John Parrott urged snooker fans not to listen to Ronnie O'Sullivan after accusing him of lying
Snooker icon Ronnie O'Sullivan raised many eyebrows when he said he'd rather kick back with episodes of 'Only Fools and Horses' than practice for the World Snooker Championship. The World No.5 is known for being a bit of a maverick, but even those comments managed to shock the snooker world.
He made the comments in 2020, before winning his sixth world title. O'Sullivan would go on to win a seventh championship at the Crucible and draw level with snooker great Stephen Hendry.
Considering his quality and brilliance on the table, BBC pundit John Parrott couldn't believe Ronnie's laid-back approach. Before clinching another victory at the table by beating Judd Trump 18-13, O'Sullivan had spoken about his casual preparation. He said: "I've watched a bit of Del Boy and Rodney before my games rather than practising."
His then-fiancee Laila even teased him, comparing O'Sullivan and his father Ronnie Sr to the comedy's characters. He added: "[She] says I'm like Rodney and my dad is like Del Boy.
"I kind of relate to that show a lot - Ronnie the plonker, rather than Rodney the plonker. I watch a lot of good stuff - I watched Storage Wars - then I get a knock on the door and I go, 'Sweet, I can go and hit a few balls now."
But after matching Hendry's record tally of world titles, scepticism from former world champion and television commentator John Parrot ensued. He was sure Ronnie hadn't been slacking off.
Parrot said: "Don't listen to him saying he doesn't practice. He is in the club grafting like a Trojan, he puts the hours in and he wants to win.
"You will never see anyone like him again. He's the best player I've ever seen. His cue ball control is at another level. He's on another level to anyone who has played this game."
After taking a break from the professional scene for three months, O'Sullivan made a surprising return to enter the 2025 tournament. His appearance was shrouded in mystery until he showed up to face and ultimately triumph over Ali Carter with a convincing 10-4 scoreline.
The snooker maestro credited his refreshed attitude to the work done with renowned psychiatrist Steve Peters. In Sheffield, he said: "I'm surprised I'm here but I'm here.
"I don't have any expectations. I'd just like to not feel all at sea out there. If I can just play and at least feel semi-competitive, I'd be happy with that.
"Could I win the whole thing? I doubt it. I'm nearly 50 now and there's a lot of young guys who are hungry and competing all the time. It's a bit different to say 2012, 2013."
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