BBC Wales will celebrate the career of Doug Mountjoy on Wednesday as part of its new series, Legends of Welsh Sport.
Airing a day after the two-year anniversary of his passing at the age of 78, the documentary looks back on Mountjoy’s contribution to the game.
A former miner, Mountjoy turned professional at the age of 34 in 1976 following a terrific year in amateur snooker.
He was invited to compete at the 1977 Masters, only the third staging of what would become a prestigious tournament on the calendar.
Mountjoy beat former world champions John Pulman, Fred Davis, Alex Higgins, and Ray Reardon to sensationally claim the title at his first attempt.
- CLICK HERE: Remembering the achievements of Doug Mountjoy
Interlaced with old footage and voice recordings of Mountjoy, the documentary also recalls some of his other notable triumphs as he became a regular contender in big tournaments.
But losing the 1981 World Championship final to up-and-coming young talent Steve Davis hit him hard, and his form throughout the decade deteriorated.
By the 1988/89 campaign he had dropped out of the top 16 in the rankings, only for a remarkable renaissance at the twilight of his career to then occur.
With the help of coach Frank Callan, Mountjoy sensationally claimed back-to-back ranking titles at the age of 46.
Although his latter years as a professional were curtailed by illness, his love of snooker never waned, he continued to play for fun into old age.
The 30-minute programme features contributions from former opponents like Ray Reardon, Steve Davis, Stephen Hendry, and Jimmy White, in addition to emotional reflections from family members.
Legends of Welsh Sport: Doug Mountjoy will air on Wednesday at 8pm on BBC One Wales, after which it will be available to the UK audience on the BBC iPlayer.
Featured photo credit: BBC
When is the program airing on BBC ?
As clearly stated in the article, it aired on Wednesday. If you are in the UK, it is likely now available on the BBC iPlayer.