Snooker great John Virgo has died at the age of 79, World Snooker Tour said today.
Virgo, who won the UK Championship in 1979, enjoyed a long and storied career but was perhaps best known for his work as a broadcaster dubbed the ‘voice of snooker’.
The Salford-born star was an established part of the BBC‘s snooker coverage as a commentator, famous for his catchphrase of ‘Where’s the cue ball going?’.
Virgo was also well known for his role on the 1990s snooker television game show Big Break and was a regular on the exhibition circuit with his vast array of trick shots.
Jason Francis, chairman of World Seniors Snooker, announced the ‘heartbreaking’ news of Virgo’s death in Spain in a post on the Snooker Legends account on X.
He wrote: ‘Heartbreaking to share the news that we’ve lost the great ‘JV’ John Virgo this morning, he passed away in Spain. Rosie and Brooke-Leah would like everyone to know. Our hearts go out to them both, Gary and the grandchildren.
‘JV was doing what he loved to do right up until the end, entertaining everyone. Such an important person in my life but in our sport in general.
Snooker legend John Virgo won the UK Championship in 1979. He is pictured in 1994
John Virgo with his wife Rosie at DJ Ed ‘Stewpot’ Stewart’s funeral in Bournemouth in 2016
‘An amazingly loyal friend to me, and someone you felt was sat with you at the match when he was commentating on TV. Hard to take this one… one great person who touched so many lives and loved the game. We will never forget you bud. RIP JV.’
Virgo spent 18 years as a professional and reached the World Championship semi-finals in 1979, when he also won the UK Championship.
He retired in 1994 and was later inducted into the World Snooker Tour hall of fame for his success on the baize and his work as a broadcaster.
The news of his death led to tributes from those he left an indelible mark on.
Four-time world champion Mark Selby posted on X: ‘So so sad to hear the news of the passing of John Virgo!!! Such a great guy and a huge character!! He Will be greatly missed! RIP JV.’
Former world champion Shaun Murphy, who is also a part of BBC’s coverage, wrote on Instagram: ‘I first met John in 1994, filming Junior Big Break. He then went on to become a friend and colleague.
Big Break was a popular 1990s game show hosted by Jim Davidson and John Virgo on the BBC
Former player and broadcaster John Virgo has died at the age of 79. He is pictured in 2007
‘I learned so much from him whilst sharing a commentary box. The voice of snooker will be sadly missed. Rest In Peace John Virgo.’
Neil Robertson, who won the 2010 World Championship, said: ‘So sad to hear about the news of John Virgo’s passing. He was a great character and an amazing pundit/commentator.
‘I had the pleasure of sharing the booth with him during the world championships a couple of years ago in which I got a huge appreciation for how good he was.’
Snooker broadcaster Phil Seymour said: ‘Rest in peace John Virgo. A genuinely lovely man, always funny, with a knack of always making people smile. A sad loss. RIP.’
And a World Snooker Tour statement said: ‘Everyone at World Snooker Tour is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of legendary snooker player and broadcaster John Virgo, aged 79.
‘Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones. Rest in peace, JV.’
John Virgo: The snooker star who was player, broadcaster and entertainer
By Mark Staniforth
John Virgo arrived early for snooker’s golden age – but his unintended tardiness almost cost him his crowning moment on the baize.
Virgo, who has died at the age of 79, is best known for questioning the destination of the cue ball during more than three decades of commentating on the sport on the BBC.
But his top-level playing career peaked in 1979 when he reached the semi-finals of the World Championship and then pipped Terry Griffiths seven months later to clinch the UK Championship.
Later generations may best recall Virgo for his suitably shambolic interval impressions of rival players or his clownish antics on the snooker-themed game show ‘Big Break’.
But he earned his greatest anecdote when he was docked two frames for arriving late for the final session of the match that would ultimately yield – just about – his only major title.
John Virgo playing in the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible in Sheffield in 1990
Virgo, who led 11-7, failed to realise the conclusion had been brought forward to accommodate BBC coverage, leading to a mad dash to the venue and a lead cut to 11-9 without the cue ball going anywhere.
Spurred on by Griffiths’ magnanimous offer to split the prize money after the Welshman had drawn level at 11-11, Virgo roused himself to earn a 14-13 win and an illustrious place among the sport’s ‘triple crown’ champions.
The irony was not lost on Virgo that a subsequent strike by BBC technicians meant the best moment of his playing career went unrecorded.
‘It was the only major I won and it was the best and worst day of my life,’ Virgo told the Mirror in 2024.
Somewhat of a bit-part player in the Steve Davis-led snooker revolution that followed, Virgo nevertheless hung around the top 16 until 1990 before retiring to commit to a broadcasting career four years later.
Already well known for his impressions, including a memorably twitchy Alex Higgins and a shrugging Ray Reardon, that were wheeled out in those awkward moments when sessions ended early, Virgo was well-placed to ease into a more celebrity-driven environment.
He became a household name as the co-presenter alongside Jim Davidson of ‘Big Break’, a popular show that paired top players with punters in pursuit of prizes and included a trick-shot section that Virgo would urge contestants to replicate.
Virgo became one of the sport’s best-loved commentators, best known for his trademark cry of ‘Where’s the cue ball going?’ as it careered haplessly towards a pocket.
It was a mark of his popularity that there was an outcry when it was revealed the BBC planned to axe Virgo and Dennis Taylor from their team in 2022.
The corporation was forced into a U-turn and Virgo was still commentating up to last month when he called Kyren Wilson’s Masters win over John Higgins.
Virgo, who was born in Salford in 1946 and died in Spain, where he had lived in recent years, is survived by his wife Rosie and children Gary and Brook-Leah.
