A former co-star of Jim Davidson as described him as a comic genius.
John Virgo appeared with Davidson on snooker game-show Big Break in the 1990s.
While Virgo has continued to work on snooker commentary, Davidson has been cancelled over a series of controversial comments and TV appearances.
Announcing he was being asked from commentary, Virgo spoke warmly about his former co-host, describing him not being on TV as a waste of talent.
He told the Telegraph: "Jim is a comic genius and yet he can’t appear on television, because he has a black mark against his name.
"It’s understandable. I just feel it’s a waste of a talent.
John Virgo
PA
"He wasn't everyone's cup of tea but he is still my mate."
Davidson claimed on GB News the BBC paid him £1million in hush money to go away after presenting the Big Break and the Generation Game.
Jim Davidson
Ben Birchall
He told Dan Wootton: “You get the odd theatre that cancels you, because it’s whatever the council is, if it’s a real lefty council they say ‘ohh we don’t want that Jim Davidson here’.
“The worst I’ve ever been cancelled was from the BBC, I was on every Saturday night with the Big Break and The Generation Game.
“And then along came the BBC and said we don’t want to make another series with you thank you very much, you awful little Tory voting person, working class, we don’t really need you here.
“And they gave me a million quid to go away."
He continued: “So I used some of that million quid to make my own TV station so I don’t have to worry about the BBC anymore.
“But being cancelled by some unknown person In an office because they’re upset about something that they heard you do is awful, not just for me but for everybody.”
Jim has now set-up his own streaming service, Ustreme, broadcasting old material from Jethro, Freddie Starr and Chubby Brown.