BBC's iconic snooker commentator's colourful past as house repossessed and addiction
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".
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"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."
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