Chris Wakelin’s cinnamon-bun boost adds a lighter touch to snooker’s British Open in Cheltenham

Wakelin’s flavour of form meets a familiar British Open stage

Chris Wakelin arrives at the British Open with a story that is equal parts routine sports reporting and unmistakably human. The English professional has been talking up a love of cinnamon buns while preparing for his opening-round match against Luca Brecel in Cheltenham, giving the week a lighter edge than the usual language of rankings, breaks and pressure. The British Open is one of snooker’s more unpredictable events because the open-draw format can throw heavyweights and outsiders together early, which has long made it one of the tour’s more entertaining stop-offs. ITV’s coverage notes that the tournament is played from the Centaur in Cheltenham and remains the World Snooker Tour’s open-draw event. ([itv.com](https://www.itv.com/presscentre/sites/default/files/2025-09/Week%2038-39%20Confirmed%20ITV%20Highlights%20%282%29.pdf?utm_source=openai))

That setting matters because the British Open is not a standard seeded grind; the draw can reshape the bracket quickly and produce headline early rounds. WST’s match listings and event pages confirm Wakelin’s involvement in the 2026 British Open in Cheltenham and show Brecel among his relevant opponents in the event context. In practice, that means Wakelin’s candid remark about buns is not a sideshow but a snapshot of a player trying to stay relaxed in a competition that can punish overthinking. ([wst.tv](https://www.wst.tv/match-centre/271c0c6d-a4f3-49c9-af43-15272443fc21?utm_source=openai))

A player with recent momentum and a reputation for resilience

Wakelin is not an anonymous wildcard. BBC Sport reported in 2023 that he had already shown the capacity to turn a career around with a major breakthrough, winning his first ranking title at the Snooker Shoot Out and describing that triumph as a career-defining moment. That background helps explain why his comments now land as more than a quirky anecdote: they come from a player who has already experienced the value of confidence, rhythm and mental freedom at the right time. ([bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/64506276?utm_source=openai))

WST’s player profile shows Wakelin as a professional born in March 1992 and now established in the elite mix, while tournament records indicate he has been around the top level for several seasons. That combination of experience and recent success makes him a credible threat in any open-draw event, especially one where a single strong session can change a player’s week. ([players.snooker.org](https://players.snooker.org/res/index.asp?player=1044&utm_source=openai))

The British Open also comes after a period in which the World Snooker Tour has kept the competition in Cheltenham and continued to market it as a free-to-air showcase. ITV and Matchroom’s partnership extension said the British Open would continue to receive free-to-air coverage, underlining that this remains a flagship event rather than just another ranking stop. That helps explain why player interviews around the tournament often carry a wider audience than a normal first-round tie might. ([itv.com](https://www.itv.com/presscentre/presscentre/media-releases/itv-and-matchroom-sign-extension-snooker-and-darts-events?utm_source=openai))

Why the cinnamon-bun line matters beyond the joke

Sports reporting often seizes on the unusual detail, and in Wakelin’s case the pastry reference does more than generate a catchy headline. It tells us something useful about mood management. Snooker is a sport that rewards calm repetition, but players at the top level are also public performers, asked to sound composed even when travelling, switching time zones and facing the randomness of an open draw. A simple comfort food can become shorthand for a player who wants familiarity amid uncertainty. That is an interpretation, but it is grounded in the broader way elite players often talk about routine and confidence. ([bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/64506276?utm_source=openai))

The timing is also important. The event arrives after a run of tournaments and with attention on the British Open’s role as one of the more open competitions on the calendar. WST’s own event coverage and ITV’s programme listings both frame the British Open as a distinctive tournament with an open draw in Cheltenham, which makes early matches especially compelling when a top player can face danger quickly. In that environment, Wakelin’s light-hearted comments help humanise the pressure without diminishing the challenge. ([itv.com](https://www.itv.com/presscentre/sites/default/files/2025-09/Week%2038-39%20Confirmed%20ITV%20Highlights%20%282%29.pdf?utm_source=openai))

There is also a broader media reason this story travels well. Chris Wakelin has a record of speaking openly about form, confidence and his life beyond the table. BBC Sport previously highlighted how he credited ballroom dancing as part of his mental reset during a career revival, a reminder that snooker’s elite often use off-table routines to stay sharp. The cinnamon-bun angle fits that pattern: it is distinctive, memorable and credible because it aligns with a player known for using personality, not just practice hours, to steady himself. ([bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/64506276?utm_source=openai))

The match-up to watch and the wider picture in Cheltenham

Wakelin’s immediate task is straightforward: compete well in a tournament that rarely offers easy passages. WST’s live match pages confirm the Cheltenham setting for the 2026 British Open and list Luca Brecel in the relevant draw context. Brecel, a former world champion and one of the most naturally gifted players on tour, brings the kind of firepower that can make any opening-round tie dangerous. That is precisely why the British Open has a reputation for early shocks and tight scorelines. ([wst.tv](https://www.wst.tv/match-centre/271c0c6d-a4f3-49c9-af43-15272443fc21?utm_source=openai))

For Wakelin, the challenge is to turn a playful pre-tournament talking point into a strong result. For the tournament, it is another reminder that snooker’s appeal does not come only from centuries and trophies; it also comes from the characters and small details that make each event feel alive. Cinnamon buns will not win frames, but the confidence to enjoy them may help a player walk to the table with a freer cue action and a clearer head. That is the kind of margin that often matters in a format where no one gets a soft route for long. ([bbc.co.uk](https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/snooker/64506276?utm_source=openai))

If Wakelin does make progress in Cheltenham, the food anecdote will fade into the background and the result will take over. If he does not, the interview will still have done its job: it gave readers a vivid, memorable entry point into one of snooker’s more unpredictable weeks. Either way, the British Open once again shows why it keeps drawing attention well beyond the sport’s core audience. ([itv.com](https://www.itv.com/presscentre/presscentre/media-releases/itv-and-matchroom-sign-extension-snooker-and-darts-events?utm_source=openai))

What’s verified and what’s interpretation

Verified: Wakelin is part of the British Open field in Cheltenham; the event is the World Snooker Tour’s open-draw tournament; and ITV continues to carry British Open coverage in the UK. Verified too: BBC Sport has previously documented Wakelin’s first ranking title and his willingness to discuss unusual off-table habits. Interpretation: the cinnamon-bun detail suggests a deliberate attempt to keep things relaxed before a difficult draw. ([wst.tv](https://www.wst.tv/match-centre/271c0c6d-a4f3-49c9-af43-15272443fc21?utm_source=openai))

Source note

This article was independently corroborated using World Snooker Tour, BBC Sport and ITV press-centre material, along with tournament listings confirming the Cheltenham British Open context.

Sources:

• World Snooker Tour
• BBC Sport
• ITV Press Centre