logo
episode-header-image
Jun 2023
55m 15s

Ronnie O'Sullivan, snooker player

Bbc Radio 4
About this episode

Ronnie O’Sullivan OBE is currently ranked the number one snooker player in the world, and is widely regarded as one of the finest players in the history of the sport.

He has won the Masters a record seven times and he jointly holds the record for winning the World Snooker Championship seven times. Since 1997 he has held the world record for the fastest 147 break, leading to his nickname 'the Rocket'.

Ronnie grew up in Essex and his father gave him his first snooker cue when he was seven. He took to the game immediately: he was playing on a full size snooker table when he was just eight, and two years later he was beating adult players. By the age of 12, he was winning cash prizes in local tournaments, and was soon earning more than his teachers.

Ronnie turned professional when he was 16, and quickly established himself as a star player and a fans' favourite - but he has also made headlines away from the snooker table, with accounts of his depression and struggles with alcohol and drugs. For many years he has kept his physical and mental health in check through his passion for running.

He received an OBE in 2016 for services to snooker.

DISC ONE: Lose Yourself - Eminem DISC TWO: Careless Whisper - Wham! DISC THREE: Step by Step - Whitney Houston DISC FOUR: Real Gone Kid - Deacon Blue DISC FIVE: You’re So Vain - Carly Simon DISC SIX: Maybe Tomorrow - Stereophonics DISC SEVEN: Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) - Train DISC EIGHT: That’s All - Genesis

BOOK CHOICE: Running with the Kenyans by Adharanand Finn LUXURY ITEM: A painting set CASTAWAY'S FAVOURITE: That’s All - Genesis

Presenter Lauren Laverne Producer Sarah Taylor

Up next
Today
Adele on her first record deal
The singer Adele was cast away by Lauren Laverne in 2022.In 2008, she released her debut album, 19, and the following year she won the first of many Grammys. Her next three albums, 21, 25 and 30, consolidated her superstar status.She told Lauren about the day she signed her first ... Show More
2m 19s
Yesterday
Professor Sue Black on the mysteries of the human body
In 2015, the forensic anthropologist, Professor Dame Sue Black, was cast away by Kirsty Young.Brought up on the west coast of Scotland and in Inverness, she fell in love with biology at secondary school and read Human Anatomy at the University of Aberdeen. After graduation, she w ... Show More
3m 27s
Oct 8
Lemn Sissay on his foster family
The poet Lemm Sissay was cast away by Kirsty Young in 2015.As a poet, writer and playwright, much of his work tells the story of his search for his birth parents. Born to a young Ethiopian woman who wanted him temporarily looked after while she completed her studies, he was with ... Show More
3m 48s
Recommended Episodes
May 2023
Ronnie O'Sullivan
Giving yourself permission to enjoy something is a discipline that requires practice. This is just one of the many lessons snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan has learnt as he’s changed his approach to the game over the years. In this chat with Fearne, Ronnie talks about how he woul ... Show More
53m 54s
Jun 2019
Moderation: Ronnie O'Sullivan
Everything in moderation. It’s a saying we’ve all heard, but mastering it might just be the key to health and happiness. For example, it’s good to be challenged at work to stop boredom setting in, but too much pressure can lead to being flooded with stress hormones. Basically, it ... Show More
52m 44s
Jun 1986
Jackie Stewart
Jackie Stewart was world champion in Formula One motor racing before he retired in 1973. In conversation with Michael Parkinson, he recalls his upbringing in Scotland and talks about his life as a racing driver and about his more recent career as a businessman. He also chooses th ... Show More
35m 14s
Jun 2024
Ronnie Fields Reflects On Career-Changing Car Accident, Playing w/ KG, MJ Runs | ALL THE SMOKE
One of the greatest 'what ifs' in basketball history, legendary Chicago high school star Ronnie Fields joins Matt & Stak on the latest episode of ALL THE SMOKE. Fields opens up about the devastating car accident that changed his career, discusses playing with KG at Farragut High ... Show More
1h 13m
Mar 2021
E49 - Stephen Hendry: No compromise; the cost of high performance
Stephen Hendry dominated the game of snooker in his prime. He won the World Championship in 1990 at just 21 years of age, a record that still stands today.The Scotsman played on for a further 27 years and in that time he topped the world rankings for eight consecutive seasons, wo ... Show More
1h 11m
May 2023
Tallinn calling: Former Liverpool defender Ragnar Klavan on his role with Eurovision
Ragnar Klavan joins us to chat about being the spokesperson for Estonia at Eurovision. The former Liverpool defender will deliver the scores of the Estonian jury at the singing contest. He also discusses his time playing for Liverpool and how he felt hearing You’ll Never Walk Alo ... Show More
41m 51s
Sep 2013
Fastest Ironman on North American Soil & What it Takes to Win Ironman Zurich 7 Years In a Row
Ronnie Schildknecht may not be a household name. But he should be. Why? because nobody in history has logged a faster Ironman on the soil of this continent faster than Ronnie. This is a guy who won Ironman Florida in 2011 in 7 hours and 59 minutes. An Ironman in under 8 hours!Jus ... Show More
1h 47m
Feb 2023
E178 - Jordan Henderson: Serve to lead - why being selfless matters
Jordan Henderson is the current captain of Liverpool FC and an England international. Under his captaincy, Liverpool have won six trophies including the Champions League and, their first Premier League title in thirty years. In this episode Jordan shares how as an only child, the ... Show More
1h 21m
Jul 2024
Athletes: Kerri Strug
Kerri Strug (1977-present) is a two-time Olympian and gold medalist. In 1992, she was the youngest American Olympian. In 1996, she helped the US team win the gold by competing in vault on an injured ankle.   For Further Reading:  Kerri Strug's Unforgettable Determination to Win G ... Show More
6m 42s
Nov 2020
146. Sigmund Freud and the Dynamic Unconscious
In this lecture, 9th in the 2017 personality series, Dr. Peterson discusses some of the essentials of Sigmund Freud's theories, concentrating on his conceptualizations of the dynamic (living) unconscious.-Thanks to our sponsors:Wondery"Hosted by Taraji P. Henson, Wondery (Dr. Dea ... Show More
54m 54s