WORLD Snooker champion Stuart Bingham believes the UK Championships could be coming at the right time, as he looks to build on his recent success at the York event.

The 39-year-old will compete in the first Triple Crown event since he was named world champion in May, and he begins his journey today against Northern Ireland’s Jordan Brown at 2.30pm today.

Bingham has been searching for his best form since triumphing at the Crucible last season, with his best performance this term a semi-final appearance at the Shanghai Masters.

However, the UK Championship has been a happy hunting ground for him in the last two years – with back-to-back semi-final appearances at the Barbican Centre.

Bingham was edged out 9-8 by Neil Robertson in 2013, before a similarly close exit 12 months ago, as he went out 6-5 against Ronnie O’Sullivan, with both going on to lift the trophy.

And he says he wants to put in another strong showing this year.

“I am really looking forward to the tournament,” he said. “It brings back some happy memories for me as I have done well in the last two years and need to put a run together at this moment in time so maybe this event comes at a good time.

“I feel like I am just a click away from returning to my best form.

“I have been playing OK but not getting results and I hope I can take some confidence from my past showings here in York.

“It is a really nice city and I always enjoying coming here and playing at the Barbican.

“I don’t know a great deal about Jordan,” admitted Bingham. “He has played on the tour before and fell off for a bit but he is back now and I am sure he will bring his best game for the match. He has nothing to lose after all.

“However, if I play my best snooker I am confident I can progress. I just need to perform on the day.”

The BBC revealed recently that it would be cutting £35 million from its sport rights fund, with snooker one of the sports that may be axed by the broadcaster with the deal to broadcast the UK Championships, the World Championships and the Masters coming to an end in 2017.

And Bingham said it would be a big loss if snooker was to miss out, after 4.5million people watched him scoop the World Championships in May.

“Obviously it would be a big loss if the BBC cut snooker from its schedule as it is one of the only ways many people get exposure to the sport,” he said.

“The BBC is the home of snooker and I doubt people would know about me if they hadn’t watched the World Championships earlier in the year.

“People often say how much they enjoyed watching the final and it would be a shame to lose that.”