Ronnie O'Sullivan reveals five-word message from dad after he was sent to prison for murder
Ronnie O'Sullivan has opened up on when his father was sent to prison for murder
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Snooker icon Ronnie O'Sullivan has opened up on when he learned his father would be going to prison for murder.
The seven-time World Championship winner was just 16 when his father, Ronnie O'Sullivan Snr, murdered Bruce Bryan in a Chelsea nightclub.
Bryan was the driver of Charlie Kray, brother of gangster twins Ronnie and Reggie.
O'Sullivan Snr was sentenced to life for the murder, which took place in 1992.
Ronnie O'Sullivan's father murdered Bruce Bryan who was a driver for Charlie Kray (pictured)
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He was released 17 years later.
And O'Sullivan, speaking to Amazon Prime's Ronnie O'Sullivan: The Edge of Everything, has now revealed what the message his father wanted relayed at the time.
"He just said, 'Tell my boy to win'" the 47-year-old said.
"Typical. 'Just tell my boy to win.' That's it."
O'Sullivan's mother, Maria, also speaks in the documentary.
And she revealed how scared she was to tell Rocket due to concerns it would derail his promising snooker career.
"I couldn't tell Ronnie," Maria said.
"He was due to go to Thailand about three days after. I thought that if he goes there three days earlier, he won't know what's going on, his dad will come back out, it will be a mistake, and he won't know any different.
"This guy John takes him to Thailand but Barry Hearn (his manager) said, 'Maria, you've got to tell him because it will be in all the papers tomorrow'.
"So I phone up and I said, 'Ron, your dad is in prison, they've done him for murder'.
"I heard him screaming down the phone. He just collapsed in the hotel room.
"I shouldn't have sent him. My regret now is that I should have told him straight away but I thought I'd protect him.
"It was wrong and I don't think he ever forgave me for that."
O'Sullivan himself continued: "I didn't want to blame everything on that situation with my dad.
"But I just think I would rather not have the snooker, just have a normal family.
"Not had to have gone through that. Forget the snooker. Just normal."
O'Sullivan Snr even gave a rare interview about the murder during the documentary.
And he admits that being sent to prison while his son was still young was 'not good' for the snooker star.
"I know I took that man's life," he said.
"But if I hadn't have done what I'd done, I would have been dead.
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"When they sentenced me, I cried when I got downstairs.
"Not for myself, but for my family. Going to prison wasn't good for Ronnie."
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