John Virgo’s daughter reveals Shaun Murphy gesture in emotional BBC second
John Virgo’s daughter Brook-Leah Murrells issued a touching tribute on BBC during the World Snooker Championship final
The daughter of snooker icon John Virgo made a special appearance during the World Championship final(Image: BBC)
The daughter of late snooker legend John Virgo has revealed a touching gesture from Shaun Murphy in a deeply moving appearance at the World Snooker Championship final. Former player and iconic BBC commentator Virgo passed away earlier this year, with the entire tournament paying tribute to his memory.
His daughter, Brook-Leah Murrells, made a poignant appearance to the Crucible this year and expressed gratitude to the sporting community for their overwhelming support, including finalist Murphy, who Brook-Leah disclosed had ensured tickets were made available for the whole Virgo family, should they choose to attend the final.
BBC presenter Hazel Irvine introduced the segment, with Brook-Leah appearing backstage alongside reporter Abigail Davies, saying: “We had an amazing moment just before we came on air here in the Crucible theatre.
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“Our old friend John Virgo, who passed away in February, we have been marking his passing with some great memories for the whole of the championship – that’s his son Gary – and his daughter Brook-Leah is in the audience as well.
“A massive standing ovation, smiles all around, and indeed Brook-Leah is with Abigail Davies on a momentous night.”
Brook-Leah said: “I am so proud. It’s amazing, this is our snooker family, what an honour to be here and we have been looked after like royalty. We are so grateful and proud doesn’t even touch what we feel about our dad.
“I have probably spent 11 weeks crying so it [reaction to the standing ovation] does not bode well, but the warmth and the stories that everyone [has], you really feel like everyone is going through this loss. It was emotional, inevitably never to be done again, it was something special.”
She later revealed her and family’s reason for attending, with it as her first visit to the iconic Crucible theatre.
“We found it quite difficult, myself and my family,” Brooke-Leah admitted. “Obviously listening to the snooker, he’s missing, and it’s hard for us.
“But Shaun Murphy is a very good friend of our family and he has been messaging all of us, checking in. He flew to Spain for my dad’s private family funeral, he means a lot to us.
“So this morning we woke up at 7am, me, my brother and knew we had to get in that car. So we drove here to be with him and Jo and be a family, that’s what we are.
“I have been saying it all day, every day, ‘how lucky are we to have this guy as our dad?’. What a legend, the voice, keep him alive. It means everything to me and my family, everything.”
The BBC have made numerous emotional tributes to Virgo throughout the World Snooker Championships following his death in February.
Upon learning of the gesture from Murphy, Hazel said: “Fantastic to see Brook-Leah and Gary here as well. They’ve been so, so strong the last few weeks. Obviously at the memorial service Gary gave the most incredible eulogy, he really did.
“And of course Brook-Leah spoke as well there. The mark of Shaun Murphy, the fact he sorted them out with the tickets. They had to be there. That in itself, I did not know that. That’s a wonderful story.”
