Snooker champion John Higgins comforted by BBC presenter after bursting into tears during live interview

Four-time world snooker champion John Higgins has revealed the personal reason he broke down during a live BBC interview.

The 49-year-old player beat Joe O’Connor 10-7 at the World Snooker Championships at the Crucible in Sheffield on Monday (21 April), and was visibly emotional when he was interviewed by the BBC panel.

Higgins, whose father died from cancer back in 2011, revealed his father-in-law suffered a heart attack last week.

“I left my partner and I was in tears,” Higgins explained.

“Obviously my father-in-law wasn't great and I was having dinner with my boy last night and thinking about sitting here with my dad 25 years ago.

“I was drained today. I had a couple of hours sleep and I came out and felt and played a lot better.”