Steve Davis and some of snooker’s greatest names were left battling back tears as the Crucible honoured the late John Virgo ahead of this year’s tournament kicking off. The six-time world champion appeared visibly moved as applause echoed around the venue in Sheffield to remember Virgo.
The ‘Voice of Snooker’ passed away aged 79 in Mijas Costa, Spain in February. Hazel Irvine fronted a tribute as the BBC‘s coverage of the World Championship prepared to begin with figures including Stephen Hendry, Dennis Taylor and Ken Doherty gathering to pay their respects ahead of the opening match of the competition.
This was not the first occasion that Virgo’s passing had been commemorated ahead of the tournament. On Thursday, snooker’s greatest names gathered for an hour-long memorial service at Sheffield Cathedral to honour his memory.
The likes of Hendry and Davis were joined by Jimmy White and John Parrott alongside Virgo’s family, including his widow Rosie Ries and his grown-up children Gary and Brook-Leah. Taylor, Hendry, Parrott and Doherty each spoke about Virgo from the altar.
Parrott told those gathered that his friend 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.”