Snooker star Shaun Murphy has spoken exclusively about the 'horrific' death of his friend and fellow commentator John Virgo, as he celebrates receiving an OBE for services to snooker and charity. The 43-year-old, known as 'The Magician', also shared details of his engagement to pianist Jo Rochell and their future plans.
Remembering John Virgo
Virgo, a former snooker player and beloved broadcaster, died suddenly in February at the age of 79 from a ruptured aorta. Murphy recalled their last meeting in January, after he lost 6-2 to China's Wu Yize at Alexandra Palace, knocking him out of the Masters. 'I was sick after the match and had just cleared out of the dressing room - my hopes and dreams in a bag. I walked through the players' lounge and JV was sitting there. He said, 'unlucky there, son',' Murphy said. 'I had no concept that would be the last time we'd ever see him. It's horrific really, absolutely horrific.'
Murphy fondly remembered their time together in the commentary box at the Crucible, sharing egg custards from a nearby bakery. 'At Wimbledon they're having Champagne, but in snooker we were sharing egg custard from the bakery opposite the stage door,' he laughed. 'John was always so free with his time and always had a cheeky story to tell. He was great at putting his arm around you when you'd lost.'
Wedding Plans and Family Life
Murphy got engaged last year to Jo Rochell, 37, a pianist from Yorkshire. He proposed on one knee in their kitchen, and she accepted, saying, 'He makes a great cup of tea.' The couple, who live in Formby, Merseyside, with their chocolate Labrador Elton, have not yet set a wedding date. They are planning to launch a podcast called 'Cleaning the Table', described as 'part romance/part sport'. 'The idea behind the podcast is that we'll bring something that has irritated us that week to chat about,' Murphy said. Jo joked, 'It's going to be a long list - the podcast will take hours!'
Murphy co-parents his children, Harry, nine, and Molly, seven, with his second wife Elaine O'Reilly, who lives in Ireland, following their amicable split in 2023. He said, 'It's difficult because, obviously, I'm parenting from a distance - across the Irish Sea - but I'm open and honest in a way that was never allowed in my house growing up. I'm so proud of my kids. Harry loves to play snooker - I just bought him a table. And Molly loves to be a referee. They're a great team.'
Childhood Struggles and Resilience
Murphy's path to success was forged in hardship. His family faced severe financial difficulties in the 1980s, losing everything and surviving by doing car boot sales and house clearances. 'We had nothing. My family, my mum and dad [Tony and Jean] went through extremely bad financial times... We lived in a little house, had a white van and survived by doing car boot sales and house clearances,' he said. 'If we weren't playing snooker, we were emptying somebody's house.'
At age 13, Dr. Martens sponsored him, buying him the snooker table from the Big Break TV show set and funding an extension to the family home to house it. 'It was a sliding doors moment. And the start of things getting big. At 13, they invited me to a store opening with Madonna. She must have thought, 'who on Earth is this child on stage with me?''
His childhood reading material was unusual: the Miller's Antiques guide. 'That was my night bedtime reading,' he said. The knowledge helped his family spot valuable items in house clearances to sell at auction. 'Any money we had spare paid an entry fee for me to play in a junior tournament. The money I won paid the rent on the house. The winner sometimes got up to £500. Losing wasn't an option. We couldn't afford to lose.'
Overcoming Adversity
At age 10, Murphy was nearly banned from the Rushden Embassy Snooker Club because he kept winning against grown men. 'These grown men tried to snooker me! That money was the difference between us paying the rent or not,' he said. He later declined an invitation to the club's grand reopening, calling it 'one of the best moments of my life'.
Murphy also tackled a lifelong weight problem in 2022 by having a gastric sleeve operation, removing 80% of his stomach. 'I couldn't reach across the table, my stomach got in the way. People would body shame me in comments online, which made me feel worse. At my heaviest, I was pushing 21 stone,' he said. 'The gastric sleeve worked - I wish I'd had it 20 years ago. It's saved my life.'
Future Ambitions
Despite winning the World Championship in 2005 at age 22, and recent victories including the Masters and British Open last year, Murphy still aims to become world champion again. He came second in the world championships in May. 'I still feel in my prime and can't wait to see what's to come. On my bucket list? To be world number one. Watch this space…'
He also runs a popular YouTube channel, 'Shaun Murphy Snooker', and provides commentary for Eurosport and discovery+ after stopping with the BBC in April over a contractual dispute. Reflecting on receiving the OBE letter, he said, 'When an envelope arrives with 'His Majesty's Service' on it, you're either going to the Palace or to prison… so I'm pleased it wasn't the latter.'
