THE Darts world is in mourning after the passing of Andy 'The Viking' Fordham.
One of the most recognisable and charismatic players on the tour, Fordham has been a feature of the BDO and PDC for over 25 years.
How old is Andy Fordham?
Making his Lakeside debut in 1995, Fordham would go on to have a long and lucrative career in darts.
He started playing way back in 1982 and was famed for his long locks, which earned him the affectionate moniker 'The Viking'.
For much of his early career, the Bristol-born star was seen as a nearly-man after going out at the semi-finals of the BDO Championships four times in seven years.
But he ended that run in 2004 when defeating Mervyn King 6-3 at the Lakeside to take the World Championship.
Three years later he suffered a mild stroke, with Fordham losing ten stone within the following few months after falling ill.
In 2009 he made the switch to the PDC, before heading back to the familiar surroundings of the BDO in 2013.
A larger-than-life personality, Fordham was a publican who was loved away from the oche and was famous for his exploits at the bar.
He once reportedly drunk up to 24 bottles of lager before a match and at his peak weighed more than 30 stone.
Fordham lost a huge amount of weight before undergoing an emergency operation in March 2020 to cure a bowel blockage.
And he spoke in January of this year about how he was 'terrified' of coronavirus due to his numerous health struggles over the years.
Fordham was born in February 1962 and was 59-year-old at the time of his passing on July 15, 2021.
Who is his wife Jenny?
Andy and his wife Jenny met way back in the early 1980s and were engaged in 1982.
But it wasn't until 2000 that the couple finally tied the knot.
The pair have two children together – Ray and Emily – as well as five grandchildren.
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How many darts titles did he win?
Fordham was a superb player who was hugely popular with fans.
And his talent arguably deserved more than the one BDO World Championship he won in 2004.
During his career, Fordham won the following darts titles:
- BDO World Championship – 2004
- BDO Masters – 1999
- British Matchplay – 1995
- British Pentathlon – 1998, 2003
- Finnish Open – 1994
- Isle of Man Open – 1995
- Norway Open – 1995, 2000
- Swiss Open – 1994
- Welsh Open – 2002
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