Ex-snooker player turned commentator John Virgo recalled his bumper pay day at Chester Races when talking about the highs and lows of being a problem gambler.

John has since conquered his addiction but the emotional rollercoaster ride of those days features in his autobiography Say Goodnight JV.

The title is a reference to his time on snooker game show Big Break presented by comedian Jim Davidson who always ended the programme with those words. At its height the Saturday night prime-time show attracted nearly 14m viewers.

John Virgo when he appeared as a co-host on BBC TV's Big Break

As a player, Virgo’s career highlight was winning the UK Snooker Championship at Preston in 1979 but as the wins dried up and the prize money diminished, he turned to gambling to supplement his income in a bid to maintain his high roller lifestyle and public image.

He told BBC Radio Five Live: “You get to the stage where if you have a tip for a horse it just takes over your day completely and I mention in 1982 I went to the Crucible for the World Championships. I was playing really well. I had a couple of days off, went to Chester Races and backed a couple of big winners and I’d won practically as much as you got for winning the world title at the time.

“And it upset all my rhythm, my karma, call it what you like and that’s what happened. It just interferes with your normal daily life.”

Now living in Cobham, Surrey, Salford-born John is reported to have once lost £10,000 on the horses in a fortnight and over six years in the late ’80s, borrowed more than £200,000 against his mortgage. He also famously supported friend and colleague Willie Thorne who eventually declared himself bankrupt because of his own very public battle with gambling.

English snooker players Willie Thorne (left) and John Virgo during their first round match at the World Snooker Championship at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, April 1983. Thorne won the match 10-3. (Photo by Adrian Murrell/Getty Images)

Asked by Five Live presenter Sam Walker how life was treating him now, John replied: “Yeah, life is good now, life is good and I think when you look back on it – and if people read the book – then you do get through these dark moments, I don’t care who you are.

“You’ve just got to forgive yourself for what you did the day before and start the new day afresh and just hope you have a little bit of luck along the way and also that you respect people. I think that’s what I’ve tried to do. I’ve come out the other side and it’s a bit late. I’m not getting any younger.”