Mandy Hendry, also known as Amanda Tart, is best known as the former wife of Scottish snooker legend Stephen Hendry. Their relationship began when they were teenagers, long before Stephen became one of the most successful players in snooker history. Mandy remained beside him through much of his rise to the top of the sport.

The couple married in 1995 and later became parents to two sons, Blaine Hendry and Carter Hendry. Their marriage eventually ended after almost two decades. Mandy later began building a more independent life in Scotland, including becoming involved in a fashion boutique in Auchterarder.

Quick Bio

Who Is Mandy Hendry?

Mandy Hendry became known to the public mainly through her long relationship with Stephen Hendry. Before becoming his wife, she was known as Mandy Tart or Amanda Tart in newspaper reports.

Unlike Stephen, Mandy did not build her life around professional sport or television. She generally stayed outside the main spotlight while her husband travelled around the world for snooker tournaments.

Her connection with Stephen began before fame, major prize money and world titles entered their lives. This is one reason her story has remained an important part of accounts about the snooker champion’s personal life.

How Did Mandy Hendry Meet Stephen Hendry?

Mandy and Stephen met as teenagers in 1984. Reports say they met while attending a snooker event at a Pontins holiday camp. Stephen was still at the beginning of the career that would later make him a household name.

Their teenage relationship did not always fit easily with Stephen’s demanding snooker schedule. His manager, Ian Doyle, believed the young player needed to put his full attention into practice and competition.

The couple even spent some time apart during those early years. However, they later reunited. Doyle himself later acknowledged that Mandy became highly supportive of Stephen as his career developed.

Mandy Hendry and Stephen Hendry’s Marriage

After being together for many years, Mandy and Stephen married on 30 June 1995. Their wedding came during the most successful period of Stephen’s snooker career.

By then, he had already become the dominant player of the 1990s. He had won several world championships and had earned a reputation for his calm manner and fierce focus around the table.

Mandy therefore experienced both sides of his rise. She had known Stephen before his greatest victories and remained his partner during years when he was regularly travelling, competing and carrying the pressure of being world number one.

Mandy Hendry and Her Family Life

Mandy and Stephen welcomed their first son, Blaine Hendry, in 1996. They hoped to grow their family further, although this proved difficult.

Stephen later spoke publicly about the couple going through IVF treatment. Their family also experienced the painful loss of a stillborn son in 2003.

Their second surviving son, Carter Hendry, was born in 2004. Mandy’s role as a mother remained a major part of her life during the later years of the marriage and after the couple separated.

Life as the Wife of a Snooker Champion

Being married to one of Britain’s best known sportsmen brought Mandy into a world of tournaments, media attention and frequent travel.

Stephen became famous for the level of dedication he gave to snooker. During his peak years, practice and competition occupied much of his time. He later admitted that reaching and remaining at the top required sacrifices in his family life.

Mandy occasionally appeared with him at snooker events, but she did not try to create a major public profile of her own. A 2008 report, for example, noted her presence alongside Stephen at a tournament, showing that she remained part of his sporting life well into their marriage.

Why Did Mandy and Stephen Hendry Separate?

The couple’s relationship began to break down after Stephen developed feelings for Lauren Thundow, whom he had met through Snooker Legends exhibition events.

Stephen later described this period in his 2018 autobiography, Me and the Table. He recalled telling Mandy that he had feelings for another woman. He said the revelation deeply shocked her and led to difficult discussions about their marriage and family.

The couple initially tried to repair their relationship. They also went on a family holiday during this difficult period. However, reconciliation did not last, and their separation became public in 2014.

Mandy Hendry’s Divorce from Stephen Hendry

The end of the marriage involved a lengthy divorce process. Stephen later said the period between leaving the marriage and completing the divorce lasted around three years.

Money also became part of the public discussion. Hendry wrote that the legal costs connected with the divorce reached a six figure sum. Mandy remained in the family’s Scottish home with their sons as the settlement was worked out.

Reports later said Mandy received the former marital property near Auchterarder as part of the settlement. She eventually sold the property in 2021 for a reported figure of around £875,000.

How Did Mandy Hendry Rebuild Her Life?

After the breakdown of her marriage, Mandy began creating a more independent life away from her former husband’s sporting career.

One of her most public projects was Ruby’s, a fashion boutique in Auchterarder. She opened the business with friends. The shop gave her a new professional focus after many years in which the public mainly knew her as Stephen Hendry’s wife.

According to The Courier, Mandy sold personal possessions to help finance her new venture. These reportedly included jewellery, wedding china and her horse, which was also named Ruby.

Her move into business represented a clear change. Instead of being associated mainly with snooker and her husband’s achievements, she was working on something that belonged to her own life.

Friends quoted in reports at the time said she took pride in what she had achieved and enjoyed making her own way after a difficult period.

Mandy Hendry’s Relationship with Her Sons

Mandy and Stephen’s sons remained an important part of the story following the divorce.

Stephen has since acknowledged that the separation affected Blaine and Carter. He has also spoken publicly about regretting some of the impact that his career and divorce had on his relationship with his children.

Mandy, meanwhile, continued living in Scotland with the boys after the marriage ended. She has generally avoided giving frequent interviews about their private lives, allowing much of their family life to remain outside public view.

Where Is Mandy Hendry Now?

Mandy has kept a relatively low public profile in recent years. This is very different from Stephen, who continues to appear in snooker broadcasting, exhibitions and online content.

Most reliable reports about Mandy after the divorce have focused on her business activities, property matters and family rather than celebrity appearances.

Her decision to remain relatively private means that much of her current personal life is not part of the public record. What is clear is that she established a life of her own following one of British snooker’s most widely reported marriage break-ups.

Mandy Hendry and Stephen Hendry’s Long History

It would be easy to define Mandy only through the couple’s divorce, but their relationship lasted for decades.

They met while they were teenagers. Mandy was present before Stephen became world champion and remained with him through nearly all of the years when he dominated professional snooker.

Their story therefore covers much more than their eventual separation. It includes a teenage romance, Stephen’s rapid rise in the sport, marriage, parenthood, family loss and almost 20 years as husband and wife.

Even after their relationship ended, Stephen’s own accounts have made clear that Mandy and their sons remained an important part of his personal history.

Final Thoughts

Mandy Hendry spent much of her adult life alongside one of the greatest players snooker has produced. She met Stephen Hendry before his fame, married him at the height of his career and raised their family while his sporting success made him known around the world.

Their marriage eventually came to an end, but Mandy’s story continued. She focused on her sons and later entered the fashion business in Scotland. Her life after divorce showed a move towards greater independence and a quieter identity outside Stephen Hendry’s career.

Today, she remains best known as Stephen Hendry’s former wife, but her long connection with him represents only one part of her story.

FAQ’s

Who is Mandy Hendry?

Mandy Hendry, also known as Amanda or Mandy Tart, is the former wife of seven time World Snooker Champion Stephen Hendry. The couple met as teenagers and later spent almost two decades as husband and wife.

When did Mandy Hendry marry Stephen Hendry?

Mandy and Stephen Hendry married on 30 June 1995 after being in a relationship for many years. Their wedding took place during the peak period of Stephen’s professional snooker career.

How many children does Mandy Hendry have?

Mandy Hendry and Stephen Hendry have two surviving sons, Blaine Hendry and Carter Hendry. Blaine was born in 1996, while Carter was born in 2004.

Why did Mandy Hendry and Stephen Hendry divorce?

Their marriage ended after Stephen developed feelings for Lauren Thundow. Stephen later discussed the breakdown of the marriage in his autobiography and acknowledged the emotional effect it had on Mandy and their children.

What did Mandy Hendry do after her divorce?

Mandy became involved in Ruby’s, a fashion boutique in Auchterarder, Scotland. Reports said she sold several personal belongings to help fund the business and build an independent career after her marriage ended.