the UK singles chart and they released ‘Romford Rap’ a year later.

Davis officially retired from snooker in 2016, live on the BBC, but 20 years prior he joined Brentwood community radio station Phoenix FM as a broadcaster, playing mainly soul and rock music.

Steve Davis playing an exhibition match on Saturday afternoon at the Crucible

He has regular slots at several London venues and went on a UK tour with his group in support of The Steve Hillage Band, on the analogue modular synthesiser.

Just last year, he claimed that the nerves of playing on stage are comparable to playing at the Crucible. He told the London Evening Standard: “If anyone told me my musical career would go further than Snooker Loopy, I’d have laughed. I’ve had two hobbies — snooker and music — and both have exploded.

The nerves are a match for the Crucible. When you get to 100 per cent cra**ing yourself, you can’t get any worse than that! It’s the build-up that’s agony, once you get going you’re in your element in both.

“With the music, I think a lot of people think I’ve lost the plot. But I feel lucky to have two hobbies that got a bit stupid.”

He is often reminded that his days of snooker dominance in the eighties are now decades ago while in musical circles.

Davis added: “People say I used to watch you when I was a kid and I think, ‘f***ing hell, how old am I?!’”