A giant mural of snooker ace Ronnie O'Sullivan has sparked a wave of online mockery, with fans claiming the artwork makes the seven-time world champion look like a "zombie" or a "corpse".
The 30ft-high painting appeared on the side of Spot On Snooker & Pool Club, close to snooker's famous Crucible Theatre in Sheffield.
Fans react to the "horrendous" mural
Social media users have dubbed the piece "Monkey O'Sullivan" due to how the star's facial features have been depicted. Others branded it "terrifying" and said it made the 50-year-old look more like a "zombie".
One social media user said: "Didn't know zombie snooker was a thing." Another quipped: "That's absolutely horrendous, just looks like the corpse of Ronnie O'Sullivan."
Meanwhile one fan joked: "I want a snooker player but I want him to look like he's just returned from war." Others said the mural made Ronnie "look like a primate", with one commenting: "Monkey O'Sullivan hits a banana shot to hit a maximum 147!"
Owner defends the artwork
Despite the online comments, club owner Dan Kirkland says he "loves" the artwork. He commissioned local artist Chris Ashmore to create the piece, which has taken more than six weeks and is not yet finished.
Kirkland stated: "Chris is a fantastic artist who has done loads of work for us inside, recreating the Crucible Theatre as well as pictures of John Lennon, Bullseye and Freddie Mercury which hang on our walls."
"We think some of the online comments are hilarious but we must stress that the artwork is not quite finished so it will look a little different by the time it is all done. We love the painting so far, it's unique and is a talking point but then all good art should provoke discussion."
O'Sullivan's dedication to the sport
The mural controversy comes after reports of O'Sullivan's unshakeable determination to his sport, as the world champ trained throughout the evening after his World Snooker Championship triumph over He Guoqiang.
The Rocket's devotion was plainly evident in the backdrop of the BBC's broadcast, and presenter Seema Jaswal remarked upon it in an interview back in April. After a chat with 1991 world champion John Parrott, Jaswal discussed O'Sullivan's upcoming match and noted: "It's quite strange that we're talking about him and he's right there, but we have been talking to him about it."
Supporters also spotted it, with a fan page posting on X: "Nearly 10:30pm and the Rocket still grinding away on the practice table." A second remarked: "Means business."
