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John Trevor Virgo (4 March 1946 – 4 February 2026) was an English professional snooker player and sports commentator. After achieving significant success as an amateur, Virgo turned professional in 1976 at age 30 and won four professional titles during his career, including the 1979 UK Championship, where he defeated the reigning World Champion Terry Griffiths 14–13 in the final. A runner-up at the 1980 Champion of Champions, he was a semi-finalist at the 1979 World Championship and the 1986 British Open. He retired from professional play in 1994.
Virgo had a successful broadcasting career working for the BBC. He was a co-presenter of Big Break alongside Jim Davidson from 1991 to 2002 and worked as a commentator on the BBC's coverage of Triple Crown events from his retirement until shortly before his death. Known for his catchphrases in commentary and his impressions of other players, he was inducted into the World Snooker Tour Hall of Fame in 2023. Virgo died in February 2026 at his home in Spain, aged 79.
In 1979, Virgo moved south and joined the group of snooker players that Henry West managed. His snooker-playing fortunes peaked in 1979 when he reached the semi-final of the World Championship, losing 12–19 to the eventual runner-up Dennis Taylor. In the 28th frame, Virgo was close to making a maximum break but missed the twelfth black. He won the 1979 UK Championship, which was not a ranking event at the time. En-route to the final, he defeated Tony Meo, Steve Davis and Dennis Taylor. Virgo overcame the reigning world champion Terry Griffiths in the final by 14–13, despite being docked two frames because of a miscommunication regarding the start time of the next session of play, and arrived 20 minutes late for the match. His victory was not broadcast as the television cameramen were on strike at the time.
In October 1980, Virgo was runner-up in the Group A bracket of the Champion of Champions tournament at the New London Theatre, losing to Doug Mountjoy. Virgo reached his highest ranking, world number 10, during the 1979–80 season. Virgo would not reach the semi-final of a major professional event until the 1982 Jameson International. He was runner-up at the 1984 Australian Masters and won the inaugural 1984 Professional Snooker League. Virgo produced some of his strongest performances, losing just one out of his 11 matches. The prize for the winner was to be £50,000 and a gold cue, but the sponsor ran out of money during the tournament and Virgo received nothing for his victory.
In 1986, Virgo reached the semi-finals of the British Open, losing 4–9 to Willie Thorne. In 1987, he defeated Steve Davis at the same event, which marked the first time Davis had failed to reach the televised stages of a professional tournament. From 1987 to 1989, Virgo was chairman of the World Professional Billiards and Snooker Association (WPBSA). Virgo ended the 1989–90 season as world number 14, but dropped out of the elite top 16 the following season.Eric Hayton (2026). 095485490X, Rose Villa Publications. 095485490X In 1993, Virgo entered the qualifying stages of the Grand Prix and the UK Championship but failed to qualify for the main events, losing both times in round seven. Virgo retired from professional play the following year in 1994.
From 1991 to 2002, Virgo was co-presenter of the snooker-based TV game show Big Break with Jim Davidson. The 30-min show paired three contestants with three tour snooker players in a three-round format to win the contestants prizes. He said his catchphrase "Pot as many balls as you can" when asked by Davidson to explain the first round rules. After that round, Virgo presented a "trick shot" segment, where the losing contestant would try to win a consolation prize by playing a snooker trick shot demonstrated by Virgo.
He was a television snooker commentator, working primarily for the BBC. He made his commentating debut at the 1985 World Championship. In later years, Virgo was known for saying, "Where's the going?", if he saw the cue ball heading towards a pocket for a possible foul.
On the Talking Snooker podcast in September 2021, Virgo announced that he and his colleague Dennis Taylor were to be dropped by the BBC at the end of that season. It was reported in April 2022 that their time with the BBC would be extended to take in the 2022–23 season, but in late 2022 the BBC production team informed Virgo that he would stay on for the "foreseeable future".
In 2023, Virgo became the 35th person to be inducted into the World Snooker Tour Hall of Fame. Virgo's final broadcast as a commentator, seventeen days before his death, was during the 2026 Masters final in which Kyren Wilson defeated John Higgins.
The success of Big Break led Virgo to form his own line of snooker waistcoats with manufacturer Piscador. He also had line sold in John Lewis stores.
Virgo's tribute book to Alex Higgins, Let Me Tell You About Alex, was published in February 2011 and described as "explosive". His book Amazing Snooker Trick Shots was published in April 2012.
In 2012, Virgo featured as himself in Nicholas Gleaves' debut radio play Sunk, in which he guides a young man in his dream of becoming a snooker champion to avoid a life of crime. This was broadcast on BBC Radio 4.
Virgo worked with a pool and snooker table company called Liberty Games to create a web-based series of trick shot videos known as the Trick Shot Academy.
In 2014, Virgo released a trick shot app, John Virgo's Snooker Trick Shots, available on Apple and Android devices.
Virgo died from a ruptured aorta in Spain, on 4 February 2026, aged 79.
| Ranking | He was an amateur. | New players on the Main Tour do not have a ranking. | 18 | 19 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 19 | 14 | 18 | 19 | 19 | 19 | 15 | 13 | 14 | 31 | 49 | 72 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Ranking tournaments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Dubai ClassicThe event was also called the Dubai Masters (1988/1989) | Tournament Not Held | NR | 3R | 1R | 1R | LQ | A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Grand PrixThe event was also called the Professional Players Tournament (1982/83–1983/84) | Tournament Not Held | SF | 2R | 2R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | LQ | LQ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UK Championship | Tournament Not Held | Non-Ranking Event | LQ | 2R | 2R | 2R | QF | 1R | 1R | 1R | LQ | LQ | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| European Open | Tournament Not Held | 3R | 2R | 2R | 2R | LQ | A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Welsh Open | Tournament Not Held | 2R | LQ | WD | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International OpenThe event was also called the Goya Matchroom Trophy (1985/1986) | Tournament Not Held | NR | SF | 1R | 2R | 2R | 2R | QF | 2R | 1R | Not Held | 1R | WD | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Thailand MastersThe event was also called the Asian Open (1989/1990–1992/1993) | Tournament Not Held | Non-Ranking Event | Not Held | 3R | 2R | 1R | LQ | A | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| British OpenThe event was also called the British Gold Cup (1979/1980), Yamaha Organs Trophy (1980/1981) and International Masters (1981/1982–1983/1984) | Tournament Not Held | Non-Ranking Event | 2R | SF | QF | 2R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | LQ | WD | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Championship | A | A | A | 1R | LQ | SF | 2R | 1R | 2R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 1R | 2R | 2R | 1R | LQ | LQ | A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Non-ranking tournaments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| The Masters | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | 1R | 1R | A | A | A | A | 1R | 1R | 1R | A | A | A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Irish MastersThe event was also called the Benson & Hedges Ireland Tournament (1974/1975–1976/1977) | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | 1R | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pontins Professional | A | A | A | A | A | A | W | QF | QF | A | A | QF | A | QF | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| European LeagueThe event was also called the Professional Snooker League (1983/1984) and the Matchroom League (1986/1987 to 1991/1992) | Tournament Not Held | W | Not Held | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | A | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former ranking tournaments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canadian MastersThe event was also called the Canadian Open (1974/1975–1980/1981) | Not Held | Non-Ranking Event | Tournament Not Held | Non-Ranking | 2R | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Hong Kong OpenThe event was also called the Australian Masters (1979/1980–1987/1988 & 1995/1996) and Australian Open (1994/1995) | Tournament Not Held | Non-Ranking Event | NH | 3R | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classic | Tournament Not Held | Non-Ranking Event | 1R | QF | 2R | 2R | 3R | 3R | 3R | 1R | 3R | Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Strachan Open | Tournament Not Held | 1R | MR | NR | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Former non-ranking tournaments | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norwich Union Open | 1R | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canadian Club Masters | Not Held | QF | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Canadian Masters | NH | QF | A | SF | A | A | A | A | Tournament Not Held | A | A | A | R | Tournament Not Held] | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tolly Cobbold Classic | Tournament Not Held | A | SF | A | A | A | A | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Bombay International | Tournament Not Held | A | W | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Champion of Champions | Tournament Not Held | A | NH | F | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| International Open | Tournament Not Held | QF | Ranking Event | Not Held | Ranking | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Classic | Tournament Not Held | SF | A | A | 1R | Ranking Event | Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Pontins Brean Sands | Tournament Not Held | SF | Tournament Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| UK Championship | Tournament Not Held | SF | QF | W | 2R | 1R | QF | 1R | Ranking Event | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| British Open | Tournament Not Held | RR | RR | 2R | LQ | RR | Ranking Event | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| New Zealand Masters | Tournament Not Held | 1R | Not Held | A | A | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tournament Not Held | A | A | A | A | A | F | QF | A | A | NH | R | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Tournament Not Held | 2R | Not Held | QF | QF | 2R | 2R | 1R | Tournament Not Held | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Norwich Union Grand Prix | Tournament Not Held | A | QF | A | Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| World Seniors Championship | Tournament Not Held | 1R | Not Held | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| LQ | lost in the qualifying draw | #R | lost in the early rounds of the tournament (WR = Wildcard round, RR = Round robin) | QF | lost in the quarter-finals |
| SF | lost in the semi-finals | F | lost in the final | W | won the tournament |
| DNQ | did not qualify for the tournament | A | did not participate in the tournament | WD | withdrew from the tournament |
| means an event was not held. |
| means an event is/was no longer a ranking event. |
| means an event is/was a ranking event. |
| UK Championship (1–0) |
| Other (3–2) |
| Winner | 1. | 1979 | UK Championship | Terry Griffiths | 14–13 |
| Winner | 2. | 1980 | Bombay International | Cliff Thorburn | 13–7 |
| Winner | 3. | 1980 | Pontins Professional | Ray Reardon | 9–6 |
| Runner-up | 1. | 1980 | Champion of Champions | Doug Mountjoy | 8–10 |
| Winner | 4. | 1984 | Professional Snooker League | Dennis Taylor | |
| Runner-up | 2. | 1984 | Australian Masters | Tony Knowles | 3–7 |
| Runner-up | 1. | 1975 | Pontins Spring Open | Ray Reardon | 1–7 |
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