World No.1 Ronnie O'Sullivan admits he went off the rails after his dad was sent to prison for murder.
O'Sullivan's father Ronald was jailed in 1992 for killing the driver of gangster Charlie Kray – the brother of twins Ronnie and Reggie - the same year the snooker star turned professional as a teenager.
Ronald spent 17 years inside before his release but O'Sullivan admits his regret at how his life spiraled in the period afterwards.
“I would change quite a lot of things in my life. A lot of the things I’ve done have made long-term damage," the 46-year-old told an upcoming Eurosport and discovery+ documentary
“Some things are out of your control, like my dad going away. I’m not blaming my dad for that, I just lost a lot of that support mechanism.
“I went on a wild bender for six years. I think I would change those years because I became so dependent on changing the way I felt.
"I never felt comfortable in my own skin, but up until that point, I had always felt comfortable in my own skin. I think that is where a lot of my problems arose.
"That then became a crutch because if I wasn't feeling good, the first thing I would go to was the drink or something to change the way I felt. I think once you have crossed that line, it is hard to go back to the person that you were but I only have myself to blame."
O'Sullivan went on to win UK Championship the year after his father was sent down and then the Masters at 19, becoming the youngest-ever player to do so.
He has previously revealed he checked himself into rehab in 2000 as he battled drink and drug addictions - describing it as a "lightbulb moment" in his life.
The snooker star now admits he is effectively teetotal and only drinks on rare occasions after battling his demons.
