John Virgo is expecting the BBC to axe both him and Dennis Taylor from commentary duty after next year's World Snooker Championship.
The 75-year-old has become one of the most iconic 'voices of snooker' since the 1980s and his catchphrase of 'where's the cue ball going' is one of the most famous in BBC sports commentary history.
Taylor, 72, is also a widely popular presence in the Beeb's commentary box for the major televised tournaments but in recent times there have been suggestions in some quarters that snooker coverage needs a more youthful change in direction.
Even world number two and 2019 Crucible champion Judd Trump told The Metro earlier this year: "There’s not enough trying out new things in snooker for me at the moment, it’s all the same every season, not enough excitement, not enough different dimensions. Change the coverage, the commentators who have been around a long time, change the way the game is spoken about."
Former UK champion Virgo, who played in the first ever World Championship to be played at the Crucible in 1977, told the Talking Snooker Podcast: "Listen, you never know what’s round the corner in life, but it looks like this will be my last season. Not my choice, theirs (the BBC). Along with Dennis apparently.
"Scoop or whatever it is, I don’t know, but that’s what we’re getting, that this will be our last season. I think that’s definite. The World Championship will be our last one. It’s not my decision, I love the game and everything else. But I understand, nothing lasts for ever, I understand that.
"That’s the decision they’re making, so yeah, I haven’t really felt it at the moment but I probably will do come the World Championship. There will be a lot of memories there, memories from when we first went there in ’77. So it will be hard, but as I say, nothing lasts forever, and I’ll give it my best shot and that will be it.
"I think they’re probably looking for people who are more in touch with the modern day player. Although I think all players are the same aren’t they? They play shots, there’s not many shots that people play that I haven’t seen, you know. I’m not criticising the decision, I know nothing lasts for ever.
"The BBC have been fantastic to me, in my commentary career, Big Break... if that’s the decision that’s the decision, we’ll just have to accept it and enjoy it on the telly."
On Trump’s comments, Virgo added: "I still think we’ve got something to offer. I don’t think the shots have changed, I don’t think the mentality [has changed]. When somebody misses an easy shot you can put your finger on why they did it.
"If someone’s in a spot of bother…Dennis is the best line-drawer in the business, if someone’s in a snooker. Being younger, you might put an emoji on the bottom of it, but how are you going to better it?
"But no, I understand. I think over the years we’ve had the experience to talk when we need to talk, to be quiet when we need to let the pictures tell the story.
"It will change, sooner rather than later, but I won’t have any complaints because I’ve enjoyed it."
