John Virgo Recalls Working with Jim Davidson on Big Break
The popular snooker-themed gameshow Big Break, which aired on the BBC from 1991 to 2002, was one of the corporation’s biggest hits of the 1990s. The show, which was hosted by comedian Jim Davidson and snooker legend John Virgo, ran for over a decade and became a staple of British television. In a recent interview with Wales Online, Virgo recalled his time working with Davidson on Big Break and how the show’s chemistry was formed.
According to Virgo, he had initial doubts about working with Davidson, who had little knowledge of snooker. However, the show’s soaring viewing figures quickly put any doubts to rest. "I always remember, Jim had a bit of a reputation in the business for being hard work," recalled Virgo. "A few people asked me, ‘How are you getting on working with Jim Davidson?’ I said, ‘He doesn’t bother me, I worked with Alex Higgins for 20 years!’ I wasn’t daunted by working with Jim." Wales Online reports that Virgo and Davidson’s contrasting backgrounds – Virgo a "dour northern socialist" and Davidson a "crafty Conservative comedian" – seemed to work in their favour, with the pair developing undeniable chemistry on screen.
Virgo, who was a close friend of snooker hell-raiser Alex Higgins, had a professional career that was winding down when he was approached to work on Big Break. He told Wales Online that the 1979 UK Championship was the highlight of his career, but he was looking for a new challenge. "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," he said. "I still had the commentary and I still had exhibitions, where I’d do impersonations of other players, which was very popular. Then, all of a sudden, I get this phone call, ‘Would you be interested in doing this TV show, a quiz show with snooker, with his this comedian, Jim Davidson’."
As reported by Wales Online, Virgo has fond memories of working with Davidson, who he described as "a funny man and a very generous man to work with." The show’s format, which saw contestants compete in snooker-themed challenges, proved to be a hit with audiences, with viewing figures peaking at nearly 14 million. "We took over the slot from A Question of Sport on a Tuesday night [before Big Break moved to its early Saturday evening slot] and the viewing figures were better! That shows you the popularity of snooker at the time," said Virgo.
The success of Big Break led to Virgo and Davidson working together on other projects, including pantomime. Virgo revealed that Davidson asked him to perform in pantomime with him at the Ashcroft Theatre in Croydon. "It was certainly a different way of life for me, from being a snooker player to getting into show business," reflected Virgo. "I’d previously done panto with Timmy Mallet. He’d chase me off the stage trying to hit me with his mallet. I was thinking, ‘what am I doing here!?’"
Virgo is currently commentating for the BBC at the World Championship in Sheffield, where he will no doubt be drawing on his years of experience to bring the action to life for viewers. His time working with Davidson on Big Break may be a thing of the past, but it’s clear that the memories of their time together on the show remain fond ones. As Wales Online reports, the chemistry between Virgo and Davidson was a key factor in the show’s success, and their partnership remains one of the most iconic in British television history.
