The snooker world is still in mourning after the tragic death of legend John Virgo and one of his close friends Dennis Taylor has issued a heartfelt tribute
Dennis Taylor has paid an emotional tribute to snooker hero John Virgo(Image: BBC)
Dennis Taylor has issued an emotional tribute to late friend and snooker legend John Virgo. Sporting icon Virgo died at the age of 79 earlier this month.
Virgo made a name for himself first as a player, winning the 1979 UK Championship, and then as a broadcaster. He was widely known and loved as a mainstay of the BBC’s snooker coverage and for his role in the hit game show Big Break.
Fellow great Taylor appeared alongside Virgo on the programme and the two also shared many memorable moments in the commentary box. They provided the soundtrack as Ronnie O’Sullivan mustered the fastest maximum break the game has ever seen at the 1997 World Snooker Championship.
Virgo, who for roughly four decades was the unequivocal voice of snooker, died on February 4 in Spain after suffering a ruptured aorta. His dear friend Taylor has now paid his respects on the BBC during their coverage of the Welsh Open on Monday.
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“John Trevor Virgo. What a showman, what a commentator and what an entertainer. He had it all,” said Taylor. “I’ve known John for over 50 years.
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“Our careers sort of ran alongside one another. We learned our trade in the commentary box and it was something we were both passionate about.
“John’s attitude was similar to mine: ‘Let’s sit in the commentary box and chat as if you were sitting in somebody’s lounge watching a game of snooker with them’.
“We also became two of the best entertainers in the game. That’s why we got so much work at exhibitions, because of the jokes and the trick shots and because of John and the impersonations.
“His Ray Reardon used to be terrific. I was easy to do. John used to go over and get the big novelty pair of glasses, stick them on, grab the cue and squint at the cue and turn it upside down and chalk the butt end of the cue.
“When we’d do the shows together, we’d get asked, ‘What’s your best achievement?’ John’s answer was, ‘Getting a phone call from the BBC and getting invited to do Big Break.’
“A couple of working-class boys making a living knocking little round balls about with a piece of wood. We’ve had a wonderful life. John had a wonderful, wonderful life.
“John, myself and Steve Davis did the black ball final shows for the last nine years at theatres in the UK. I’ve got a wonderful photograph they took at the last show, John’s very last photograph.
“I will treasure that photograph forever. He will be sadly missed by the whole of the snooker fraternity, sadly missed in the commentary box and I miss him daily. As Jim Davidson used to say at the end of every Big Break show, ‘Say Goodnight, JV.’
“Goodnight, JV.”
