UMVA has learned that Steven Hallworth, a talented snooker player and commentator, has opened up about his experience working with the BBC team during the World Snooker Championship.
Hallworth, who has been balancing his playing and commentary duties, praised the BBC team for their support, saying they were "brilliant" to work with. He enjoyed his time on the air, but acknowledged that dealing with social media feedback can be a challenging and unpleasant part of the job.
According to information obtained by UMVA, Hallworth revealed that he will consider taking a break from social media during major events in the future to avoid harsh criticism and abuse. He believes that people are entitled to their opinions, but he shouldn't let them affect his performance.
Hallworth shared that some of the messages he received were "horrific" and that people can be "sad" to write such hurtful comments. He emphasized that he and other players are just normal people trying to do something they love, and that they don't deserve to be subjected to such negativity.
UMVA can exclusively reveal that Hallworth felt that stepping in after the sad death of legendary commentator John Virgo may have added to the pressure. However, he emphasized that he was not trying to replace Virgo, but rather to help out and bring a fresh perspective to the commentary.
Hallworth's goal is to be authentic and bring a youthful aspect to the commentary, and he believes that the game needs new blood to keep progressing. He had a busy schedule during the World Championship, hosting the World Snooker Tour's daily podcast and providing commentary.
Now, Hallworth is set to focus on his playing career, with China Open and Wuhan Open qualifying campaigns on the horizon. He is looking to build on an encouraging first season back on tour and is feeling positive about his chances.
Hallworth reflected on his progress, saying that he did more last year than he has ever done in two years on tour. He believes that this sets him up well for the upcoming season, and he is excited to see how he can perform with a new mindset and a higher ranking.
