Hazel Irvine led an emotional tribute to the late John Virgo at the Crucible as the likes of Steven Davis and Stephen Hendry cut emotional figures ahead of the World Championship
Steve Davis and some of snooker’s greats were left fighting tears as the Crucible paid tribute to the late John Virgo ahead of this year’s tournament getting underway. The six-time world champion cut an emotional figure as applause rang around the building in Sheffield to mark the passing of Virgo.
The ‘Voice of Snooker’ died aged 79 at his home in Mijas Costa, Spain in February. Hazel Irvine led a tribute as the BBC’s coverage of the World Championship prepared to get underway with figures such as Stephen Hendry, Dennis Taylor and Ken Doherty lining up to pay their respects before the first match of the tournament.
“Before we get our championship underway, we would first like to pay tribute to our dear friend and colleague John Virgo, who passed away in February,” said Irvine. “It was a tremendous shock to all of us. John was universally loved by everyone in this sport and well beyond it, too. John really was the voice of snooker.”
A small video package was then played before a round of applause was initiated. “And so while we are all desperately sad here, we’re determined to celebrate this great man’s life and work in this sport. So in the Crucible and beyond, we would invite those of you who can to please stand for John and offer a minute’s applause.”
It is not the first time that Virgo’s death has been marked ahead of the tournament.On Thursday snooker’s legends came together at an hour-long memorial at Sheffield Cathedral to pay tribute.
The likes of Hendry and Davis joined Jimmy White and John Parrott and Virgo’s family, including his widow Rosie Ries and his grown-up children Gary and Brook-Leah. Taylor, Hendry, Parrott and Doherty spoke about Virgo from the altar, with Parrott telling the congregation his old pal is now “in the great commentary box in the sky with his good friend Willie Thorne, who we lost a few years ago.”
Davis described Virgo as part of snooker’s furniture. He said, “We’re going to miss him dearly. A great commentator but a good friend to us all, he made you feel very special.
“We all thought we were friends with John because he had a great heart and he was funny, sometimes cantankerous but we loved him for that.
“All in all, he was part of snooker’s furniture, he was part of snooker’s history and a wonderful commentator. He got the best out of every match.”
