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John Higgins holds a distinguished position in snooker history as one of the sport's biggest legends since turning professional in 1992. Commanding an impressive tally of 33 ranking titles, he sits behind only Ronnie O'Sullivan and Stephen Hendry in the all-time rankings.

The four-time world champion initially entered the top 16 in 1995 and has remained there for over 29 years. He reached the semi-finals of this year's World Snooker Championship before losing to Shaun Murphy. Express Sport looks at the Scotsman's lengthy and eventful career, which includes a six-month ban and an acrimonious row with the BBC, while also exploring his views on retirement, his net worth, and his personal life...

In 2010, Higgins was suspended after the News of the World claimed he had agreed to deliberately lose certain frames in matches in return for money.

He was eventually exonerated by an independent tribunal, which instead attributed responsibility to his former business partner, Pat Mooney, who received a lifetime ban despite escaping match-fixing charges on a technicality.

While Higgins was cleared of agreeing to accept a bribe and participating in corrupt or fraudulent conduct, he did not emerge entirely unscathed. The snooker star was found guilty of failing to report an illegal approach and intentionally creating the impression that he was prepared to act in breach of betting regulations.

As a result, the Scot received a six-month suspension and was fined £75,000, with an additional £10,000 in costs. Vowing to return even "stronger" after his ban, Higgins described the ordeal as "traumatic" and said: "It has been made all the more hurtful by the knowledge that I never have, and never would, fix a snooker match."

Controversy erupted involving Higgins and the BBC after the broadcaster wrongly labelled him as English during a World Snooker Championship match in 2022.

During a clash with Thepchaiya Un-Nooh, the BBC displayed a St George's Cross beside his name, leaving the passionately patriotic Scotsman furious.

He raged: "England? Am I allowed to swear? God, they better get that changed pronto. That's poor isn't it? That's really poor from the BBC. Very poor."

The mistake was swiftly corrected the next day, with the Scottish flag displayed during coverage as Higgins sealed a 10-7 victory and advanced to the second round.

Higgins, 50, shows no sign of calling time on his career anytime soon. After his defeat to Kyren Wilson in the 2024 World Snooker Championship, he made clear that walking away from the sport was not under consideration.

"I'm committing to playing snooker now and I'm committing to trying to get back here," he explained. "I don't want that to be my final match at the Crucible, so I'll still be playing snooker. I think it [retirement] is [a long time away].

"There can be other things happening off the table that can be clouding your decisions, but right now it's a long way away. The sport will have to retire me before I retire myself, simple as that."

In terms of financial achievement, Higgins may not match the fortunes of some of his closest rivals, yet he still commands a considerable net worth that vastly outstrips that of most snooker players.

Casino.org reported in 2024 that Higgins has amassed approximately £8.8million, positioning him as the eighth-wealthiest player in the history of the sport.

The website placed him ahead of Mark Williams, who holds an estimated net worth of £7.1m, while retired legend Steve Davis tops the rankings with an estimated £26m. Stephen Hendry follows closely behind with £25.5m, and Ronnie O'Sullivan sits sixth with £11.2m.

Higgins has been happily married to his wife, Denise, since 2010, their romance having blossomed after they first crossed paths as teenagers at Wishaw High School. Denise largely remains out of the spotlight, yet has proved an invaluable source of support throughout Higgins' career, providing encouragement during periods when his passion for the game has wavered.

The couple share three children: sons Pierce and Oliver, and daughter Claudia, who occasionally join their father at snooker events, particularly during major tournaments.

Higgins endured the heartbreaking loss of his father to cancer following a six-year battle in February 2011. He desperately tried to make his way back from Berlin, where he had been competing in the German Masters, only to receive the crushing news of his father's death as he boarded a flight home to Glasgow.

He also shares a deep connection with his in-laws, as demonstrated by his emotional reaction following his victory over O'Connor this week, when he broke down in tears and needed to be comforted by presenter Seema Jaswal.

Higgins openly admitted: "That was the most emotional I have ever been today. I left my wife and I was in tears. Obviously my father-in-law wasn't great. I was sitting having dinner with my boy last night and I was thinking about sitting here with my dad 25 years ago. I was drained today.

"I had a couple of hours sleep and I came out tonight and felt a lot better and played a lot better. I am still so proud that I am still playing at a good level at this age."