‘Can’t believe you said it on air’ – Former world snooker champion reveals he’s terrified of tea bags live on BBC

‘Can’t believe you said it on air’ – Former world snooker champion reveals he’s terrified of tea bags live on BBC

 

 

 

“Can’t believe you said it on air!” was the stunned reaction from the studio as a former world snooker champion made an unexpected confession live on BBC — he’s absolutely terrified of tea bags.

The revelation came during a light-hearted segment on a breakfast programme when the retired sporting legend, known more for his ice-cool composure at the table than nervous admissions, was asked about his strangest fear. Viewers were expecting the usual answers — spiders, heights, maybe flying. Instead, they got tea bags.

“Yes, tea bags,” he repeated, laughing nervously as the presenters stared in disbelief. “I don’t like the way they swell up in the cup. It’s unsettling. I can’t explain it — it just makes my skin crawl.”

The studio erupted in laughter, but the former champion insisted he was serious. He described the fear as something that has followed him since childhood. According to him, it began after he watched a tea bag split open in a mug, spilling its contents and turning the water cloudy. “I remember thinking it looked like something alive,” he said. “Ever since then, I can’t watch one sit in hot water.”

Despite decades spent handling high-pressure situations in packed arenas — including crucible finals watched by millions — he admitted the humble kitchen staple remains his undoing. “Put me in front of a thousand fans needing one frame to win a world title, fine. Hand me a mug with a tea bag bobbing around in it? No thank you.”

The presenters struggled to contain their amusement, with one jokingly offering to place a cup of freshly brewed tea on the desk. The former champion recoiled theatrically, prompting even more laughter from the crew.

Social media quickly lit up after the segment aired. Fans praised the sporting icon for showing a more vulnerable and humorous side. “Never thought I’d see him rattled by a beverage,” one viewer posted. Others shared their own unusual phobias, ranging from cotton wool to baked beans.

Psychologists note that unusual or highly specific phobias are more common than people think. While fears of tea bags may sound comical, phobias can form through small but vivid childhood experiences. The brain links an object to discomfort or anxiety, and the association sticks — sometimes for life.

To his credit, the snooker legend took the teasing in good spirits. “I’ve faced tougher opponents than a tea bag,” he quipped. “But at least they didn’t float.”

Producers later confirmed that the confession was completely spontaneous and not part of any planned segment. “That’s live television,” one insider said. “You never know what someone will reveal.”

For a man whose career was built on steady nerves, precision, and an unreadable poker face, the moment offered fans a rare glimpse behind the curtain. It also proved that no matter how composed someone appears under the bright lights of competition, everyone has something that makes them squirm.

As the programme went to a break, one presenter was overheard saying, “I can’t believe you said that on air.”

Neither, it seems, could he.