BBC commentator and snooker legend John Virgo will be a major part of the coverage of this year's World Snooker Championship final.

Virgo, 79, has been one of the leading voices on the corporation's coverage of the game for decades, and will be covering the clash between Mark Williams and Zhao Xintong, which begins today. Over a long career, he has become well-known for his catchphrases.

These include "Is there a gap? There's always a gap!" and "Where's the cue ball going?", with fans at the Crucible often sporting t-shirts bearing the iconic phrases. The much-loved star was also a top player in his day, winning the UK Championship in 1979.

He reached the ranking of world number 10 in 1979/80 and played until 1994, when he retired from professional play. In 2023 he was inducted in to the World Snooker Tour Hall of Fame.

Virgo, born in Salford in March 1946, became known to a wider audience through his role on snooker-themed BBC One game show Big Break.

He starred alongside host Jim Davidson as the show's resident expert and purveyor of trick shots - some of which went better than others.

He also became known for his jazzy waistcoats as the show built up a loyal following over the 11 years it was on our screens.

While Virgo is known for his genial persona, he has previously spoken of his difficulties with gambling and personal struggles. In 2017 he told the Mirror about the issues he had in the 1980s.