John Virgo's two failed marriages, house repossessed and past addiction struggle

Commentary legend John Virgo will be one of the BBC's star names in the commentary box for the final across Sunday and Monday. However, fans are also reminded of the personal hardships the beloved table veteran faced on his way back to the peak of . Virgo will be in attendance as and collide in the World Championship decider, though he has faced a tumultuous road during his decades long fame.

He previously opened up about his struggles with addiction, admitting it nearly ruined his life. As winnings thinned, he turned to betting on horses, losing a staggering £10,000 in a fortnight. His compulsion saw him borrowing over £200,000 against his mortgage during the '80s to "keep up the pretence that [he] was successful." And that culminated in the loss of his three-bedroom Surrey home after he handed the keys over to his lender.

"It was a vicious circle," he told Mirror Sport. "I was doing commentary for the and had exhibition work but if you're not winning you are not earning as much. And when you're seen as a successful sportsman, people assume you're earning a good living.

"There was pressure on me to have the newest car, a more expensive holiday. It was all about keeping up appearances. When the results weren't coming on the snooker table, I tried to supplement things by gambling on horses even more. I went through a period when I was addicted to gambling.

"It was a compulsion that I struggled to get to grips with. By 1990, it was in danger of ruining my life. I was borrowing against the mortgage just to keep up the pretence that I was successful. Looking back, I see it was crazy. I think a lot of players may have had issues with gambling."

Virgo also shed light on the gambling culture deeply entwined within the sport's early days: "You are brought up in that environment - hustling in the snooker clubs to earn a few quid and, if there was no one to play, you'd go in the bookies. I stopped when I realised I was living beyond my means. I rarely bet these days. I did back the Grand National winner though."

Looking back on his struggles and personal life, Virgo opened up about his two failed marriages and his love for his children, Gary and Brook-Leah. He has found serenity with publishing executive Rosie Ries, and the couple tied the knot in 2009.

"A mate tried to set us up years ago but then his girlfriend said she wouldn't be interested in me," he said while remembering their earliest days as a couple. "I was so frightened of a knock-back, I didn't ask her for out for 22 years.

"By then I'd lived on my own for five years and I needed that time to re-centre myself. But eventually we went on a date. I used my wit, charm and repartee on her and, blow me down, two months later we got engaged."

Virgo, who has tied the knot twice before, labelled their wedding day as the "best day of my life." Describing their marriage, he added: "It's been absolutely wonderful."

The 79-year-old had fans concerned he might retire after rumours swirled he and fellow snooker icon Dennis Taylor would be let go from their BBC roles at the end of the 2022/23 season. But much to the relief of snooker enthusiasts everywhere, both have been confirmed to stay on with the BBC.

"I spoke to one of the producers and I said 'well you know it'll be my last year,'" he told the Snookered podcast. "And he said 'No no no, we're not going to do that now. We're going to stay as we are for the foreseeable future,' which was fantastic."

The Salford-born snooker star had an illustrious playing career, securing four professional titles including the 1979 UK Championship, the 1980 Bombay International and the 1984 Professional Snooker League. He was a top-16 fixture for seven seasons and finished as a runner-up at the 1980 Champion of Champions and the 1984 Australian Masters before hanging up his cue in 1994.

He transitioned into a successful broadcasting career and eanred a co-presenter role on 'Big Break' three years prior to retiring from the table. The programme - fronted by comedian Jim Davidson with Virgo officiating as referee - paired contestants with professional players for various snooker-themed rounds to win prizes.

The show was a roaring success and ran for 11 years, drawing nearly 14million viewers in its heyday. This opened up further avenues for Virgo and led to book deals, numerous pantomime appearances and even his own line of waistcoats.