Dennis Taylor interview: Why snooker legend is playing in brand-new event... and how he saved someone's life
Dennis Taylor has seen it all during his career of over 50 years as a player and BBC commentator - including, it seems, being involved in a life-saving incident.
This Saturday at the Crucible Theatre, the opening session of the 2026 World Snooker Championship will open with the distinctive tones of 1985 world champion turned BBC lead commentator.
He has been a commentator for the BBC since long before he hung up his cue, though went full-time following his professional retirement in 2000.
When it comes to his standout memories, the Northern Irishman cited his time in the commentary box with Virgo and fellow greats Ted Lowe and Clive Everton, as well as having the privilege to commentate on Ronnie O'Sullivan's historic 147 break - compiled in just five minutes and 22 seconds - during the first round of the 1997 World Championship.
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But he laughs as he recalls inadvertently managing to save Everton's life - or, at the very least, preventing him from serious injury - during one commentary stint.
"You could say I saved Clive Everton's life in the commentary box, at the UK Championship," he tells SPORTbible.
"He was going out through the door, it was high up as well, and the chair he was on... he leant back and it was heading out of the commentary box door.
"He grabbed my tie - luckily, I had a tie on - and it prevented him from a very serious injury.
"I had to cut my tie off in the end, I think, but that was a moment I will never forget."
Taylor, who turned 77 in January, has a busy week in the lead-up to the annual festivities in Sheffield this year.
On Sunday, he was in County Kildare, Ireland, for the John Virgo Trophy - a brand-new tournament in tribute to legendary BBC commentator Virgo, who sadly passed away at the age of 79 in February.
On Monday, he attended Old Trafford with 1997 champion Ken Doherty and none other than Sir Alex Ferguson to watch Manchester United's 2-1 defeat to Leeds. "The way they've been going, the break didn't do them any good," Taylor says, referencing the 24-day gap between fixtures for Michael Carrick's side.
Then, on Wednesday from 7pm, Taylor is taking part in the Snooker 900 Creator Clash, which is being streamed exclusively live for free on Pluto TV.
His snooker cast-mates are former world number two Tony Knowles, two-time ranking event winner Joe Perry and 12-time women's world champion Reanne Evans.
The event will be played under Snooker 900 rules, promoting a more fast-paced brand of snooker, and influencers JaackMate, Pieface23, Sara_Guzo and AaronHunt28 are taking part.
It is a similar path followed by darts in getting content creators and those with significant online platforms involved in the sport of snooker.
"It's a whole new outlet for the game, and for a lot of younger people that want to get involved," Taylor explains.
"That's what we've got to do in the UK, because we're falling behind the likes of the Chinese. We've got some wonderful young talent coming through. But, of course, the facilities they have out there [in China] are second to none for them.
"So this type of tournament is encouraging the youngsters to come along as well. It's for all ages, but it's great to see the young talent coming through."
The John Virgo Trophy itself, which was won by Ronnie O'Sullivan, saw John Higgins, Stephen Hendry and Mark Williams all take part - four players whose careers span Virgo's entire stint in the commentary booth.
The start of the 2026 tournament will be a highly emotional one for everybody at the BBC following the passing of Virgo, who suffered a sudden ruptured aorta at his home in February. He had commentated on the final of the Masters a week earlier.
His maiden tournament for the BBC was the 1985 World Championship - the year that Taylor lifted the trophy after beating Steve Davis in a final-frame decider in the iconic 'Black Ball' final.
"The Class of '92 being there, that was fantastic," Taylor says of the John Virgo Trophy. "I mean, it took a bit to get those four players together, so it was a great couple of days.
"I was involved in the commentary a bit in the studio. And then I got to do my trick shots on the Sunday, which was nice, to get 800 people standing up after the trick shots. It was terrific.
"We did shows [Taylor and Virgo], the Black Ball final for nine years. We did the special 40th anniversary, so John did all those with us.
"Even up until the week before he passed away, we had three terrific shows.
"It came as a shock because he wasn't ill, so it was a bit of a shock for everybody. It was a nice little touch that his daughter Brook-Leah and son Gary were there to present the prizes.
"He'll be missed in the commentary box, that's for sure, at the Crucible."
What of this year's World Championship, which has been widely tipped to be one of the most open Crucible fields in history?
"I've tipped Zhao Xintong to beat the Crucible Curse," Taylor says. "Nobody's ever gone back and defended the title after winning it for the first time.
"I've got him to win it, but I've got Ronnie a close second.
"Ronnie can create another piece of history and win eight, just to overcome Stephen Hendry's [record of] seven.
"He's at the top of his form. The way he played against John Higgins [to win the John Virgo Trophy]... it was quite serious, that tournament. It was more serious than an exhibition, which is what it was intended to be.
"But if you looked at the players, the way they were concentrating, they were using it as a platform to get a bit of form in for Sheffield. Ronnie absolutely destroyed John in the final, 6-0."
Taylor thinks that O'Sullivan could play for another 10 years if he wants to, citing his enjoyment of playing tournaments in China and Saudi Arabia.
O'Sullivan is set to enter the World Seniors Championship after the main tournament finishes at the Crucible, along with Williams and Stuart Bingham.
Either of O'Sullivan or Williams could become the first in history to win both titles in the same year - even though Williams is, bizarrely, already a winner of the World Seniors despite being under the age limit of 50 at the time.
"He wasn't quite 40. He had to be over 40 - I don't know how he got into it!" Taylor recalled. "But he won the World Seniors when he was 39.
"Then he won the World Championship, which was a bit embarrassing for him to win the Seniors and then win the World Championship!
"The fact that those players are in it [this year] is making it difficult for Ken Doherty, who has won all the world titles - world junior, world amateur, then the World Championship. The only one he hasn't won is the Seniors. He's going to find it difficult to make it a full swing.
"But the Seniors is going to be fantastic. It was last year, but with the field they've got now, it will be quite incredible."
Taylor will be hoping to be in the commentary booth when the final shots are played at this year's World Championship.
One of his favourite moments at every tournament, he says, is to commentate on the immediate aftermath of a final-winning shot.
"Closing the game out, it's excitement, and you want to get the right words out," he says. "Especially if it's a new player that comes through, or somebody that's done something very special.
"But anybody winning a world title, just to have been in the commentary box and just see the whole joy of them knocking the ball in to win it, it's just amazing.
"And if it happens to be a new world champion, which there has been over the last few years, it's wonderful to be there.
"You just can't beat commentating live. I love the challenge of being live on television. If you happen to make a little mistake, I love the challenge of having to talk your way out of it!"
The Snooker 900 Creator Clash is being streamed exclusively live on Pluto TV from The Crucible Sports and Social Club, Reading. Dennis Taylor, Tony Knowles, Reanne Evans and Joe Perry will team up with four influencers - Jaackmate, Pieface23, Sara_Guzo and AaronHunt28 - to take part in a special tournament.
Topics:Ā Ronnie OSullivan, Snooker, World Snooker Championship, Spotlight
Ryan Smart