The snooker world has been plunged into mourning following the sudden death of John Virgo, the former UK champion and beloved BBC commentator. His widow, Rosie Ries, paid an emotional tribute, saying: “We were just days shy of our 16 year wedding anniversary. I can’t imagine life without John, he was the love of my life and my best friend.”
Virgo's close friend James Malyon confirmed that the cause of death was a ruptured aorta, describing it as “completely out of the blue.” Malyon, who was with Mrs Ries at the couple's home in Mijas Costa, Spain, said: “I'm all over the place, it's obviously a bit of a shock, it came out of the blue - just five hours ago. He was a great man, a great character - the life and soul of the party.”
Virgo enjoyed a distinguished career, reaching the World Championship semi-finals in 1979 and winning the UK Championship that year by beating Terry Griffiths 14-13, despite being docked two frames for arriving late to the final session. After retiring in 1994, he became a familiar face on television as co-host of the gameshow Big Break alongside Jim Davidson, with his catchphrase “Where's the cue ball going?” He also commentated on snooker for the BBC for many years.
Ken Doherty, the former world champion who commentated alongside Virgo, said he was “absolutely devastated” by the news. “He was great company. His death is such a loss. He touched so many people's lives,” Doherty said. “Working together we became really close. He was like a godfather to me. I was only with him in Spain before Christmas. We went out for dinner a couple of times and played golf. He had a knack of dramatising the game, he’d have me in stitches. It didn't get any better than that in the commentary box. He told me just last week he was looking forward to working together in Wales, for the Welsh Open.”
Virgo, who was born in Salford and married three times, moved to Spain in 2020. In his 2017 autobiography, “Say Goodnight JV”, he spoke candidly about a severe gambling addiction that nearly destroyed his career, after he borrowed £200,000 and had his home repossessed. He is survived by his wife Rosie and two children from his second marriage, Gary and Brook-Leah.
Friends and family are planning celebrations of his life, with a service in Mijas Costa and a memorial in the UK. Malyon said: “She has a lot of support. It's nice to see how much he meant to so many people. He had such a long and good life.”
