Overview
- The BBC ended its 17-day World Championship coverage with Hazel Irvine’s on-air goodbye to long-time commentator John Virgo, marking the first Crucible tournament without his voice since 1994.
- Virgo’s daughter, Brook-Leah Murrells, appeared on the broadcast and thanked the snooker community for its care, calling the Crucible crowd’s ovation a special moment for her family.
- Brook-Leah said finalist Shaun Murphy had checked in on the family, flown to Spain for Virgo’s private funeral, and arranged tickets so they could attend the final.
- Wu Yize took the title in a deciding-frame classic over Murphy, 18–17 at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre, earning £500,000 and, according to the BBC coverage, surging to No. 4 in the world rankings.
- Wu praised his parents for years of sacrifice, and BBC pundits John Parrott and Steve Davis highlighted his resilience and a broader shift in the sport as Chinese players set the standard for rivals to match.