3-James Wade

Wade - challenging top two

Date of birth: 06.04.83
Home town: Aldershot
Nickname: The Machine
Major titles: World Matchplay (once), World Grand Prix (twice), UK Open (twice), Premier League (once)
World Championship best: Semi-finals (once)
Walk-on music: I Gotta Feeling

James Wade arrives at Ally Pally at the end of a rollercoaster year in which he went from spending time on suicide watch to winning his latest major title.

Few could imagine what would follow when Wade first ceded an 8-0 lead to lose in last year's Grand Slam of Darts final to Scott Waites, then exited the World Championship at the second-round stage to Mensur Suljovic.

Just days after the latter, Wade checked into the Priory and was diagnosed with bipolar and attention deficit disorders. He recently described the 30 days he spent there under treatment as "probably the most important of my life".

A fifth-place finish at the Premier League seemed disappointing at the time but in the context of what had just happened is actually very impressive.

It was at the UK Open where the tide turned. Having gone public with his diagnosis, Wade was given a great reception by the fans in Bolton and rode the wave of support all the way to the final, where he beat Wes Newton 11-8.

He backed that up with an appearance in the Matchplay final, reached the last eight at the European Championship and the semi-finals at the Grand Prix.

The 2006 PDC Young Player of the Year, his star rose even further in the following 12 months as he won both the World Matchplay and World Grand Prix, becoming the youngest player to take a title in the history of the PDC.

An England international during his time in the BDO, Wade's stylish left-handed throw has won him plenty of admirers - and the former mechanic has long been seen as a future world champion.