[James]

Snooker player Jimmy White has changed his name to James Brown because he has done a sponsorship deal with HP sauce.

Jimmy's Browned off

By ANDREW DILLON

JIMMY WHITE has threatened to go on strike unless he is called James Brown.

The snooker star is livid TV chiefs refuse to use his new name during next week’s Masters tournament.

The new Mr Brown changed his name by deed poll in a £100,000 sponsorship deal with HP Sauce.

But BBC chiefs, who are televising the week-long event at Wembley from tomorrow, will not play ball.

The cue ace is furious. He said: “If they call me Jimmy White I won’t answer them — if they call me Jimmy White during commentary I’ll find out.

“Someone will pass me a note and I’ll stop playing until they call me Jimmy Brown. I will sit and sulk.

“They cannot call me White because my name is James Brown so they have no choice.

“They are trying to be a bit strange about it but we have an agreement with HP Sauce and it has been agreed with the World Snooker Association.

“This controversy is a bit silly. It’s a great idea and my new name is great. I got all my old James Brown albums out and I have had the p*** ripped right out of me.”

HP have also laid out £50,000 to have their logo painted on the brown ball at the Masters, where Brown kicks off his campaign on Monday afternoon against Matthew Stevens.

He also plans to wear a brown suit and bright blue bow tie to match HP’s famous bottles.

A BBC spokesman said: “We will be calling him Jimmy White in our editorial coverage because that is how he is known to millions.

“We aren’t going to make an issue of it. It is a very funny story. He is one of the great characters of the game and our coverage is going to reflect that.”

Brown has vowed to keep his new name for April’s World Championship if he wins the Masters.

He said: “The only thing that bothers me is that, after years of failing to win the world title, I’ll go to Sheffield, win it, and not get the name Jimmy White on the trophy!”

http://www.thesun.co.uk/article/0,,3-2005070162,00.html

[blinkinlovely]

Thought this was a awonderful story - a case of serios over sponsorshiup or a middle age crisis?

I love Jimmy White!