“I thought you said they were good friends!” – James Wade and Gerwyn Price 'fake handshake’ causes hilarity during UK Open

Just before the 2026 UK Open semi-final, James Wade created a comical moment that quickly spread on social media. The Englishman shared a joke with Gerwyn Price by demonstratively shaking hands with… himself.

The incident occurred right before the semi-final of the UK Open got underway. Wade walked to the oche to shake his opponent’s hand in the usual fashion. However, Price didn’t immediately notice Wade and simply walked past him.

Wade didn’t let the moment pass. With a broad grin he turned around and pretended to shake his own hand, a clear nod to the fact that Price had just missed him. The crowd in the arena appreciated the humour.

Moments later Wade still walked over to Price and the two players exchanged a normal handshake before the match officially began.

The commentators also visibly enjoyed the moment. ITV commentator Dan Dawson remarked dryly: “And there will be a handshake eventually.”

Former pro and analyst Glen Durrant couldn’t resist a joke either: “I thought you said they were good friends!”

Although the moment was light-hearted, Wade and Price then served up a highly serious and gripping contest. In the semi-final of the prestigious TV tournament, both players turned it into a real thriller. The match stayed level for a long time and in the end no fewer than nineteen legs were played.

Ultimately it was Wade who edged it. The experienced Englishman won 11-8 and booked his place in the final of the tournament, where he would eventually lose 11-7 to Luke Littler.

For Wade, it was not the first time he produced a striking moment on stage. Almost exactly a year ago he also made headlines during a match against Luke Humphries. During their quarter-final, Wade appeared to playfully lick his opponent’s neck, a moment that sparked many surprised reactions at the time.

Earlier this year, Wade also became embroiled in a minor incident. During the Winmau World Masters, Madars Razma accused him of not shaking hands properly after their match.

The incident with Price, however, mainly shows that Wade hasn’t lost his sense of humour. And although the fake handshake raised a laugh from the crowd, it was ultimately Wade who had the last laugh by reaching the UK Open final.