BBC snooker legend John Virgo died in Spain in February on the age of 79. His reason behind loss of life, ultimate hours and Jim Davidson’s emotional name have been disclosed.
John Virgo and his spouse Rosie attend the funeral of the previous disc jockey and TV presenter DJ Ed ‘Stewpot’ Stewart (Picture: PA)
John Virgo’s presence will probably be profoundly felt on the Crucible Theatre because the World Snooker Championship will get underway on Saturday, months after his passing on the age of 79. The legendary snooker determine died in Spain on February 4, sending shockwaves via the game.
He competed professionally for 18 years, claiming the UK Championship and reaching the World Championship semi-finals in 1979. But it might be Virgo’s post-retirement profession that introduced him widespread recognition. After stepping away from aggressive snooker in 1994, the Salford-born persona would host Large Break alongside comic Jim Davidson and went on to turn out to be a beloved BBC commentator.
His ultimate commentary got here simply 17 days earlier than his passing, when Kyren Wilson defeated John Higgins within the Masters ultimate. Virgo’s memorable catchphrases, together with ‘the place’s the cue ball going?’, grew to become synonymous with snooker.
Virgo’s shut good friend, James Malyon, confirmed that the snooker legend died in a Costa del Sol hospital following a ruptured aorta. The 46-year-old, who often performed golf with Virgo, mentioned he raced to the hospital in Benalmadena after receiving a name from his spouse Rosie Ries.
She referred to as Malyon within the early hours of the morning to report a well being emergency, however he was regrettably too late to say a ultimate goodbye. On the time, Malyon mentioned: “He handed away round 5:30am right now.
“He woke Rosie up round 2:30 this morning and he or she referred to as an ambulance and he was taken to hospital the place round three hours later he handed away. He had suffered a ruptured aorta which is the principle artery working down the physique.
“In response to the physician there’s nothing medical that causes it, it may simply occur, which is a bit scary, and he mentioned that with a rupture like that, if it had occurred to a match 30-year-old man it might virtually definitely have been the identical end result.
“So it wasn’t because of any underlying well being points, it wasn’t because of any ongoing sickness, and that is why it has been so robust as a result of it was simply utterly out of the blue.”
Recalling his shut bond with Virgo, he went on to say: “John had been okay. A gaggle of us went out for a drink in December when Dennis Taylor was over and he was in good type.
“He had gone again to the UK a couple of weeks in the past commentating for the Masters in Alexandra Palace, then he got here again to Spain for the weekend and returned once more to Britain to do a few exhibitions for 3 or 4 days.
“He’d bought again to the Costa del Sol on Friday and I spoke with him solely yesterday afternoon round about 2:30pm. John and Rosie had simply bought again from the Miramar Purchasing Centre in Fuengirola and had been doing the traditional on a regular basis issues. He was proper as rain.”
Malyon described Virgo’s ultimate hours earlier than his tragic loss of life, revealing it had been a “completely regular” day previous to the medical emergency.
John Virgo in motion in the course of the 1987 World Snooker Championship (Picture: Getty Photographs)
He mentioned: “It had been a very regular day for him, nothing out of the extraordinary. It could have been their sixteenth marriage ceremony anniversary on February 9 and it might have been his eightieth birthday on March 4. Rosie’s clearly very gutted.
“That they had plans to go for dinner collectively on the ninth and have been planning a visit collectively to Madrid for a beautiful weekend to have a good time his eightieth however now clearly that is not going to occur. They got here to Spain across the Covid period and spent a whole lot of the lockdown in Fuengirola whereas that they had renovation work accomplished on their villa right here.”
He continued: “Rosie referred to as me and I did not sadly get to hospital in time to see him earlier than he died however to the perfect of my information there was going to be a CT scan but it surely all occurred so shortly it was inconceivable for them to do something.
“I bought to the hospital round half an hour earlier than John handed away. It is scary how life can go like that and that is what’s so laborious for everybody as a result of all of it occurred so quick.”
Former Large Break co-star Davidson, in the meantime, discovered of his pricey good friend’s heartbreaking loss of life via Virgo’s daughter, Brooke-Leah.
The comic had already taken a name from an acquaintance discussing the loss, but it surely was the snooker legend’s daughter who ensured Davidson was knowledgeable.
The pair solid a particular friendship throughout their internet hosting partnership on Large Break, collaborating on the programme for greater than a decade. The present matched contestants with professionals to compete in snooker-based challenges for prizes and proved enormously in style within the Nineteen Nineties.
Davidson spoke in regards to the distressing telephone name with Virgo’s daughter on his YouTube channel in February. He mentioned: “Howdy everyone, you already know what I am right here for, do not you? Simply to discuss the tragic information this morning, which I’ve solely simply obtained, that my good friend JV, John Virgo has handed away. 79 years of age.
“My mate Mark referred to as me and mentioned, ‘Have you ever seen the information?’ I assumed, ‘Oh God, what now? What have the Beckhams accomplished, what has Epstein accomplished?’ However no, John Virgo has handed away. His daughter simply referred to as me, his stunning daughter, Brooke-Leah. Everyone is in shock.
“He died at 5 o’clock this morning, it is now 10 o’clock UK time. John lived in Spain with Rosie. It is a cliche however our ideas and minds and hearts exit to Brooke-Leah and Gary and the kids.”
Davidson honoured his good friend in the course of the dialog, reminiscing about their preliminary encounter and the connection they constructed over racing. He mentioned: “Nice bloke, John. I first met him at a racecourse and we bought chatting. He had a racehorse, we appreciated the races. He was a staunch Northerner from Salford, a Labour supporter.
“I did know him effectively, I used to be requested to do a present about snooker referred to as Large Break. The pilot was accomplished by the late Mike Reid and there was no John Virgo. I mentioned, ‘OK, I will do it, however I need this man referred to as John Virgo.’ They mentioned ‘Who?’ and I mentioned ‘You may love him.’ He did not even audition, he simply turned up.
Get event schedules, scores, gamers updates and majors information plus chosen gives and competitions Subscribe Invalid electronic mail
We use your sign-up to supply content material in methods you have consented to and to enhance our understanding of you. This will embody adverts from us and third events primarily based on our understanding. You possibly can unsubscribe at any time. Learn our Privateness Coverage
“We bought on like a home on fireplace, he did pantomime with me, he did my TV reveals and solely final week I spoke to him about coming all the way down to Ustreme Studios to participate in my 50-year anniversay since New Faces.”
Davidson went on to say: “He was an important bloke, we have been like chalk and cheese however we bought on nice and he was humorous. He was an important snooker participant, he was an important dad and he was an important bloke. See you, JV.”
Leave a Reply