Mark Williams completes blockbuster Christmas TV snooker line-up and vows to donate prize money to charity

Three-time world professional snooker champion Williams completes an all-star eight-player line-up scheduled to compete at the Valliant Live in Derby on December 27 & 28.

Televised live by host broadcaster Channel 5 in the United Kingdom, this is the second edition of the World Seniors Snooker Tour major after Joe Perry defeated Jimmy White in last year’s final.

Williams - who won the world seniors championship title in 2015 - returns to the scene and will join fellow ‘Class of 92’ graduate Ronnie O’Sullivan who was named in the field a few weeks ago.

Professional snooker’s oldest ranking event winner, Williams has also pledged that any prize money he wins from the tournament will go to the Hospice of the Valleys charity.

The 51-year-old told the WSST: “It’s been over 20 years since I last played a tournament in Derby! I’m going to enjoy battling it out with the old boys and anything I win is going straight to the Hospice of the Valleys”.

Who is playing at the 2026 Seniors British Open Snooker?

This year’s event will again consist of eight players competing in a straight knockout format. Reigning champion Perry is scheduled to defend his title, and will be joined by last year’s runner-up and four-times world seniors champion White.

A winner of the Seniors UK Championship crown, Ken Doherty is in, as is former world seniors champion Mark Davis.

Seven-times ranking event winner Stephen Maguire has been announced to make his seniors debut, and 12-times world women’s champion Reanne Evans returns to the stage having played at the Crucible in May.

Earlier this year, 50-year-old O’Sullivan made his debut on the seniors circuit where he won the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship in Sheffield. Following victories over Doherty, Peter Lines and Robert Milkins, ‘The Rocket’ made five century breaks in denying Perry, 10-4, in the final.

And now, ‘The Welsh Potting Machine’ Williams has also joined this festive green baize party.

White, O’Sullivan and Williams have all won the professional staging of the British Open before, so have the chance to complete a double.

Jason Francis, World Seniors Snooker Chairman, said: “I am absolutely delighted to welcome Mark Williams to the British Seniors Open and to hear he is going to donate whatever he wins to the Hospice is a tremendous gesture.

Mark has the chance to be the first player to win both the professional and seniors British Open, but there are seven other players who are going to do everything then can to stop that. It’s going to be a massive event for both Derby and viewers on Channel 5.”