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John Virgo Dies at 79: Snooker Champion and BBC’s “Voice of Snooker”
John Virgo, a legendary player in the world of snooker, has passed away at the age of 79, World Snooker Tour has confirmed.
The performance of the star player from Salford rocked and rolled the 1979 UK Championship and it was not long that he became the most familiar snooker broadcaster of the sport, commonly referred to as the BBC’s “voice of snooker” figure. He was very fond of the phrase, “Where’s the cue ball going?”
Besides snooker, Virgo also made his mark on television through the 90s game show Big Break and he continued to be a favorite in live exhibitions with his trick shots.
Jason Francis, chairman of World Seniors Snooker, reportedly posted sad news on X describing it as “heartbreaking” and mentioned that Virgo passed away in Spain. He further stated that Virgo was “doing what he loved… right up until the end,” delighting people and making a profound imprint on the game.
Snooker Legend John Virgo Dies at 79; Tributes Pour In for “Voice of Snooker”
John Virgo, a prominent snooker player, has passed away at 79, according to the World Snooker Tour. The star from Salford, who was the UK Championship winner in 1979, is probably most known for the BBC where he was the voice of snooker and for his trademark phrase, “Where’s the cue ball going?”
Apart from snooker, Virgo also became well known through television as he co-hosted with Jim Davidson the game show Big Break in the early 1990s. Jason Francis, chairman of World Seniors Snooker, expressed his sorrow over the death of Virgo in Spain, and said that he was fortunate to have been able to “do what he loved right up until the end.”
Many were quick to express their condolences from the world of sports, including Ronnie O’Sullivan, a seven-time world champion, who stated that he was “absolutely gutted” at the death of his “great mate.” Virgo, a World Snooker Tour Hall of Fame inductee, leaves behind a legacy that will be remembered for his time as a champion player and as a legendary commentator.
Jim Davidson, Reanne Evans, and Frank Bruno Remember John Virgo
The news of John Virgo passed away at the age of 79 attracted tributes from friends and other people who knew John from sport and entertainment fields, and they all shared their memories of this legendary snooker commentator.
JIm Davidson who was jointly hosting Big Break with Virgo put an emotional post on Instagram which read: “Heartbroken to hear that my great mate John Virgo has passed away at 79. What a character, what a talent. From our time together on Big Break, to the snooker commentary chair, you brought so much joy to so many. Rest easy, John. You will be missed.”
Another person who signed the world championship 12 times, Reanne Evans, also expressed her feeling of loss on X. She described Virgo as “the best ever man” and “a guy who will be missed”. Frank Bruno who was a former heavyweight champion reminisced about Virgo’s jokes and how they laughed together when Virgo was giving him instructions for trick shots. “One thing about him everyone said he was a really nice man,” Bruno wrote.
Mark Allen, who is currently ranked number nine in the world, also paid his respects to Virgo, saying he was “one of the nicest men you could ever wish to meet.”
Snooker Stars Pay Tribute to John Virgo: “Goodnight JV”
Tributes to John Virgo, BBC commentator and former professional, kept flowing in from the snooker world following his death.
Jimmy White, who met Virgo 11 times in their careers and managed to beat him 13-12 at the World Championship 1989, put a photo of the two on Instagram along with the caption, “Goodnight JV.”
The former world No. 3 Neal Foulds took to X to say that it was “terribly sad news” and described Virgo as “incredibly generous, kind, and funny,” besides being “a wonderful player and commentator.” He further expressed his sympathy to Virgo’s family.
Four-time world champion Mark Selby also added a post on X: “So so sad… Such a great guy and a huge character!! He will be greatly missed! RIP JV.”
Shaun Murphy, World champion and BBC team member, wrote on Instagram that his initial encounter with Virgo was in 1994 when they were shooting Junior Big Break, and that Virgo subsequently became a friend and colleague.
“The Voice of Snooker” to Snooker Community as Tributes Continue for John Virgo
Shaun Murphy spoke about how John Virgo was an unending source of knowledge for him even up to their final days of working together in the commentary box. He went on speaking about Virgo as the voice of snooker that will be missed.
Neil Robertson, the 2010 world champion, described John Virgo as a “great character and an incredible pundit/commentator”. He went on to say that sharing the commentary box with Virgo during the World Championships helped him to understand very well how talented Virgo was.
A snooker broadcaster, Phil Seymour expressed his condolences, conveying his thoughts about the departed saying, “Rest in peace John Virgo. A genuinely lovely man, always funny, with a knack of always making people smile. A sad loss. RIP.”
World Snooker Tour released a statement saying: “Everyone at World Snooker Tour is deeply saddened to hear that John Virgo, a legend in the snooker world both as a player and a broadcaster, has passed away at the age of 79. Our hearts go out to his family and friends. Rest in peace, JV.”
