Snooker world turns out to remember John Virgo

Snooker stars and fans gathered at Sheffield Cathedral to pay tribute to the voice of the sport. Snooker world turns out in Sheffield to remember John Virgo Ken Doherty shares memories of snooker legend John Virgo in Sheffield Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Snooker fans and stars of the sport turned out to remember John Virgo A man wearing a shirt with a snooker table and balls printed on stood outside Sheffield Cathedral. Snooker world turns out to remember John Virgo Stars of the green baize turned out in snooker's home city for a memorial service to former player and commentator John Virgo. Virgo, who died aged 79 in February, reached the World Snooker Championship semi-finals at the city's Crucible in 1979 and was a professional for 18 years before picking up the microphone for the BBC in 1994. Ahead of the start of this year's competition on Saturday, the service in Virgo's memory took place earlier at Sheffield Cathedral, a short walk from the Crucible. Former world champion turned pundit Ken Doherty said Virgo was a "wonderful character" whose voice was "synonymous with snooker". Doherty was among those in attendance at Thursday's memorial along with seven-time world champion Stephen Hendry, Steve Davis, Jimmy White, Dennis Taylor, John Parrot and Virgo's widow, Rosie Ries. A host of players taking part in this year's tournament also attended the event, including Shaun Murphy, John Higgins, Neil Robertson, Mark Allen and Mark Williams. Legendary snooker commentator John Virgo died in February aged 79 A pamphlet advertising the memorial service for John Virgo is held up by a pair of hands. Outside the cathedral, snooker fan Jim Fitzpatrick wore a shirt emblazoned with a snooker table design and Virgo's name. He said he'd remember the personality as "funny" and someone who "didn't take sport too seriously". To many, Salford-born Virgo was the voice of snooker and, despite a career which took him to a world ranking of 10, he was perhaps best known for his post-playing career. Virgo presented popular snooker TV show Big Break alongside comedian Jim Davidson from 1991 to 2002 as well as his commentary work. Current and ex-players, including Dennis Taylor and Cliff Thorburn, pictured here, turned out to remember John Virgo Dennis Taylor and Cliff Thorburn, two men with grey hair both wearing sunglasses, smiling for a photo outside Sheffield Cathedral. Virgo's final BBC commentary came in January, 17 days before his death, for the 2026 Masters final. Remembering his friend and former colleague, Doherty said: "The way he could draw a listener in, tell a story and build the drama, that's an art in itself. "It was just wonderful to share so many times in the commentary box with him and have so many laughs with him as well." Dennis Taylor, the 1985 world champion who later shared commentary duties with Virgo on the BBC, also paid tribute to him. "John wasn't only loved by snooker fans around the world, he was loved for what he did on Big Break with Jim Davidson - people watched that show in their millions - and, of course, he did a lot of pantomime," he said. "He had an awful lot of support there, which was wonderful. There were some lovely words from Brook Leah, his daughter, and Gary, his son." Another of Virgo's BBC colleagues, 1991 world champion John Parrott, praised him as a "brilliant broadcaster and tremendous commentator, but a great friend". "[He was] just someone who enhanced the viewing for anybody who tuned in to watch snooker." Ken Doherty remembers John Virgo in Sheffield Are running for political office, have you held political office or have you been involved in a political or campaigning organisation in the last 10 years? A 'special' snooker player who became a TV star - John Virgo obituary Listen to highlights from South Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North Parts of Pinstone Street and Charles Street will shut for upgrade work on the roads and pavements. Dr Chris Montgomery says the team is "interested in anything that's rude, that's a bit naughty". Yorkshire Cancer Research says the study on glioblastoma will make trial treatments available.