Mark Allen has opened up on the "embarrassing" bankruptcy nightmare that almost derailed his life and snooker career.
The Antrim cue star declared himself bankrupt in January 2021 despite making over £3m playing the game he loves.
Now the 36-year-old us getting his life back on track - on and off the table.
Read more: Mark Allen says close pal's "harsh" words kick-started dramatic weight-loss
Allen - who has lost almost five stone in four months - hopes his previous financial issues are a thing of the past.
"I just overspent in every aspect of my life," Allen told the BBC.
"Bankruptcy was the only choice. It's easy to read that I made £3.5m on the table, but I spent it as fast it was coming in.
"It was sad saying that given what I've made in the game and how well I've done. It's embarrassing, but the priority now is to get my life in order," he said.
"I didn't put any aside for a rainy day and if I was having a bad season I was still spending as if I was having a good season.
"You don't put enough away for tax and everything just snowballs. All the legal stuff with the divorce, if you have to pay for lawyers and barristers, it all mounts up."
Allen - who also went through a costly divorce - will start the defence of the Northern Ireland Open at the Waterfront Hall in Belfast on Sunday.
He says the priority is now to "get my life in order" after overspending in the past.
Allen added: "If I could go back I would be more sensible with money. If there was a car available at £50,000 I bought one at £80,000. If there was a house available at £1,500 per month, I'd spend one at £2,500.
"Everything just snowballed. I'm currently in rented accommodation. It's a bit embarrassing to say as number 10 in the world.
"I'm on guaranteed earnings going forward now and that takes away the risk of having a good season or bad."
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