John Virgo’s obituary: Snooker, Big Break and BBC commentary – Salford sage leaves stage

It was the biggest title of his career, although some considered Virgo had squandered a big opportunity at the Crucible in 1982.

As it happened, his hopes of a big win in Sheffield were somewhat dashed by some good luck elsewhere.

Virgo was a big gambler at the time, and believes he won more with a huge throw on Don Johnny and Walter Swinburne’s Chester Cup victory than he would have if he had lifted the World Series trophy. Given that the Crucible’s jackpot was £25,000, this was a claim.

His mind was preoccupied after his trip to the races, and his snooker suffered, with Virgo later recalling that he had missed a glorious opportunity when he lost 13-8 to Ray Reardon in the second round.

David Taylor, who reached the Crucible semi-finals in 1980, said several years ago: “Virgin is another guy who could have been a world champion.

“I remember John going to India. He had won the UK Championship and he went out there and told me he was training there and Steve Davis came over and said: ‘I’m playing today, can I spend a few hours with you’ and two hours later Davis said: ‘John, I’ll be training on my own, I haven’t got a chance yet.’

“John Virgo was very good. He was really special, and people tend to forget that.”

They forgot about it because of what happened next.

First, there was Big Break – the BBC One primetime quiz show about snooker which Virgo co-presented with Jim Davidson from 1991 to 2002.

It was the gig that lifted Virgo out of the financial chaos of his gambling excesses, just as his playing career was fading, and made him a star to a wider audience – his dry wit and mastery of the trick shot making him an ideal foil for the famous Davidson.

They were together for over 200 episodes of what became a staple of Saturday evening light entertainment. He made Virgo a star, and although his face was rarely seen on screen in the decades after the end of that show, his voice remained an integral part of BBC snooker coverage.

He brought old school charm, experience and worldliness to the commentary box.

Just two weeks ago, he was in great form at the Masters. Virgin’s voice came with a singing rhythm, rising and falling in that familiar brogue. He had the experience of being the man at the table, knowing what adrenaline felt like when matches were tense, or when victory was in sight. No one conveys that quite naturally like Virgo.

He was not one to focus on statistics, as he told BBC Radio Framed in 2024: “I watch a lot of sport and I know that everyone wants to know the statistics… [but] “I feel like my job as a commentator is just to tell people what’s happening at the table and try to get into the player’s mind.”

In September 2021, Virgo caused a stir when he told the Talking Snooker podcast that he thought he was being pushed into retirement.

As it turned out, he remained present in the comment box until his final weeks.

That could have changed almost a decade ago, when he was heard cursing mid-afternoon in the BBC’s coverage of the 2016 World Championship, while the final semi-final was between Mark Selby and Marco Fu.

“I wanted to watch a little racing this afternoon. I’ll be lucky to watch some racing,” Virgo said, thinking he was away from the microphone. [expletive] Today’s match.”

As it happened, this mockery was quickly laughed off and forgiven.

That moment captured the essence of the man. He found humor where others might have been tearing their hair out. It was relatable content.

A pantomime performer of his day, Virgo befriended his hero George Best and was even the first man to try to console Steve Davis moments after his famous black-ball final defeat by Dennis Taylor in 1985, poking his nose into the deposed champion’s dressing room to find him in an inconsolable torrent of tears.

This is the end of the Virgo story – another of the famous names of snooker’s boom years of the late 20th century has disappeared.

He is survived by his wife, Rosie, and children, Gary, Brooke and Leah.

Tributes came from everywhere, from snooker circles to the likes of former boxing champion Frank Bruno and musician Rick Wakeman – friends from the celebrity circle.

They will be streaming for days and weeks to come.

For many, the World Series in April won’t be the same without him.

The Salford sage has left his stage.

Good night, JV.