The event carried no ranking points, but played a large part in the popularisation of the modern game of snooker.

[1][2] The idea of broadcasting snooker, then still a minor sport, was the brainchild of David Attenborough who was the controller of BBC2 at the time.

[5] The programme continued until 1986, by which time an increasing number of snooker events were being televised and the Pot Black format was becoming outdated.

[1] A one-day Pot Black tournament was held on 29 October 2005, and the final match was broadcast live on the BBC's Grandstand programme.

[2][6] The 2006 edition of the tournament took place at the Royal Automobile Club in Central London on 2 September 2006; Mark Williams defeated John Higgins in the final with a 119 clearance, the highest break in the event's history.

[7] In the 2007 edition, the last Pot Black (to date) which aired on Saturday 6 October 2007,[2][8] Ken Doherty won the final 71–36 against Murphy.

[7] The first was Eddie Charlton's break of 110 against Spencer in 1973, which stood as the tournament's record for many years until overtaken by Murphy's 111 against White in 2005, and the 119 clearance by Williams in 2006.

[1] The total number of points scored by each player could often become crucial, so the matches were always played to a conclusion with the potting of the black ball.

[1] A shot clock timer was added in 1991, to limit the amount of time each player could spend at the table.

The junior tournament was revived in 2006 as a side event to the World Snooker Championship, with the final played on the main match table.