Hazel Irvine is an established name in the broadcasting world and a familiar face in the BBC’s Winter Olympics coverage. Best known for hosting the World Snooker Championship and other events in the sport’s Triple Crown, Irvine was among those who paid a touching tribute to BBC commentator John Virgo, who passed away unexpectedly this week at 79. “He had such a great voice,” she told BBC News when speaking about her colleague. “He had such gravitas. But also he had the wit and the humour that could keep us all on the edge of our seats. He was hugely loved. And I think he’s completely irreplaceable.”
The Scottish presenter is a true all-rounder, having reported on a wide range of sports across a career that has spanned nearly 40 years. Irvine, who covered the Masters snooker last month now finds herself in a vastly different setting with the 2026 Games in Milan and Cortina well underway. A rapid change of scenery is nothing new for the 60 year old, who has had no trouble adjusting in the past and proved very successful at keeping her private life private while her career keeps her in the public eye. Here’s a glimpse into Irvine’s life outside the BBC Sport studio….
Secret wedding
Irvine might be a regular fixture on our screens but that doesn’t change the fact that little is known about Irvine’s personal life as she prefers to keep things private. It may have come as a surprise to fans, then, when it was emerged that the St Andrews-born presenter had married her long-term partner in 2008.
It was a small private ceremony in Scotland, attended only by close family and friends Details about her husband, including his name, have been kept private.
Speculation about the wedding abounded when Irvine was seen sporting a wedding ring at a golf tournament. Her team issued a statement on the matter, saying: “I can confirm that she married her long-term partner a few months ago. It was a small and very private affair, and she and her husband are very happy. She wants to keep all the details private.”
Baby at 43
The following year, the couple were blessed with a daughter. However, as with Irvine’s husband, her child’s name has never been publicly revealed.
Irvine, who was 43 at the time of giving birth, announced the news at a charity sports quiz in London. She told the audience she had her “own credit crunch looming,” referencing the global financial crisis of the late 2000s.
She continued: “My clothes are already feeling the squeeze. My husband and I have a new arrival coming in the spring, which is going to be a drain on my own profits.”
Passion for sport
Irvine was always destined for a career in sport, having nurtured a passion from an early age. She shared with the Daily Mail in 2019: “As a child, I spent my pocket money on stickers for an Olympics sticker book.
“I had a very happy childhood doing sport and outdoor stuff. My dad made this half-size snooker table for my brother and me, and mum crocheted the pockets.”