Ronnie O’Sullivan has revealed he is desperate to repair his relationship with his estranged eldest daughter after she publicly accused him of failing her as a parent, admitting he hopes their rift will not be permanent.
The snooker icon, who turns 50 next month, has three children.
His youngest two, daughter Lily, born in 2006, and son Ronnie Jr, born a year later, are from his relationship with Jo Langley.
His eldest, Taylor-Ann, born in 1996 from a two-year relationship with Sally Magnus, has long been estranged from him and previously said she had cut ties for good.
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Relations completely collapsed years ago, and in an interview with The Sun, Taylor-Ann alleged that O’Sullivan had never met her daughter - his granddaughter - despite telling her he was excited to do so.
She said at the time: “He might be world champion to some but he’s not fit to be called ‘Dad’ let alone ‘Grandad’ as far as I’m concerned.
“Zarah-Ann will grow up never knowing who he is. He’s made so many promises, but what he says and what he does are so different.
Ronnie O’Sullivan has revealed he is desperate to repair his relationship with his estranged eldest daughter after she publicly accused him of failing her as a parent, admitting he hopes their rift will not be permanent
|PA
“Having a really s**t parent like you has shown me what is important in life. I have learnt from your mistakes and I know what actually matters.
"I am grateful for that. It’s the only valuable thing you’ve ever given me.”
O’Sullivan has seldom spoken publicly about the fallout, but in a new interview with The Times, he admitted he still hopes to make peace with her, although he has no idea how or whether it will ever happen.
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Asked if he feared the estrangement would last forever, he replied: “I hope not. I think I’ve got to make some sort of amends.
“I don’t know how it’s going to work out. Hopefully, at some point, it might sort itself out. Who knows? I don’t know.”
The seven-time world champion said the situation weighed heavily on him, but he remains hopeful that time and distance might help shift things in the future.
In contrast, O’Sullivan says his relationship with his younger two children has never been stronger.
Both remain in regular contact with him, and Lily is planning to spend Christmas in Dubai, where the snooker star recently relocated after marrying actress Laila Rouass earlier this year.
“I see more of my daughter than I ever used to,” he said. “She’s quite laid-back, very chilled.”
Ronnie O'Sullivan married Laila Rouass earlier this year, with the duo since relocating to Dubai
| GETTYHe added that both children supported his decision to leave the UK for a quieter life abroad.
“They just want me to be happy,” he said.
O’Sullivan has embraced a simpler routine in the Middle East, explaining that his move was not about extravagance but about stripping back his life and finding peace.
“We’re not there for a bouji sort of lifestyle,” he said. “I just like the simplicity of it there. The weather is great.”
He also admitted he has no plans to learn Arabic, saying he values not being drawn into unnecessary conversations.
“One of the beauties of not knowing the language is I don’t really want to talk to everyone that I come in contact with,” he said. “I know it sounds terrible but we just smile at each other, hello, and it’s good.”