Michael Holt expecting 'earache' after controversial Snooker Shoot Out win over Ashley Hugill - ‘I have been a lucky boy’
Updated 12/12/2025 at 20:44 GMT
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Michael Holt has addressed his “chaotic” Snooker Shoot Out victory over Ashley Hugill on Wednesday. Holt sealed his progress after the buzzer failed to correctly alert his opponent how much time he had left, resulting in a foul from Hugill that gifted ‘The Hitman’ a late chance to pull off the comeback. It sparked controversy and Holt took to his YouTube to explain his version of events.
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Video credit: TNT Sports
Michael Holt has spoken out about his controversial Snooker Shoot Out victory over Ashley Hugill on Wednesday.
The tournament, live on TNT Sports and discovery+, is taking place in Blackpool, with matches determined over a single frame and lasting a maximum of 10 minutes.
Shot times are reduced to just 15 seconds in the first half of the match and 10 seconds in the remaining five minutes.
There is a timer which should alert players with a countdown of the final five seconds of each shot.
But in Holt’s first-round win, the bleep failed to alert Hugill, who then ran out of time as he attempted to evade a difficult snooker.
The 31-year-old waved his arms in disbelief and TNT commentators Neal Foulds and Alan McManus were left bemused by the situation, as were members of the crowd as murmurs of booing in Blackpool.
Holt made the most of his unlikely chance, slotting a red and a pink to go with his four penalty points to steal a 43-39 win.
There was an animated discussion between the two players, with Hugill eventually leaving the arena clearly frustrated with proceedings.
After letting the dust settle, Holt took to his YouTube channel to explain what had happened, insisting he did not "pull a fast one".
Holt said: "The Shoot Out yesterday, my first match against Ashley was a bit chaotic and a bit of a mess in the end.
"Ashley was really unlucky, I have been a lucky boy but people were questioning whether I did the right thing, which obviously, if you know me at all, you know I would never try and pull a fast one like that.
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"There was about 40 seconds left I think, so in Ashley’s position what you would do is try and run the clock down as long as you can, hit it at the last minute, hopefully get out of the snooker because you don’t know what is going to happen, try not to make a foul obviously.
"But you would run the clock down, now when the clock is running down, with five seconds to go, there are usually five pips, one for each second.
"So what you would do is wait for pip four, then hit it, so that is what Ashley is doing.
"Now Ashley is not looking at the scoreboard, he is looking at his shot, but I am standing here [in the corner] thinking, 'Is he going to hit this or not?'
"As he hit it, he is waiting for pip four, but on pip two, the time went and I am seeing it flash red, so Ashley hits that after the time has gone, he hits the red."
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Video credit: TNT Sports
Holt was told by the referee that there had been a foul, meaning he knew he had been awarded four points.
Under the rules of the tournament, he then had ball in hand and took advantage, setting himself up with an easy red and pink to move four points ahead in the dying seconds.
Holt spoke about the confusion from Hugill, saying: "I don’t think Ashley is even sure what has happened, so when he is asking the question, I am saying to him, your time ran out.
"The biggest problem is obviously the pips started late, which has done him.
"Obviously it is very unfortunate, he has been very unlucky and I have been very lucky for that to happen.
"It was a bit chaotic. It is a shame for Ashley, nothing I can do about it obviously, I have just got to try and take my opportunity, but very lucky boy and I am sure I will get a lot of earache."
Holt eventually exited the competition on Friday evening, losing to Jackson Page.
Watch and stream the 2025/26 snooker season, including the Snooker Shoot Out and Scottish Open, live on TNT Sports and discovery+
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