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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."
Wales Online
03-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
BBC star John Virgo had house repossessed amid addiction struggle and two failed marriages
BBC star John Virgo had house repossessed amid addiction struggle and two failed marriages The legendary snooker commentator has overcome personal struggles to become a fan favourite on the BBC Virgo is a popular member of the BBC snooker team (Image:) He is widely known as the voice of snooker and has been part of the BBC's coverage of the sport for over 30 years. John Virgo is back in the commentary box for another World Snooker Championship at the Crucible this year, with fans set to hear plenty of his iconic one-liners and catchphrases - including the famous 'where's the cue ball going?' - over the course of the tournament. A couple of years ago, it looked as though the now 79-year-old would be hanging up his microphone for good, having admitted that he and snooker legend Dennis Taylor would be making their final appearances in the commentary box at the end of the 2022/23 season. However, to the delight of snooker fans everywhere, Virgo and Taylor were kept on by the BBC, with the former telling the Snookered podcast that 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'," Virgo explained. "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 player won 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 runner-up at the 1980 Champion of Champions and the 1984 Australian Masters, before calling time on his 18-year professional career in 1994. Article continues below He would go on to have a hugely successful career in broadcasting, having started a new role as co-presenter of BBC show Big Break three years before his retirement from snooker. The programme - which was presented by comedian Jim Davidson with Virgo starring as a referee - saw contestants team up with professional players to compete in various snooker-related rounds in order to win prizes. It proved a huge hit, running for 11 years with viewing figures peaking at almost 14 million people, and led to other breaks for Virgo, who signed book deals, made numerous pantomime appearances and even released his own range of waistcoats. However, it came after the snooker star wrestled with a gambling addiction that he admits came close to ruining his life. As his tournament earnings began to slump, he began to gamble heavily and, at the height of his addiction, he lost £10,000 betting on horses in the space of a fortnight. Over six years in the 1980s, he borrowed more than £200,000 against his mortgage in order to fund the addiction and "keep up the pretence that [he] was successful". It ultimately led to his three-bedroom house in Surrey being repossessed, with Virgo handing the keys back to the mortgage lender. He told 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. 'It was a compulsion that I struggled to get to grips with. By 1990, it was in danger of ruining my life," Virgo 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." On how he came to stop gambling, he explained: "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 battle with addiction came against the backdrop of two failed marriages, from which he has a son, Gary, and a daughter, Brook-Leah. However, he found love again with publishing executive Rosie Ries, a friend of a friend who he had known for two decades, and they married in 2009. 'A mate tried to set us up years ago but then his girlfriend said she wouldn't be interested in me," he explained. "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. Article continues below '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 his third wedding day as the "best day of my life," he added: "It's been absolutely wonderful.'
