'Zombie-like' Ronnie O'Sullivan mural defended by Sheffield street artist - 'It didn't feel fair'
Published 28/08/2026 at 12:05 GMT+1
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A street artist who painted a mural of Ronnie O'Sullivan in Sheffield has defended his work after widespread criticism on social media, claiming that the tribute is "unfinished" and requires some "touch-ups.”
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Critics of the mural, on the back wall of the Spot On Snooker Club on Langsett Road, said it looked "zombie-like", "skeletal" and "shocking."
But artist Chris Ashmore told the BBC that he had only completed two out of the five weeks assigned to the project.
He added that he had been working from a scaffolding platform, meaning his view was obstructed.
"I usually use a scissor lift, where you can stand back and see things as a whole, but I couldn't use it as the land is too uneven," he said.
"When the scaffolding came down, I came away and boom - it's gone viral.
"I saw people saying it looks like Michael Jackson or a zombie. I've got thick skin, I'll be okay, but it didn't feel fair.
"It's not finished, there are bits of skin tone to do and I'll finish it off as and when I can.
"I'm not just going to rush it in three days because people have complained on social media. I want to do it properly in my own time."
The BBC quoted the thoughts of local residents, who had mixed feelings.
One self-identified "fan of The Rocket" said the mural was "brilliant" and "brightened her day."
Another local, though, said that the "eyes are all wrong, his teeth are wrong, it just doesn't look like Ronnie."
Dan Kirkland, the manager of Spot On, said: "Yes, we've seen what you've seen. There are parts of the face that need tweaking, particularly around the eye and mouth.
"Some relatively small changes will make a huge difference, so we'll arrange whatever access Chris needs.
"What has upset us is seeing some of the reactions becoming personal towards Chris.
"People are absolutely entitled to like or dislike a mural. But having an opinion about a piece of artwork is one thing. Slagging off the person who created it is another."
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O'Sullivan has not yet commented on the mural, with the 50-year-old busy competing at the Wuhan Open this week.
He made it to the semi-final but was beaten 6-3 by Chang Bingyu.
"Am I playing well enough to play every shot that I need to play? I haven't been," O'Sullivan said on Thursday, following a quarter-final win against Mark Selby.
"I'm worried that whoever I play against at the moment, it doesn't matter if it was Mark Selby or No. 128 in the world. I'm still playing with zero confidence.
"But I'm working hard on my game. I'm on the practice table a lot. I'm trying to figure out how to get out of this, I call it the disease, because it feels like the method I took on has kind of ruined me."
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