Tilly - // Andy, I can't get my head around your statement:-
I think it's possible to like someone without them actually being 'likeable'
Can you explain, please? //
With pleasure.
The concept applies to any 'anti-hero' in any artform - film, tv, music, and that also includes sport.
Plenty of examples exist of people who were seriously unlikeable as far as their presented image goes, but were non the less seriously popular.
Depending how far back your memory goes - if you watched wrestling on a Saturday afternoon wrestlers like Mick McManus and Jackie Pallo created monstrous on-screen personalities, and huge fan bases because of them.
In comedy, you can't help rooting for someone like Bazil Fawlty, even though he has virtually no redeeming features, and Alan Partridge lacks a scintilla of a decent personality, but still appeals, albeit in a horrible masochistic fashion.
I think a lot of Higgins' 'people's champion' image was based on controversy, and of course, talent that few others came near as a snooker player, which made him a massive draw live, and on TV, but, as I say, not a likeable person by any means.