What happened to Reanne Evans? Snooker pundit asked to leave after ex raises objection

Last week, snooker pundit Reanne Evans was reportedly told to leave the studio after her ex-boyfriend, Mark Allen labelled her a 'distraction' prior to his match against China's Lyu Haotian at the Betfred World Snooker Championship. Evans was near the practice area, where Allen had been prepping for his upcoming game. Although Evans, a 12-time and reigning women's world champion, reluctantly agreed to leave, reports claim the Reanne Eveans BBC controversy left her 'embarrassed' by the situation.

What happened to Reanne Evans? Why was Reanne Evans asked to leave BBC studio? 

According to reports from The Sun, to answer the 'What happened to Reanne Evans?' query, BBC pundit Reanne Evans was set to broadcast live from the practice area at the Crucible, Sheffield, when her ex-lover, Mark Allen, complained about her presence. Reports claimed that Allen labelled Evans a 'distraction' and following a discussion between World Snooker Tour officials and her producers, Evans agreed to leave. The BBC said on the Reanne Evans Mark Allen conflict: “For the sake of ten minutes, Reanne left the players’ practice room so Mark Allen could practise before his match without distraction upon his request."

Although Evans later returned to her broadcast commitments for the Betfred World Snooker Championship, it was later reported that the 35-year-old was left red-faced by the episode. Snooker fans on social media were also quick to react once the news of the incident broke on Tuesday. On Twitter, one wrote, "This is so awkward." while another added, "Simply sad to see how two professional snooker stars cannot remain cordial after a breakup."

While speaking to reporters after his victory over Haotian, Allen said there had been several cases where other players asked officials for people to be removed while they were practising. "I'm not sure why there is a fuss about this one", he said. Allen was later knocked out of the competition on Monday, following his defeat against Mark Selby.

Reanne Evans Mark Allen relationship

According to reports, Evans began dating Allen in 2005 and have a daughter named Lauren. However, Evans and Allen broke up in 2008 and are now in a legal battle over the maintenance of their 14-year-old child. 

Following his breakup with Evans, Allen reportedly fell into a deep depression and had periods where he did not leave his home. He has spoken openly about his vulnerability to depression and loneliness, partly due to the amount of travelling required of a top professional snooker player. 

In 2011, Allen met Kyla McGuigan and married her two years later. The duo has a daughter name Harleigh, born in 2017. However, in May 2020, it was reported that Allen and McGuigan were separated. 

Image Credits - Reanne Evans Instagram, AP