After Dinner Speakers: Jimmy White, John Simpson, Keith Hellawell

Six times an Embassy World Championship runner-up, no one has experienced more heartbreak in Sheffield than Jimmy White. So it says a great deal for his character that he keeps coming back for more. The Londoner has been involved in some epic matches at the Crucible, notably when he lost to Alex Higgins in the 1982 semi-finals and a 13-12 victory over Hendry in the second round in 1988. The closet he has come to winning the game's biggest prize was in 1994 when he lost 18-17 to Stephen Hendry in the final. Everyone watching - including the holder believed White would be the champion until he failed to pot a black in the final frame with the victory ceremony beckoning. Hendry, in fact, had beaten him four times in the final and came from 14-8 behind to triumph 18-14 in 1992. Steve Davis (1984) and John Parrot (1991) are the other two players to have denied him the crowning glory at the Crucible. Despite those defeats, the father of five remains one of the games biggest crowd pullers and is affectionately known as "The People's Champion!" The 'Whirlwind' became the second player to compile a maximum break in the televised stages of the world championships in 1992, his 147 coming in his first round against Tony Drago. World amateur champion in 1980, he has won 22 major profeesional titles - nine of them ranking tournaments - during his career. They include the 1984 Masters and the 1992 UK Championship.