The daughter of late snooker legend John Virgo made a poignant appearance at the final of the World Snooker Championship, where she was visibly moved by a standing ovation and a kind gesture from finalist Shaun Murphy.
Emotional Visit to the Crucible
Brook-Leah Murrells, John Virgo's daughter, attended the Crucible Theatre in Sheffield for the first time to witness the championship final. Speaking to BBC reporter Abigail Davies, she expressed her pride and gratitude for the overwhelming support from the snooker community following her father's sudden death earlier this year.
BBC presenter Hazel Irvine introduced the segment, noting that Virgo's son Gary was also in the audience. The crowd gave a massive standing ovation, which left Brook-Leah emotional. "I am so proud. It's amazing, this is our snooker family, what an honour to be here and we have been looked after like royalty," she said.
Shaun Murphy's Kindness
Brook-Leah revealed that Shaun Murphy, a close family friend, had ensured tickets were available for the entire Virgo family. "Shaun Murphy is a very good friend of our family and he has been messaging all of us, checking in. He flew to Spain for my dad's private family funeral, he means a lot to us," she explained.
Irvine later commented on the gesture, saying, "The mark of Shaun Murphy, the fact he sorted them out with the tickets. They had to be there. That in itself, I did not know that. That's a wonderful story."
Tributes Throughout the Tournament
The World Snooker Championship paid tribute to John Virgo throughout the 17-day event. Virgo, a former professional and iconic BBC commentator, died in February at the age of 79, just weeks after commentating on the Masters final. Stephen Hendry, speaking alongside Steve Davis, remarked, "It feels weird John not being in that box commentating on the final. It feels very strange."
Brook-Leah admitted the visit was difficult but meaningful. "We found it quite difficult, myself and my family. Obviously listening to the snooker, he's missing, and it's hard for us," she said. However, she added that the warmth and stories shared by everyone made her feel that the loss was shared by the entire snooker family.
