Ronnie O'Sullivan documentary: An emotional Rocket reveals his Netflix-style film is almost ready as he opens up about his gratitude to the world of snooker
Ronnie O'Sullivan's eagerly-anticipated documentary about his seventh World Snooker Championship title in 2022 is finally released this week.
‘Ronnie O’Sullivan: The Edge of Everything’ has been produced by David Beckham’s Studio 99, and the initial cinematic release on November 21 is preceded by a special Q&A with the former Manchester United and England star.
The film, which is directed by Sam Blair, who was behind ‘Maradona 86’ and others, will subsequently be released on Prime Video on November 23, before opening in select cinemas nationwide the following day.
During this year's World Championship, the Rocket admitted he was thankful to the ‘snooker gods’ that the stars aligned for him to be followed 12 months ago when he equalled Stephen Hendry's record rather than this year's edition when he crashed out in round two.
O’Sullivan quipped: "This time last year I had the documentary crew here – I’m glad they are not here now after playing like that and feeling unwell!
"Those snooker gods, their timing is unbelievable – and I believe that. Last year I just hit fire at the right time when they were here, and the stars were written for me. They always have been ever since I was a kid in this game, if not in my life.
"I have been all over the gaff, as we all are. If you looked at everyone’s lives, you might say ‘I didn’t realise he had that going on’. But as far as snooker goes, everything has fallen right for me since I first started playing this game.
"And that last year with the film crew here was another typical example. Who could have written that? A crew following you around for a season and you win the world championship at 46.
"This year they are not here, and on that performance it probably wouldn’t have been a very good ending to the documentary. But people will get to see me in the film winning this great tournament after following it every step of the way for a season, which is great."
The 47-year-old added: "I know they have done a good job on it – the people working on it can make anyone look good. I will go in there trusting the people charged with it have done it well.
"I gave it my all, and gave them every bit of access I could do to make their job easier. Hopefully it made them think ‘Oh, we weren’t expecting this’.
"And I do know the documentary has changed from what they thought it was going to be. I have been told it is definitely not what the director thought. That can happen in a documentary.
"He said ‘I think you’ll be surprised’. Maybe they have cut out last year’s world title, and that will be missing! That’s what happened to John Virgo wasn’t it?
"When he won the UK Championships, his only major, the BBC went on strike and it wasn’t filmed. How would you feel?"
An emotional O’Sullivan continued to open up after he was asked whether the film really would sum up his fascinating and often controversial life on and off the table.
The 21-time Triple Crown winner, who has also hit a record 15 maximums, said: “It will be in some ways the definitive film of my life. Everyone seems to be intrigued by me. I read what people write, and sometimes I think ‘Is that really about me?’
"Love him, hate him, whatever…all that stuff, is it the Ronnie show…and I wonder how I generate that much interest, good and bad, when I come here to hit some balls.
"It is weird, so maybe it will be definitive and people will get to see the real thing. I want people to go away from watching it thinking that I am a winner.
"It is all I have ever wanted to do, I have tried my hardest all my life to compete and be the best I can be, to give my whole life to snooker.
"I love it so much, I am grateful for what it has done for me, it has given me an amazing life with amazing moments. I have been the most successful player, along with Stephen Hendry.
"He was my hero and I am happy to share the seven world titles with him. But I am up there, and I have to pinch myself. As a kid I used to rush home from school to watch World Championships.
"There was Joe Johnson and then I came here when I was 14 to see Steve Davis beat John Parrott in the final session. And now I am here playing.
"Maybe you get to a point where you take it for granted and I don’t want to, but it is hard when you have been doing it for as long as I have been. You do change over the years but I’m very mindful of how good it’s been to me.
“And all the media have been part of my life too, and I love you all.”
It goes without saying the snooker world are eternally grateful to everything he’s done over the past 30 years too. From the controversy to the breathtaking brilliance on the baize. It’s perhaps no wonder why those snooker gods look so favourably upon him.