Kyren Wilson was forced to miss the John Virgo Memorial service and the Champions Dinner due to family health issues, multiple reports indicate. According to Daily Mirror - Main, Kyren Wilson described his wife Sophie undergoing 'pretty big surgery' on April 16, which he is gutted about, and said he needs to be there for her, preventing him from attending the world champions' dinner. He added that he would have loved to pay his respects at the John Virgo service but family priorities took precedence.
Sophie Wilson suffered a 'silent' stroke and received an epilepsy diagnosis shortly before Kyren Wilson won the 2024 World Championship, according to multiple reports. She had to surrender her driving licence because of her epilepsy, Kyren Wilson told Daily Mirror - Main, explaining that it was triggered by their son Bailey being really ill last year. The specific details of Bailey's illness that led to Sophie's epilepsy remain unclear, and the current status or prognosis of her health condition is not publicly known.
Sophie is actually in for some pretty big surgery on April 16, which I'm gutted about.
Additional family medical emergencies have compounded the situation, with Kyren Wilson's son suffering an accident at school that resulted in a fractured eye socket and broken nose requiring surgery, multiple reports state. According to Daily Mirror - Main, Kyren Wilson described having non-stop hospital appointments with his son, though he noted the boy is tough as old boots. This has limited Kyren Wilson's ability to practice and travel extensively for snooker, he said.
Previous family health challenges have also impacted Kyren Wilson's snooker career, with Sophie Wilson undergoing a similar procedure in 2025 while he was competing in the Wuhan Open in China, according to multiple reports. The exact date of that procedure is not specified. According to Daily Mirror - Main, Kyren Wilson described ongoing family issues forcing snooker to take a backseat this year, something he did not choose but must manage.
Not only because, obviously, it's my wife and I want to be there for her, but also I'd have loved to have gone down to the John Virgo service. That was always my plan to go and see that and pay my respects.
He expressed frustration but emphasized the need to get on with life as a family, and noted Sophie's annoyance at not being able to enjoy the Champions Lounge at the Crucible. Whether Kyren Wilson will miss any additional snooker events beyond the two mentioned is unknown.
But I need to be there for my wife. And unfortunately I can't make the world champions' dinner because of that.
So, again, frustrating but it's something we need to do as a family. It's not resolved but it's just part and parcel of life. You've got to get on with it.
I think Sophie's is more frustrated that she can't get up into the Champions Lounge at the Crucible and make the most of the Prosecco.
There have been lots of things going on with the family. So snooker has had to take a little bit of a backseat this year. [It's] not necessarily something I'd have like to have done or chosen to do.
My wife's had to surrender her licence because of her epilepsy. That was brought on by Bailey being really ill last year. Off the back of that, it has triggered her epilepsy again. She had a silent stroke.
I've had non-stop hospital appointments with him. But he's all right, he's tough as old boots. I've been non-stop. I've hardly been able to practice. I haven't really able to travel a lot. It's part of having children, isn't it?