He turned professional in 1976,[2] at a time when players such as Ray Reardon, John Spencer and Eddie Charlton were at the forefront of the sport.

In 1977, he reached the semi-finals of the 1977 UK Championship losing to eventual winner Patsy Fagan by a single frame 8–9.

He overcame the reigning world champion Terry Griffiths in the final, despite being controversially docked two frames because of a miscommunication regarding the start time of the next session of play.

During the 1981 World Championship, he performed some of his impressions, including Alex Higgins, Steve Davis and Ray Reardon.

From 1991 to 2002, Virgo was co-presenter of the snooker-based TV game show Big Break with Jim Davidson.

[4] On the Talking Snooker podcast in September 2021, Virgo announced that he and his colleague Dennis Taylor were to be axed by the BBC at the end of that season.

In 2012, Virgo featured as himself in Nicholas Gleaves' debut radio play Sunk, in which he guides a young man in his dream of becoming a snooker champion to avoid a life of crime.