Ronnie O’Sullivan and ex fiancée Laila Rouass kiss as they reunite for dog walk in London after shock split
RONNIE O’Sullivan and ex-fiancée Laila Rouass shared a kiss as they reunited for a dog walk following their shock split.
Overnight, The Sun exclusively revealed that snooker ace ‘The Rocket’ and his longtime actress partner had called it a day after 147 months together.
Sporting legend Ronnie, 48, is renowned for his speedy potting skills and holds the record for the most maximum 147 breaks with 15 to his name.
Just hours after the split news, the pair were pictured looking on good terms close to their home as they exercised their pet pooches.
An insider told The Sun: “Ronnie didn’t stay at the house with Laila last night – they’re still split but keeping things friendly.”
T-shirt wearing Ronnie looked relaxed as he walked with a hand tucked in his pocket while Footballers’ Wives star Laila, 53, wore a leather jacket, shades and a black dress.
At one point, smiling Ronnie pecked Laila on the cheek as they shared a friendly embrace.
A friend told us: “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 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, Ronnie 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, 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.