Astonishing emotion from Ronnie O'Sullivan revealed for first time after seventh World Championship title

ByDan Quarrell

Updated 15/10/2022 at 20:57 GMT

Ronnie O’Sullivan has told the story of his illustrious career, spearheaded by his historic seventh world title, to Warner Bros. Discovery. In the special two-hour show Seventh Heaven, O'Sullivan took fans through the emotions he felt as he captured his latest World Championship triumph at the Crucible. One segment showed the emotions for the Rocket in the Eurosport studio.

The powerful emotions felt by Ronnie O'Sullivan after his seventh World Championship title are to be revealed for the first time on the Eurosport show Seventh Heaven.

After claiming his famous seventh world title at the Crucible in May, O'Sullivan joined the Eurosport studio and in footage which has never been seen before, the snooker great broke down into tears as the magnitude of the achievement hit home.

The moment gives an extraordinary insight into how much a seventh world title meant to O'Sullivan.

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Speaking to his good friend and one of his former rivals, Alan McManus, on Seventh Heaven, O'Sullivan discusses in-depth the feelings that came up as he drew level with Stephen Hendry with his tally of triumphs at the Crucible. The conversation was part of the special two-hour show on discovery+ and Eurosport which you can watch on Saturday night at 8pm.

The Rocket also had a lengthy exchange with the beaten finalist, Judd Trump, after the victory and it all added to the emotions that were already inside him with family members in the audience.

"He handled himself unbelievably and it blew me back, really," O'Sullivan admitted to McManus on the show.

"I have got a lot of respect for Judd - I have known him since he was a kid - and he is a champion.

"It should not be allowed, really. I always think this tournament goes on for five days too long. I think that is what makes it a bit special. Those last five days make you have to go to places where you do not really want to have to go. I was cuddling everyone.

"I did not see it coming. I just wanted to enjoy the tournament. To come away with the tournament was extra special. I was buzzing for them [family members] to be there. My dad would never have come on stage, but he was pushed out there.

"I just wanted him to have a good time because he was not here for a lot of those years to share some of the moments. For me, I just wanted him there to experience it and just get a feel for it because, if it was not for him in my early days, I probably would not have been a professional sportsman, or anything really.

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"He instilled that discipline in me. He came from a hard background, whereas I was a bit flaky and just wanted to have fun and have a laugh. He incorporated that seriousness into how I go about my career, really."

Seventh Heaven documents the career of the seven-time world champion with the snooker icon revisiting some of the key moments that framed his storied career. From bursting onto the scene at the 1993 World Snooker Championship as a fresh-faced 17-year-old, all the way to this year’s record-equalling seventh world title.

The first part of Seventh Heaven sees Eurosport pundit McManus take in Ronnie’s beloved Epping Forest in Essex where the 1994 Masters champion goes one-on-one with “The Rocket”, recalling the early stages of his career right up until his fourth world title in 2012.

In the same episode, O'Sullivan also discusses the absence of his father growing up which subsequently led to substance abuse and a period in rehab. The episode finishes with a surprise message from snooker great Ray Reardon and Ronnie examining the impact Dr Steve Peters has had on his career.

The second half of the film sees O’Sullivan return to the Crucible for the first time since memorably claiming his seventh World Championship earlier this year. He recounts his fifth win over Barry Hawkins in 2013 and his loss to Mark Selby in the final the following year.

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The Home Nations series returns on Sunday with the Northern Ireland Open live and exclusive on discovery+. You can also watch Seventh Heaven, a two-part show about Ronnie O’Sullivan’s historic World Championship win last season, on-demand.

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