John Virgo died in Spain earlier this month and snooker icon Stephen Hendry has described how the incident left him in “complete shock”
Snooker icon Stephen Hendry has confessed he was left in “complete shock” upon hearing John Virgo had died. The legendary commentator’s death at the age of 79 in Spain was confirmed in early February.
The news sent shockwaves through the snooker community. Virgo had been a vocal part of Hendry’s rise to become a seven-time world champion, and in recent years, they had also become colleagues at the BBC.
The Scot also shared Steve Davis‘ initial reaction when Virgo’s death was announced, encapsulating the collective sense of loss felt by everyone involved in the sport. Speaking on the Snooker Club podcast, Hendry said: “His voice, as we know, has just become synonymous with snooker. I got a call from Ken Doherty whilst I was in China and it was a complete shock.
“And literally two weeks before, I’d been in the box with him at the final of the Masters. Steve called me [to] say he’d been literally a week working with John [for] four nights [in] great spirits. That was just complete shock.”
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Virgo gained recognition as a co-presenter on Big Break throughout the 1990s. However, his BBC commentary debut came at the 1985 World Championship, and he became an integral part of the snooker landscape over the next four decades.
Consequently, Hendry admitted he’s somewhat apprehensive about this year’s Crucible. The event won’t feel the same without Virgo fulfilling his customary role from the commentary booth, and his former colleague is acutely conscious of just how deeply he’ll be missed.
“At the moment, I’m not really looking forward to Sheffield,” he added. “Because the prospect of him not being there, not sharing a commentary box with him is…it’s not going to be as enjoyable.”
Shaun Murphy attended Virgo’s funeral, which took place in Spain on Valentine’s Day earlier this month. He shared a photograph on Instagram of the memorial service card placed on a beach, with the caption: “Goodnight JV.”
Former world champion Doherty has also organised a memorial service to be held in Sheffield on April 16, shortly before this year’s World Snooker Championship. The gathering will take place at Sheffield Cathedral and is billed as a “celebration of John Virgo’s life.”
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It’s a mark of Virgo’s lasting impact that so many prominent figures in the world of snooker have offered tributes following his death. And despite facing health challenges previously, it’s evident nobody anticipated the heartbreaking news.
This year’s World Championship will be particularly poignant as a result, with a significant presence set to be absent from the event. And it may affect Hendry more than most as he’ll be without one of his usual colleagues on the sport’s grandest stage.
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