Latest news with #JohnVirgo
Daily Mirror
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
World Snooker Championship star shows true colours with John Virgo comments
BBC star John Virgo is snooker royalty as a result of his successful playing career in the 1970s and 80s and his status as being one of the voices of the sport Snooker ace Neil Robertson has praised John Virgo and the BBC commentary team for their stellar work behind the microphone. The 43-year-old former world champion, who still competes at the top level, occasionally shares his insights from the commentary box. Among those he shares the gantry with is 1979 UK Championship winner Virgo, a familiar voice in snooker broadcasting. Despite his successful playing career, Virgo is perhaps best known for his role as a commentator with the BBC commentator, an organisation he joined in 1991 when he co-presented Big Break. At one stage, it looked like Virgo was going to be replaced by the BBC, after he claimed they were on the hunt for younger voices after the 2022/23 snooker campaign. Reflecting on his own stint alongside Virgo, Robertson had nothing but praise. Speaking on Stephen Hendry's Cue Tips podcast, the Australian said: "I was doing some commentary and punditry work at the World Championships last year. "You realise just how good some of those guys are in the commentary box. I thought Virgo was just absolutely amazing. The timing and the delivery of everything he is saying." Hendry, a seven-time World Snooker Championship winner who has also shared the commentary booth with Virgo, wholeheartedly agreed. He added: "The thing is, you and I, will sort of talk technically and say what is happening and everything, but they bring the excitement." Renowned for his captivating commentary and distinctive delivery, Virgo is famous for his catchphrase: "Where's the cueball going," often exclaimed when the white ball teeters towards a pocket. There was a time when it seemed fans would miss out on Virgo's voiceover skills. The commentator had announced the BBC were planning to replace him after the 2022/23 season, as the broadcaster looked to freshen things up with younger talent. After hearing the news in 2022, he told the Telegraph: "I wouldn't have been like this 30 years ago, I would have been fighting my corner. But I've realised – and it's taken me a long time to realise it – not to get caught up in something you have no control of. "I can't have any bad feelings. Maybe it's a working-class attitude I've been brought up with but there's b******s all I can do about it, so why get bothered? "I'm not going to go round on my hands and knees begging for a job. I'm past that. So I'll just get on with what I'm doing, enjoy it and treasure every moment. I understand that you get over a certain age and they want to try something different." However, the BBC reversed their decision and chose to retain Virgo in the commentary box. Speaking on the BBC podcast 'Snookered', Virgo shared their change of mind, saying: "I spoke to one of the producers and I said, 'Well you know it'll be my last year...' and he said 'No no no, we're not going to do that now. We're going to stay as we are for the foreseeable future'. "Which was fantastic. I'd have missed that terribly you know. Just going there. So for the foreseeable future, now whether that's this year, next year and that'll be it? So that was great, it was music to my ears."
Wales Online
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
World Snooker Championship star lets John Virgo know what he thinks with BBC comments
World Snooker Championship star lets John Virgo know what he thinks with BBC comments Neil Robertson made an honest admission about BBC's snooker commentator Jon Virgo after working with him and doing his own stint as a pundit Neil Robertson revealed his honest thoughts on John Virgo and the BBC (Image: YouTube/Stephen Hendry Cue Tips ) Snooker star Neil Robertson hailed John Virgo and the rest of the BBC for the work they do in the commentary box. Robertson, 43, is a previous world champion who is still playing at the highest level today. However, he has occasionally stepped into the gantry to voice his thoughts on all things snooker. Up there, he is joined by 1979 UK Championship winner Virgo, who has entrenched himself as one of the voices of the sport. Despite his successful career as a snooker player, Virgo is likely better known for his role as a BBC commentator, having begun his career on the microphone in 1991, where he was a co-presenter of the Big Break programme. Looking back at his own brief experience of working with Virgo, Robertson had plenty of good things to say about him. Speaking on the Stephen Hendry Cue Tips podcast, the Australian said: "I was doing some commentary and punditry work at the World Championships last year. "You realise just how good some of those guys are in the commentary box. I thought Virgo was just absolutely amazing. The timing and the delivery of everything he is saying." Hendry, who has also done plenty of commentary work with Virgo, could not agree with his former opponent more. The seven-time World Snooker Championship winner said: " The thing is, you and I, will sort of talk technically and say what is happening and everything, but they bring the excitement.' Article continues below As well as his analysis and delivery on the microphone, Virgo is also known for his catchphrase "Where's the cueball going" which he says when the white looks like it is heading for a pocket. Virgo is a popular member of the BBC snooker team (Image:) At one stage, it looked like snooker punters were not going to be listening to him anymore. Virgo said he was going to be leaving the BBC after the 2022/23 season, citing the broadcaster's desire for new younger voices. When the news was first revealed, he told the Telegraph: "I wouldn't have been like this 30 years ago, I would have been fighting my corner. But I've realised – and it's taken me a long time to realise it – not to get caught up in something you have no control of. 'I can't have any bad feelings. Maybe it's a working-class attitude I've been brought up with but there's b******s all I can do about it, so why get bothered? The BBC's decision to keep Virgo brought relief to a lot of snooker fans (Image: Getty Images ) Article continues below "I'm not going to go round on my hands and knees begging for a job. I'm past that. So I'll just get on with what I'm doing, enjoy it and treasure every moment. I understand that you get over a certain age and they want to try something different." However, the BBC U-turned on their decision and decided to keep Virgo in the commentary box. While speaking on the BBC podcast 'Snookered', Virgo revealed their change of heart and said: "Well from what I've heard recently that's not going to happen. I spoke to one of the producers and I said 'Well you know it'll be my last year…' and he said 'no no no, we're not going to do that now. We're going to stay as we are for the foreseeable future'.' Which was fantastic." He added: "I'd have missed that terribly you know. Just going there. So for the foreseeable future, now whether that's this year, next year and that'll be it? So that was great, it was music to my ears."
Daily Record
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
BBC snooker legend John Virgo opens up on gambling addiction and failed marriages
Virgo, 79, has been past of the BBC snooker coverage for more than 30 years. John Virgo, the beloved voice of snooker, is once again behind the mic for the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible, and fans couldn't be happier. Known for his trademark line, 'Where's the cue ball going?', Virgo has been part of the BBC's snooker coverage for more than 30 years. At 79, he had previously hinted that he would be stepping away from commentary duties alongside fellow legend Dennis Taylor at the end of the 2022–23 season. But to the delight of viewers, the BBC decided to keep both on board, Wales Online reported. 'I spoke to one of the producers and I said 'well you know it'll be my last year',' Virgo told the Snookered podcast. 'And he said 'no no no, we're not going to do that now. We're going to stay as we are for the foreseeable future', which was fantastic.' Before his career behind the microphone, the Salford-born star was a formidable player on the professional circuit, winning four major titles including the 1979 UK Championship and the 1980 Bombay International. He spent seven seasons in the Top 16, with notable runner-up finishes at the 1980 Champion of Champions and the 1984 Australian Masters before retiring in 1994. His commentary career had already begun by then. In fact, Virgo had started branching into television three years earlier as co-presenter of Big Break, a snooker-based game show with comedian Jim Davidson. Virgo played the role of referee as contestants paired with professional players in hopes of winning prizes. The show became a massive success, running for 11 years and at one point drawing nearly 14 million viewers. It opened the door to new opportunities, including book deals, pantomime roles, and even a personal range of waistcoats. But behind the scenes, Virgo was facing a serious battle. During the 1980s, he struggled with a gambling addiction that almost destroyed his life. As tournament winnings dwindled, his reliance on betting increased. 'At one point, I lost £10,000 on horses in a fortnight,' he told the Mirror . Over six years, he borrowed more than £200,000 against his mortgage to sustain the habit and maintain the appearance of success. 'It was a vicious circle,' he said. 'I was doing commentary for the BBC and had exhibition work but if you're not winning you are not earning as much. And when you're seen as a successful sportsman, people assume you're earning a good living.' 'There was pressure on me to have the newest car, a more expensive holiday. It was all about keeping up appearances. When the results weren't coming on the snooker table, I tried to supplement things by gambling on horses even more. I went through a period when I was addicted to gambling. 'It was a compulsion that I struggled to get to grips with. By 1990, it was in danger of ruining my life,' he added. 'I was borrowing against the mortgage just to keep up the pretence that I was successful. Looking back, I see it was crazy. I think a lot of players may have had issues with gambling. 'You are brought up in that environment – hustling in the snooker clubs to earn a few quid and, if there was no one to play, you'd go in the bookies.' Eventually, he managed to stop. 'I stopped when I realised I was living beyond my means. I rarely bet these days. I did back the Grand National winner though.' Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community! Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today. You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland. No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team. All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in! If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. Virgo's personal life has had its ups and downs too. He went through two failed marriages and has a son, Gary, and a daughter, Brook-Leah. But in 2009, he tied the knot with publishing executive Rosie Ries, a friend of a friend whom he had known for more than 20 years. 'A mate tried to set us up years ago but then his girlfriend said she wouldn't be interested in me,' he recalled. 'I was so frightened of a knock-back, I didn't ask her out for 22 years. By then I'd lived on my own for five years and I needed that time to re-centre myself. 'But eventually we went on a date. I used my wit, charm and repartee on her and, blow me down, two months later we got engaged.' Describing their wedding day as the 'best day of my life', he added: 'It's been absolutely wonderful.'
Edinburgh Live
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Edinburgh Live
BBC's iconic snooker commentator's colourful past as house repossessed and addiction
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info John Virgo, the quintessential voice of snooker and a BBC staple for over three decades, is ready to charm audiences once again at this year's World Snooker Championship at the Crucible with his trademark commentary. Eager fans can anticipate hearing an array of Virgo's celebrated catchphrases, not least the memorable 'where's the cue ball going?' throughout the duration of the tournament. A couple of years back, it seemed as if the now 79-year-old commentator would retire his mic permanently after revealing plans for a final season alongside Dennis Taylor. Yet, much to the snooker community's joy, BBC has retained both Virgo and Taylor, with Virgo sharing on the Snookered podcast the update that they're here "for the foreseeable future". READ MORE- Brooklyn Beckham's heartbreakingly 'sad' reason for feud with David and Victoria READ MORE - Meghan Markle's defiant Instagram post after Prince Harry's plea to King Charles "I spoke to one of the producers and I said 'well you know it'll be my last year'," Virgo recounted. "And he said 'no no no, we're not going to do that now. We're going to stay as we are for the foreseeable future', which was fantastic.", reports Wales Online. In his playing days, the Salford native clinched four professional titles, among them the 1979 UK Championship and remained within the Top 16 for seven seasons. Virgo's competitive streak saw him reach the final in both the 1980 Champion of Champions and the 1984 Australian Masters before he hung up his cue in 1994 after 18 years in the pro ranks. He would later enjoy a highly successful broadcasting career, having taken on a new role as co-presenter of the BBC show Big Break three years prior to his retirement from snooker. The programme - hosted by comedian Jim Davidson with Virgo acting as a referee - saw contestants pair up with professional players to compete in various snooker-related rounds for prizes. It was a massive success, running for 11 years with viewership peaking at nearly 14 million people. This led to other opportunities for Virgo, who signed book deals, made numerous pantomime appearances and even launched his own line of waistcoats. However, this came after the snooker star grappled with a gambling addiction that he confesses almost destroyed his life. As his tournament earnings began to dwindle, he started to gamble heavily and, at the peak of his addiction, he lost £10,000 betting on horses within a fortnight. Over six years in the 1980s, he borrowed more than £200,000 against his mortgage to fuel the addiction and "keep up the pretence that [he] was successful". It eventually resulted in his three-bedroom house in Surrey being repossessed, with Virgo handing the keys back to the mortgage lender. He confessed to the Mirror: "It was a vicious circle. I was doing commentary for the BBC and had exhibition work but if you're not winning you are not earning as much. And when you're seen as a successful sportsman, people assume you're earning a good living. "There was pressure on me to have the newest car, a more expensive holiday. It was all about keeping up appearances. When the results weren't coming on the snooker table, I tried to supplement things by gambling on horses even more. I went through a period when I was addicted to gambling." Virgo revealed. "It was a compulsion that I struggled to get to grips with. By 1990, it was in danger of ruining my life," he admitted. "I was borrowing against the mortgage just to keep up the pretence that I was successful. Looking back, I see it was crazy. I think a lot of players may have had issues with gambling. "You are brought up in that environment – hustling in the snooker clubs to earn a few quid and, if there was no one to play, you'd go in the bookies." Discussing how he managed to quit gambling, he shared: "I stopped when I realised I was living beyond my means. I rarely bet these days. I did back the Grand National winner though." Virgo's struggle with addiction unfolded alongside personal troubles including two failed marriages, leading to his son, Gary, and daughter, Brook-Leah. Yet, romance blossomed anew when he tied the knot with publishing executive Rosie Ries in 2009, whom he had known for twenty years. "A mate tried to set us up years ago but then his girlfriend said she wouldn't be interested in me," he recounted. "I was so frightened of a knock-back, I didn't ask her for out for 22 years. By then I'd lived on my own for five years and I needed that time to re-centre myself. "But eventually we went on a date. I used my wit, charm and repartee on her and, blow me down, two months later we got engaged." Reflecting on his third trip down the aisle as the "best day of my life," he couldn't help but gush: "It's been absolutely wonderful."
Daily Mirror
04-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
BBC snooker's John Virgo saw home repossessed as he battled addiction and two failed marriages
John Virgo is one of the most recognisable voices in snooker and has been part of the BBC's coverage of the sport for over 30 years, but his life has been marred by addiction Snooker fans were overjoyed to see John Virgo return to the commentary box for this year's World Championship. But his comeback also reminds viewers of what the table legend has had to overcome on his way back to the microphone. The baize icon will be in attendance as Mark Williams takes on Zhao Xintong in Sunday's World Championship decider. But there are times when Virgo's future on the sidelines looked far from certain. This came after the snooker star grappled with a gambling addiction that he confessed almost destroyed his life. As his tournament earnings began to dwindle, he started to gamble heavily, losing £10,000 betting on horses in just two weeks. Over six years in the 1980s, he borrowed more than £200,000 against his mortgage to fund his addiction and "keep up the pretence that [he] was successful". This eventually resulted in the repossession of his three-bedroom house in Surrey, with Virgo surrendering the keys to the mortgage lender. "It was a vicious circle," he once told Mirror Sport. "I was doing commentary for the BBC and had exhibition work but if you're not winning you are not earning as much. And when you're seen as a successful sportsman, people assume you're earning a good living. "There was pressure on me to have the newest car, a more expensive holiday. It was all about keeping up appearances. When the results weren't coming on the snooker table, I tried to supplement things by gambling on horses even more. I went through a period when I was addicted to gambling. "It was a compulsion that I struggled to get to grips with. By 1990, it was in danger of ruining my life. I was borrowing against the mortgage just to keep up the pretence that I was successful. Looking back, I see it was crazy. I think a lot of players may have had issues with gambling." Virgo also spoke about the culture of gambling embedded within the sport during the early days of his career: "You are brought up in that environment – hustling in the snooker clubs to earn a few quid and, if there was no one to play, you'd go in the bookies." "I stopped when I realised I was living beyond my means. I rarely bet these days. I did back the Grand National winner though." Reflecting on his personal journey alongside his battle with addiction, Virgo disclosed details of his two failed marriages and his children, Gary and Brook-Leah. However, his story takes a hopeful turn after finding happiness with publishing executive Rosie Ries, whom he married in 2009 following a lengthy acquaintance. "A mate tried to set us up years ago but then his girlfriend said she wouldn't be interested in me," said Virgo as he recounted the start of their romance. "I was so frightened of a knock-back, I didn't ask her for out for 22 years. "By then I'd lived on my own for five years and I needed that time to re-centre myself. But eventually we went on a date. I used my wit, charm and repartee on her and, blow me down, two months later we got engaged." He described their wedding day, his third, as the "best day of my life." And of their union in general, he added: "It's been absolutely wonderful." It wasn't long ago it seemed like the now 79-year-old would be retiring for good. That was after it was reported he and fellow snooker legend Dennis Taylor were being put out to pasture at the end of the 2022/23 season. However, much to the delight of snooker fans worldwide, both Virgo and Taylor were retained by the BBC. Speaking on the Snookered podcast, Virgo shared they are now set to stay "for the foreseeable future". "I spoke to one of the producers and I said 'well you know it'll be my last year,'" he said. "And he said 'No no no, we're not going to do that now. We're going to stay as we are for the foreseeable future,' which was fantastic." As a player, the Salford-born star clinched four professional titles, including the 1979 UK Championship, the 1980 Bombay International and the 1984 Professional Snooker League. He was part of the sport's top 16 for seven seasons and finished as a runner-up at the 1980 Champion of Champions and the 1984 Australian Masters before ending his 18-year career in 1994. He went on to enjoy a successful broadcasting career, landing a co-presenter role on the BBC show Big Break three years before retiring from snooker. The programme, hosted by comedian Jim Davidson with Virgo acting as referee, saw contestants team up with professional players for various snooker-related rounds to win prizes. It was a massive success, running for 11 years and attracting nearly 14 million viewers at its peak. And this led to other opportunities for Virgo, including book deals, numerous pantomime appearances and even his own line of waistcoats.
