Shaun Murphy opens up on ‘life-changing’ stomach surgery

The former snooker world champion underwent gastric sleeve surgery to improve his mental and physical health after years of abuse over his weight

Shaun Murphy has opened up on his transformative operation (World Snooker Tour)

Shaun Murphy has revealed how gastric sleeve surgery transformed his mental health after years of abuse over his weight.

The 2005 world snooker champion underwent the life-changing operation earlier this year, reducing his stomach capacity by 80 per cent to limit excessive food consumption.

Murphy, 40, was runner up to Mark Selby in last year’s world snooker final and has since fallen down the rankings. But he has set his sights on becoming world No 1 after surgery which has boosted his physical and mental wellbeing.

“I just wish I had done it 20 years ago because it does feel as if it’s changed my life for the better,” Murphy told BBC Sport’s Framed podcast. “I’ve struggled with my weight all my life. I was the fat kid in school, I feel like I’ve been dieting ever since I was 15, probably younger, and I just reached the end of my tether with it.

“I’d reached the bottom of my mental health, I was on the ground. I was very close to going to the doctor about depression, anxiety, not being able to go out, because I was getting shouted at in the street. On social media people were sending me horrific messages and comments and direct messages on Instagram and Twitter. And in the end I just thought, I need to do something about this, this is going to be the end of me, mentally and possibly physically.”

Of the surgery, Murphy explained: “There are three or four types [of gastric surgery] – I wanted the most extreme one, the one that is irreversible. Because my stomach’s now so small, it’s highly unlikely I’ll ever be able to physically consume enough calories in one go to put the weight back on.”

Murphy has an impressive array of titles, with the world, UK and Masters triple crown on his CV. But becoming world No 1 remains a goal he is yet to achieve.

“Really the only target I’ve yet to achieve is getting to the top of the rankings, I’ve never been able to say I’m world number one,” he added. “I’ve got a pretty clean slate in terms of rankings for the next few seasons and if I can get my act together and start putting some balls in pockets again, I could start climbing the ladder.”