Snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan splits from EastEnders’ actress fiancee Laila Rouass after 147 months together
Ronnie this week crashed out of the English Open after a shock first-round loss to China’s He Guoqiang
SNOOKER legend Ronnie O’Sullivan has split from fiancée Laila Rouass — 147 months after they got together.
Ronnie, 48, who has scored a record 15 maximum-147 breaks in a glittering career, has been playing abroad and barely seen the 53-year-old actress.
A friend said: “They have been going in different directions.”
Actress Laila was not wearing her diamond engagement ring when she appeared on This Morning last month.
Seven-times world champion Ronnie gave her the huge sparkler in 2013 — a year after they started dating.
However they never married and friends say they have now broken up — 147 months since they got together.
The couple separated in 2022 before patching things up.
A friend said: “Ronnie and Laila really threw themselves back into their relationship after the split a couple of years ago.
“He kept posting pics of them online at home together and saying romantic things on special occasions, but that’s all come to a halt.
“They’ve tried so hard but they just can’t make it work.”
Laila popped up on ITV’s This Morning last month to publicise her stint as Ayesha Siddhu in EastEnders.
Meanwhile, her fiancé, who has scored a record 15 maximum-147 breaks throughout his career, has been in lucrative competitions abroad.
The pal went on: “Ronnie has spent months and months on the road this year doing snooker tours for big money in China and Saudi Arabia while Laila has been concentrating on her acting career.
“There is a lot of love between them but they have been going in different directions and conceded it is over.
“Ronnie and Laila make a lovely couple so the people who know them best are hoping this is a blip like back in 2022.”
Last year, Footballers’ Wives star Laila, told how “talking” eventually helped her reconcile with Ronnie, who was awarded an OBE in 2016.
She said: “We found our way back, we just worked it out.
“Back when I announced it, we hadn’t been together for almost eight months at that time.
“Talking is so underrated.
There is a lot of love between them but they have been going in different directions and conceded it is over
A pal
“If you can sit down and say how you feel and what you want when you get older that is much easier to say too.”
Ronnie, who has three kids from previous relationships, has spoken openly about his mental health battles and regularly threatens to retire from snooker.
This week he crashed out of the English Open after a shock first-round loss to China’s He Guoqiang, with fans criticising his decision to play left-handed.
Ronnie said of the defeat: “I’m not even bothered.”
Representatives for Ronnie and Laila declined to comment.
