Ronnie O'Sullivan to Make Televised Christmas Snooker Debut in Star-Studded Legends Event

O’Sullivan will make his return to the World Seniors Snooker Tour this Christmas for the British Open event that takes place at the Valliant Live in Derby on December 27 & 28.

Televised live by host broadcaster Channel 5 in the United Kingdom, this is the second edition of the competition after Joe Perry defeated Jimmy White in last year’s final.

This year’s field will once again feature eight players competing in a straight knockout format. Reigning champion Perry is scheduled to defend his title, and will be joined by four-times World Seniors Snooker Champion White, Ken Doherty, Stephen Maguire, Mark Davis, Reanne Evans, and now O’Sullivan. One more player is to be announced.

Earlier this year, 50-year-old O’Sullivan made his debut on the seniors circuit where he won the 2026 World Seniors Snooker Championship held at the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield. Following victories over Doherty, Peter Lines and Robert Milkins, ‘The Rocket’ made five century breaks in denying Perry, 10-4, in the final.

O’Sullivan is currently enduring a title drought on the professional circuit with his last trophy having come over more than two-and-a-half years ago at the World Masters of Snooker (now known at the Riyadh Season Championship) in Saudi Arabia. He recently went back-to-back seasons without registering a top-flight accolade for the first time in his illustrious career.

Now a resident of Dubai, the seven-times world professional snooker champion’s appearances in the United Kingdom have become sparse in recent times. Last season he contested just three World Snooker Tour matches on British soil, although he did play at the Northern Ireland Open in Belfast earlier this month.

Away from the top tier, though, O’Sullivan has made several engagements in and close to the UK. Earlier this year he won The John Virgo Trophy held at Goffs in Ireland, and the weekend after his world seniors triumph he won the inaugural Snooker 900 Global Championship in Reading.

The record 41-time professional ranking event winner has also been named for further Snooker 900 action at the Crucible Cup in November, and a new event under the timed format in Germany next June.

In terms of the main tour over the coming weeks, O’Sullivan hinted at playing in the Champion of Champions in Leicester, and he is likely to aim for a record-extending ninth UK Championship crown where he would be a top 16 seed for York.