6It's early 2011. 2010 had been a tough year in major tournaments. He'd lost his sponsorship deal.
He is invited to a meeting in a Luton hotel room with tikay. Not a prospect that would send many people a-quiver, but needs must.
A couple of hours later a deal is done, and he is now sponsored again
The rest, as they say, is history
Julian and Sky Poker partner and during the next nine months Julian returns dramatically to form
In the summer he wins the DTD Monte Carlo alongside Sunny Chattha and Tom Macdonald, helped the golden staking money of Mr Kendall
In the autumn he wins his third GUKPT at Coventry. Three final tables, three wins, to achieve an unprecedented treble. Particularly unprecedented as he was dressed as Marcel Marceau when doing so.
Of course some of this success comes at a cost. No longer can julian be referred to as the "nicest man in poker" as he cusses his way across the British felt, leaving a trail of former acolytes trembling in his wake.
Over and above his live success, and I can only comment from an outside perspective here, but Julian has been a model ambassador for the site that sponsors him. Works extremely hard, and a constant presence on their tables. Much improved on the television shows, willing to give his time to recreational players at the Sky Poker tour events and I would imagine Sky are over the moon with their first experience at a big name sponsorship.