Former world No.1 snooker star Mark Allen has released a heartfelt statement after his distressing TV interview when he was consoled by TNT Sports presenter Rachel Casey

World snooker star Mark Allen has issued a statement after his heartbreaking interview when he admitted he was "in a bad place". The former world No.1 was consoled by TNT Sports presenter Rachel Casey in distressing scenes after crashing out of the Northern Ireland Open.

The 40-year-old has been away from the baize for much of 2026 due to personal issues. Allen played his first match in six months against close friend Jordan Brown, but the Pistol lost 4-2 to his fellow Antrim native in Belfast, before admitting his career could be over. He said: "I'm in a bad place at the minute, so even just to go out there and try was tough.

"I think if I wasn't playing Jordan I wouldn't have come back. I just don't see a future with snooker in it, if I'm honest. At the minute I'm just trying to survive."

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TNT host Casey said to the world No. 12: "I know it's so hard. So, so hard to see. But listen, there is always a road back. You have so many friends, there are so many people there for you.

"And I really want you to know that. Everyone is behind you, Mark. Always. We wish you all the best, and I'm sure everyone at home will have been delighted to see Mark Allen here.

"Hometown hero, twice a champion in Northern Ireland, and we all wish him the very best. Let's hope this is not the end for Mark Allen."

On Wednesday morning, Allen released a statement. It read: A statement on yesterday... 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 Simon Brownell and Neil Tomkins who have remained in touch regularly, even Simon paying me a visit in the clinic itself.

"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 for ones to see. I need to show those same fighting qualities off it now for a while. 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.

"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 Thank you all x."

Allen's last match had been a heartbreaking World Championship semi-final defeat to Wu Yize in May, when he missed a routine black off the spot. His absence from the World Snooker Tour is not thought to correlate with that defeat, however, reports the Express.

His pal Brown is hopeful the snooker star will not retire. The world No. 65 hopes that his playing partner can come through a period he described as "really, really difficult".

Brown told the BBC: "It is overwhelming for Mark here with his family, friends and all the fans who have paid good money to see him play.

"It is very difficult. I have my own battles to go through. I am in a precarious place in the rankings, and I lost my mum recently. It just puts everything into perspective. The general public seem to think we are just robots who just turn up to pot a few balls - it is not like that at all."

Brown added that he 'really hoped' Allen will reconsider the idea of retirement and explained: "The first words I said to him today was it was great to see him back and we had a big cuddle.

"It is tough to see him going through that. I have no doubt he will come back. Snooker is his love, he is absolutely brilliant and he is a top bloke. I wish him all the best."

Brown was also interviewed by TNT. He explained: "There's more important things to life than snooker. That was easily the hardest match I've ever had to deal with. Even though Mark's going through it, I feel like I was going through it.

"Just to reiterate what you said there, we're all behind him first and foremost. To see Mark back playing... I'm trying to get myself together here, but it's hard. It's hard seeing him like that.

"The first words I uttered to him was in the practice room before the match, and you could just tell he was sort of anxious about today. I don't even know what to say. I'm lost for words. I've missed him, I love him. A great guy, through and through.

"But as hard it was, I still had to concentrate on what I had to do today. That's what we're here to do, we're here to play snooker. In a selfish way, I had to sort of block all the distractions out."

Brown lost his mother in August after she had lived with dementia for several years. And he continued: "I'm not going through the easiest of times myself, but I'm trying to fight for tour survival and trying to get my game together.

"That's what I had to focus on today, as hard as it was. But I never want to go through something like that again."