Inside Ronnie O’Sullivan’s rollercoaster romance with TV star Laila Rouass who he asked out through an ESTATE AGENT
RONNIE O'Sullivan's love life moves just as fast as one of his infamous 147 breaks.
The Rocket and his fiancee Laila Rouass have called time on their relationship after 12 years together.
When the snooker legend and the glamorous TV star Laila Rouass crossed paths, there was an instant attraction between the pair.
A friend said: "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 friends say they have now broken up — 147 months since they got together.
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."
When the snooker legend and the glamorous TV star crossed paths, there was an instant attraction between the pair.
Fate brought them together, with the actress house-hunting and stumbling upon Rocket Ronnie's home in her search.
Once Ronnie heard Laila was looking around his mansion, he contacted the estate agent, a friend of the Footballers' Wives beauty, to arrange a date.
Within four months of that giddy 2012, they were living together in his native Essex along with her daughter, Inez from a previous marriage, and engaged in 2013.
Matched upIt began over 12 years ago when Laila was looking for a new home.
She stumbled upon Ronnie's abode, not knowing it was his, but wanting a viewing.
Ronnie's father showed her around the property, and later told his son who had been round.
As she explained it to the Belfast Telegraph : "It happened by accident. I was shown around Ronnie's house by his father, who told his son about meeting me.
"Ronnie called the estate agent, a friend of mine, and asked me out via her."
Amusingly, she had no clue he was a sporting great.
"When she said he was a snooker player, I said, 'Yeah, but what does he do for a living?' I'd never heard of him because sport doesn't interest me at all, although Ronnie's won me over to snooker!"
Fast moverFour months later, the pair were head over heels for one another.
They set up home, with Ronnie playing doting stepdad to Laila's daughter, Inez from her second married to businessman Nasir Khan, a convicted fraudster who was jailed for nine years in 2011 for a VAT scam.
However, it wasn't easy for Ronnie to settle in at first, due to chaotic nature of the household.
"It was so funny when Ronnie and I first lived together because he'd put his hands over his ears and go, 'Whoaa, it's so noisy here!'
A year after their first meeting, they got engaged.
Although, they have never put a time scale on their marriage.
"I'd have to really gear myself up for a wedding," she told The Sun last year.
"At the moment we've put it on the back burner and we're enjoying our time. There's no rush."
Trouble in paradiseHowever, despite everything appearing to be rosy in their garden - the two temporarily split in 2022.
Laila took to social media and wrote: "After nearly ten years of love and memories, Ronnie & I have parted ways."
The break-up seemingly ended within weeks, with O'Sullivan insisting things were happier than ever.
'It's good," he told the Mirror. "She's great. I love her. She's great company and I love being around her.
"She's very supportive. I have to behave myself. I know when to go, 'Alright, you're in charge'.
"But she's also really good at going, 'Listen, you've got a busy life, you've got a lot to do, just get on with it'".
He added: "Now it feels a lot better – everyone's just in a better place. I just want to see her and her daughter happy, and her family, who are like my family, happy."
Laila has been equally as gushing about Ronnie and the influence he has on her and her daughter.
"Ronnie's had a really calming effect on us and he tells me, 'Pick your battles'.
"He's taught me a lot about myself because he's more open and free than I am and very generous. I can't imagine him not being in my life."
Support systemThere was a hint that Ronnie and Laila were finally ready to walk down the aisle, when she listed her Essex mansion for £1.1million last year.
She has been credited with helping Ronnie overcome his demons, including depression and substance abuse.
In the Amazon Prime documentary Ronnie O'Sullivan: The Edge of Everything, Laila opened up on the "soul-destroying" time she has had watching his emotions fluctuate as snooker's biggest icon.
But her role as supportive partner has never been questioned.
When he accepted his OBE from Prince Charles in 2015, Laila was proudly stood alongside him.
"He was overwhelmed by getting his honour. It's typical of his modesty that he doesn't understand why he's so loved and why he deserved it," she said.
"I'm so proud of him and think he's very capable of handling his depression these days. He's been strong enough to seek help, and brave enough to talk about the problem, and is so positive and upbeat about life.
"I do support him - just as he supports me - and it's easy to support someone when you know what they're going through.
"You know what you should and shouldn't say - it's about creating a safety net around them.
"He's under an immense amount of pressure, he's always a favourite to win which can be hard, and we have to take that on board.
"He lives a very healthy lifestyle these days and uses exercise, especially running, to help him keep his depression at bay. It's inspiring being with him to be honest."
Sadly, it wasn't enough. And now they go their separate ways.
