STUART BINGHAM has more motivation than most to keep his williamhill.com UK Championship run going – his fiancée is spending all his money.

The world number nine joked, ahead of his quarter-final clash with Ali Carter this afternoon, that bride-to-be Michelle was making sure he had to stay at the top of his game.

The 36-year-old made his big breakthrough when winning last year’s Australian Goldfields Open and has been the man in form in recent weeks – crushing Judd Trump 7-2 to become the Premier League champion.

Bingham puts his surge down to being happy off the table and insisted that things have simply “clicked” because of his contented home life.

“I’m very happy with my game,” he explained.

“Everything is going really well. I’m very comfortable with my own game now.

“I’ve missed a few shots here and there, but if I get the chance I know I can clear up. I’m very confident.

“If you are happy off the table, you are happy on the table. I met my fiancée three years ago and we have a little son now, who is 15 months, and a stepdaughter, who is nine.

“Everything is going really well. It has all clicked and has just been unbelievable.

“I am missing my family loads, because we are away a lot, but that’s the way it goes sometimes and you have got to do a job.”

He added: “Michelle’s spending my money. She’s doing a very good job. She keeps telling me ‘get some more money’.

“We are getting married next May, in Cyprus, and the wedding is all paid for now. I can just get on with the snooker.”

Bingham, who has never got past the quarter-finals in the UK, was pleased with his performance in his 6-4 victory over Stephen Maguire in the second round – and particularly with the way he closed out the match after the Scotsman fought back from 4-2 behind to level.

High on confidence, he declared he didn’t fear anyone, before conceding his game against Carter was bound to be “tough”.

“I think I scored around 50 in every frame I won,” Bingham reflected on his Maguire win.

“It was a very tough battle and I was over the moon to get through it.

“A lot of my success is overseas so to do it in the UK is massive. To win the Premier League has given me a load of confidence so, hopefully, I can continue for the rest of the week.

“I didn’t fear anyone anyway. I know if I am on my game I can beat anyone.

“I’ve pulled out good results before and with the way I am playing at the moment the draw is opening up a bit.

“I’ve got Ali Carter next – a tough opponent. We grew up together and I have to take one game at a time and get ready for that one now.”