Ronald McDonald could be in for a shock appearance at this year’s UK Championships – or at least that’s what Ronnie O’Sullivan wants everyone to think.

The five-time world champion is desperate to throw some fun into York’s Barbican Centre next week, and it looks like he is going to stop at nothing to get it.

Competing in more tournaments than most this season, O’Sullivan has been determined to enjoy every occasion he’s thrown into, treating this week’s Dafabet Northern Ireland Open as a holiday.

But come the UK Championships, the Rocket could take this to another level after his surprise loss to Elliot Slessor in Belfast, which saw him miss out on the chance of a £1million Home Nations bonus.

Not that bothered to be packing his bags so soon, O’Sullivan could take on a new identity next week as a famous fast-food mascot.

“It’s probably good for me that I’ve lost, I can go and have a week at home to chill out and relax, I need to try and regroup again and find some competitive juices from somewhere.

“We’ll have to find something else interesting without the £1million, maybe something to do with my shoes, or I can break my arm and we can talk about that.

“I’ll try and win the UKs one-handed, or maybe trying to win by playing with my shoes.

“Or I could change my name to Ronald McDonald, that would be good for me.

“Or come in with a Shaun Murphy suit on and a pair of shoes? Or Yan Bingtao's gold shoes?

“I’m up for it, we all want headlines.”

O’Sullivan heads to York as one of the favourites for the title, losing out to Mark Selby in last year’s final for the first time after already becoming a five-time champion of the event.

The first round will see him come up against Jackson Page, a 16-year-old talent thought to become the next best thing after reaching last year’s Welsh Open third round.

Watch the Northern Ireland Open LIVE on Eurosport, Eurosport Player and Quest with Colin Murray and daily studio analysis with Neal Foulds