Snooker legend reveals he never expected Big Break to last with Jim Davidson

People Also Read

Young Welsh Couple’s Race Across Asia: Love, Diabetes, and Unbreakable Bonds

Tragic End: Football Fan Takes Own Life Hours After Racism Allegation Shakes Chester FC

Seven Injured in Three-Car Collision on A541 at Bodfari; Road Remains Closed

John Virgo once confessed he had serious doubts about teaming up with comedian Jim Davidson for the BBC’s snooker-themed game show Big Break, a partnership that many thought unlikely to succeed given their contrasting backgrounds. The show, which ran from 1991 to 2002 and paired contestants with professional snooker players, became a staple of British television, with Davidson’s lack of snooker knowledge and Virgo’s reputation as a “dour northern socialist” raising eyebrows about the show’s potential longevity.
Despite his initial skepticism, Virgo watched the show’s ratings soar, ensuring its place on the air for over a decade and cementing its status as a Saturday night favorite, sometimes drawing audiences close to 14 million viewers at its peak. Virgo, a former UK Championship winner and close friend of the infamous Alex Higgins, looks back fondly on those years, recalling, “I always remember, Jim had a bit of a reputation in the business for being hard work,” and adding, “A few people asked me, ‘How are you getting on working with Jim Davidson?’ I said, ‘He doesn’t bother me, I worked with Higgins for 20 years!’ I wasn’t daunted by working with Jim.”
Their unlikely chemistry became one of the show’s defining features, with Virgo reflecting, “It’s a funny thing about life. He’s your crafty Conservative comedian and I’m your dour northern socialist. How do you come up with that? But obviously the chemistry worked.”
Although Davidson was no expert in snooker, Virgo praised his colleague’s wit and generosity, saying, “Although Jim didn’t know much about snooker, what a funny man and a very generous man to work with. We really got on well.” The timing of the show was fortuitous for Virgo, whose playing career was winding down, and he remembers, “The ‘79 UK [Championship] was the highlight of mine. I’d got to a few semi-finals but you could see I was slightly on the wane.”
Virgo continued to entertain through commentary and exhibitions, known for his impersonations and catchphrases, until a call came inviting him to join the new quiz show with Davidson. “In all honesty, after doing the first couple of shows, I was thinking, ‘I don’t see how this works’. Anyway, we did eight,” he said, recalling how the show initially took over the slot from A Question of Sport and quickly outperformed it in the ratings, a testament to snooker’s popularity in the early 1990s.
The show’s run extended to 212 episodes over 10 series, and its appeal was such that it became one of the longest-running game shows of its era, blending general knowledge with snooker challenges and featuring a memorable theme song by Captain Sensible. Even after Big Break ended, Virgo and Davidson’s partnership continued on stage, performing together in pantomime, with Virgo reflecting, “It was certainly a different way of life for me, from being a snooker player to getting into show business.”
He recalls earlier pantomime experiences with Timmy Mallet and how Davidson later invited him to perform together, further cementing their unlikely but enduring friendship. Today, Virgo remains a familiar voice for snooker fans, providing commentary for the BBC at the World Championship in Sheffield, while Big Break’s legacy endures as a unique blend of sport, comedy, and television history that captured the imagination of a generation.