Snooker star Mark Allen has revealed he has spent the last 10 weeks in a mental health clinic as he opened up on his emotional interview following his return to the sport.
Speaking after his defeat in the first round of the Northern Ireland Open on Tuesday Allen, 40, told TNT Sports that his career could be over as he deals with a lot of ‘problems within’ that mean he is ‘just trying to survive’.
The Northern Irishman – who was once ranked world No 1 – was close to tears and received support from his interviewer Rachel Casey as he opened up about his situation as he suggested he could retire following his first match since May.
‘I felt like if I was going to play one last time, playing here at the Waterfront, where it all started in 2005, against one of my best mates, I thought that was a better way to sign out,’ he said.
The interview sparked a wave of concern from fans and early on Wednesday morning, Allen posted a statement on X, saying: ‘Everything I said in that interview was true. However, rest assured I’m doing my best to turn things round.
‘I have been in a mental health clinic for the last 10 weeks, finally discharging so I could attempt to play in Belfast.
‘I owed that to my family, in particular my daughter to see me play for what could be the last time… I also owed it to the fans who have supported me throughout my 21 years on tour.
‘I also owed that to World Snooker who have been amazing from day on in all this, in particular (CEO) Simon Brownell and (Players’ Chief Operating Officer) Neil Tomkins who have remained in touch regularly, even Simon paying me a visit in the clinic itself.
Mark Allen was a downcast figure as he admitted that he might have played his last match
‘I’m not OK, but I’m OK in that itself. I’ve been much worse in the last few months than you saw yesterday. I literally didn’t see a future in anything…
‘My daughter kept me going, the therapists, staff and all the other patients were amazing and helped me through some really dark days.
‘I see the light now that I couldn’t see before but I do now. I also know it won’t happen overnight. I’m a work in progress!!! My fight and determination on the table has always been there to see. I need to show those same fighting qualities off it now for a while.
Allen went on to praise his opponent Jordan Brown – a good friend – who beat him 4-2 in his first match since losing a dramatic World Championship semi-final 17-15 to Wu Yize in May.
‘Please don’t detract anything from Jordan yesterday, he’s been aware of my struggles and that can’t have been easy to play in but he handled it with grace and skill as I knew he would. I’m proud to call him a friend.
‘I hope the rest of the event is a success and I will continue my treatments going forward and then see what’s ahead.
‘Thank you to every single message I have received on here, instagram, Facebook, text messages and WhatsApps, I’ve seen them all but a bit overwhelmed to reply right now.
The former World Championship semi-finalist brushed away a tear at the end of his interview and was consoled by TNT Sport’s Rachel Casey
‘Just know that they have helped me a lot but I’m not going anywhere just yet!!!! I have so much to live for and this is only the beginning of my new journey.
‘Also, I was not made to do any interviews, I was simply given a choice and felt I owed it to everyone to speak. The media team at WST have been incredible through all this too.’
Allen had previously kept silent on his reasons for staying away from the tour. However, in the past six years he has had to contend with bankruptcy and a divorce – with the latter prompting a five-stone weight loss.
In the TNT interview Allen indicated he is set to take another long, and potentially permanent, break from the sport.
Asked by Casey if he was serious about his threat to retire, Allen confirmed his view and continued: ‘I’ve been flooded with support but the problems are within. I just don’t see a future with snooker in it, if I’m honest.
‘It’s sad to say, because it’s all I’ve loved to do since I was 12 but the last few months have been really difficult and it’s put snooker into perspective for me. At the minute I’m just trying to survive.’
Casey was quick to console Allen as he appeared to wipe away a tear, reassuring him that many of his friends within the sport would be happy to welcome him back with open arms whenever he wanted to return.
Allen has dealt with a lot in the past five years. In January 2021 he declared himself bankrupt – citing that he spent his £3.5million in career prize money as fast as he earned it.
‘I just overspent in every aspect of my life,’ he told BBC Sport in an interview in October 2022.
‘Bankruptcy was the only choice. It’s easy to read that I made £3.5m on the table, but I spent it as fast it was coming in.
‘It was sad saying that given what I’ve made in the game and how well I’ve done. It’s embarrassing, but the priority now is to get my life in order.
‘If I could go back I would be more sensible with money. If there was a car available at £50,000 I bought one at £80,000. If there was a house available at £1,500 per month, I’d spend one at £2,500.’
Back in October 2016, Allen previously gave fans a breakdown of how quickly the money he won in the sport would be spent.
He published a note that said despite collecting £2million in earnings over 12 years, he was left with an average profit of just £6,500 each year because of taxes, expenses and bills.
Allen’s financial situation was also impacted by his divorce from his ex-wife Kyla McGuigan. The pair had been married for seven years and share a daughter, Harleigh, born in 2017.
Allen, who was declared bankrupt in January 2021, also divorced his ex-wife Kyla McGuigan in May 2020. They had been married for seven years and share a daughter called Harleigh
‘You don’t put enough away for tax and everything just snowballs. All the legal stuff with the divorce, if you have to pay for lawyers and barristers, it all mounts up,’ he admitted to BBC Sport.
As well as Harleigh, Allen has a daughter with his former girlfriend Reanne Evans – another snooker star.
The duo, who have publicly feuded in the past, had a three-year relationship that ended in 2008.
The former coupled were paired together in the British Open in August 2021 with then 12-time women’s world champion Evans refusing to touch hands with Allen as he approached her before the match begun.
Evans refused Allen’s attempted fist bump before she broke for the first frame of this best-of-five grudge match, which Evans won.
‘It was horrible,’ admitted Allen about the occasion at the Morningside Arena in Leicester.
‘It was nothing I want to go through too often, but I had to remain as professional as possible.
Allen also has has a daughter with former girlfriend and snooker star Reanne Evans from their three-year relationship which ended in 2008
The duo haven’t always seen eye-to-eye and that came to a head at the 2021 British Open
‘I can hold my head high. I treated it like any other match and showed respect where respect was due. I thought Reanne played well. She was unlucky in frame four and at that point she would have deserved to win. She played much better than me.’
As reported by Daily Mail Sport at the time, Evans’ actions were perhaps revenge for Allen’s antics at the World Championships in April. The Northern Irishman was practising in the same Crucible room as Evans was working as a BBC pundit.
It prompted Allen to complain that his ex was causing a distraction and demand her removal. Organisers controversially complied, leaving Evans upset.
That spat in Sheffield only highlighted tensions that have been simmering for years and have even ended up in court.
Evans was asked by Allen to increase his child maintenance for their daughter Lauren, having become unhappy with his previous payments of around £100 per month.
Allen is now a married man once more after tying the knot with Sara Herald last year. They are understood to have first dated in 2023.
As well finding love again, the recent years has seen Allen embark on a fitness journey – with the remarkable results seeing him lose five stone.
The 40-year-old is now re-married having tied the knot with Sarah Herald last year
Allen has also gone through a healthier phase of living – losing five stone after changing habits
That health kick came after speaking to snooker legend Ronnie O’Sullivan as well as a close friend. O’Sullivan’s advice prompted him to stop drinking alcohol, while his friend warned him that he may not seen Harleigh get married in the future due to his lifestyle.
‘I’m happier in my appearance. I don’t want to do bad things to myself when I look in the mirror,’ he told The Sun in the midst of his weight-loss transition in September 2022.
‘I need to lose more weight. I’m not fighting fit yet. Before I started my diet, I was 19.1 stone which is really embarrassing to say for someone of my height and age. I’m now 14st 10lbs.
‘I have cut out all the fun stuff. Even if I do eat bad food, I eat so little of it. I try to cut out carbs as much as possible. Stick to stuff high in protein and fat.
‘It has been hard work but I have been disciplined. I haven’t gone cold turkey like with previous diets.
‘One of my very closest friends said to me: “If you keep going the way you’re going Mark, you won’t be here to walk Harleigh down the aisle’. That was tough to hear but probably what I needed to hear.’
For confidential support, call Samaritans on 116 123, visit samaritans.org or visit thecalmzone.net/get-support.
