Terry Wogan

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Terry Wogan


Born August 3, 1938 (age 68)
Flag of Republic of Ireland County Limerick, Ireland
Show Wake Up to Wogan
Station(s) BBC Radio 2
Time slot 7:30 - 9:30 a.m. Weekdays
Style Breakfast Show Host
Country United Kingdom
Website Wake Up to Wogan

Sir Michael Terence Wogan KBE (b August 3, 1938, County Limerick, Ireland), more commonly known as Terry Wogan, is a radio and television broadcaster who has mainly worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career. Born in Limerick in Ireland, Wogan also took British nationality in 2005. This allowed him to use the style "Sir" following his knighthood. He has been a leading media personality in the UK since the late 1960s, and is often referred to as a national treasure [1][2]. He was educated by the Salesians and the Jesuits at Crescent College Limerick and at Belvedere College in Dublin. He is married with three children and two grandchildren.

Because his listeners are of a certain frame of mind, he jokingly refers to them as "TOGs" (Terry's Old Geezers or Terry's Old Gals (girls)), and at BBC Radio 2 he has become known as "The Togmeister". He also nicknames the podcast of his show a 'togcast' [3]. His BBC Radio 1 counterpart, Chris Moyles, got into hot water earlier in 2006, by referring to TOGs as Wogs. Wogan later put the record straight that Moyles had made a genuine mistake and that he forgave him for this hiccough.

Contents

[edit] Career

[edit] Early radio presenting

After completing his education, Wogan went to work in a bank for five years before joining Radio Telefís Éireann as a newsreader/announcer. For two years he conducted interviews and presented documentary features before moving to the Light Entertainment department as a disc jockey and host of TV quiz and variety shows such as Jackpot. Jackpot was the top rated quiz show on RTÉ in the 1960s, but when the show was dropped by RTÉ TV in 1967 Wogan approached the BBC for extra work. He first worked for BBC Radio presenting Midday Spin in the mid-1960s and, on the inauguration of BBC Radio 1 he presented Late Night Extra for two years, commuting weekly from Dublin to London. Eventually, after covering Jimmy Young's mid morning show throughout July in 1969, he was offered a regular afternoon slot (3 p.m – 5 p.m.)  — officially on BBC Radio 1, but in actual fact — due to lack of funding — broadcast over both BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 2.

In April 1972 he took over the breakfast show on BBC Radio 2, effectively swapping places with John Dunn, who hosted the afternoon show briefly — by then Radio 1 and Radio 2 had diverged sufficiently to allow separate programming on each network. During Wogan's time on the breakfast show, he had achieved audiences of up to 7.6 million. Also during this period he released his own version of "The Floral Dance", by popular request from listeners who enjoyed hearing him singing over the instrumental hit by The Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band. His version reached number 27 in the UK singles chart. A follow-up single, "Me and the Elephant", and a self-titled album were also released, but did not chart.

In December 1984, Wogan left his breakfast show to pursue a full-time career in television. During this time, he was replaced on radio — initially, but briefly by Ken Bruce, followed by Derek Jameson and finally Brian Hayes.

[edit] Moving to television

Wogan is particularly noted for his sardonic commentaries on the Eurovision Song Contest: he has been behind the microphone for BBC TV every year since 1980, as well as providing TV or radio commentaries for several editions in the 1970s. He also co-hosted the contest in 1998 with Ulrika Jonsson live from Birmingham. He is a big advocate of the contest, despite his comments getting him into trouble when he referred to the Danish hosts as 'Doctor Death and the Toothfairy'. Although this cause great amusement amongst British viewers, the Danes were less than appreciative and he jokes now that he is banned from visiting Denmark. During the 2007 BBC show "Making Your Mind Up" in which the British public decides the UK entry for the Eurovision singing contest Terry Wogan announced the runner up Cyndi as winner by mistake. The actual winner was a Group called Scooch and according to the broadcasting corporation Terry Wogan was provided the correct result during the live show.

Wogan has been the BBC's face of television coverage of Children in Need since 1980. He has campaigned tirelessly for the cause and is always willing to put himself in the firing line, which in previous years has seen him doing activities such as break dancing (albeit with the assistance of CGI). The BBC Children In Need 2006 programme trail featured Wogan in a wrestling ring, supported by various television personalities. His unknown opponent appeared confident in defeating him, until Terry removes his shirt to reveal the ripped, muscular physique of a bodybuilder. He has since joked on his BBC Radio 2 programme that the media had got it wrong, and that his body was superimposed on somebody else's head.

In 1981 he had a chance to host a one-off chat show, Saturday Live. Among his guests on this show were Larry Hagman — then promoting his new film S.O.B. — and Frank Hall, who was then the Irish Film Censor. During the course of the interview, Hall accused Wogan of selling out his Irishness and, responding to a question posed by Wogan about his suitability as a film censor, said there was more filth on British Television than in film, citing the BBC TV serial The Borgias as an example.

Wogan was given his own chatshow which was broadcast initially on Saturday nights but between 1985 and 1992 became twice and later thrice-weekly. Highlights of the show included interviews with a drunk George Best; a silent Chevy Chase; a nervous Anne Bancroft (who was so petrified she gave monosyllabic answers and counted to ten before descending the entrance steps to the studio); David Icke claiming to be the "Son of God"; and Vivienne Westwood scolding the audience for laughing at her latest collection (although Sue Lawley was guest hosting the show on this last occasion); and Ronnie Barker announcing his retirement on the show.

Terry has also appeared on the Jonathan Ross show in 2004 and 2006, and played the role of Timothy in the seminal BBC Comedy Drama "The Life and Death of Laura Helen Beeby" during March 2003.

Terry now presents Wogan Now And Then. A show where he interviews guests from his old chat show, as well as new guests. It is a perfect blend of family entertainment. Terry can be seen enjoying the interviews, and he claims it is a light relief after so many years on radio. Terry also designed the set for his new show, allowing him to get a better feel for it. He even claims the seat he uses, is designed to support the lower back, as many of legions of fans will know, Terry suffers from back complaints.

Terry is a well known fan of the 1980s television serial Dallas, and in the mid-1980s, he nicknamed Charlene Tilton, one of the show's main stars as The Poison Dwarf of Texas. Tilton's portrayal of Lucy Anne Ewing Cooper, the snobbish, spoilt brat granddaughter of Jock Ewing, was nicknamed this because of a) the character's height, and b) the character's personality.

Other television programmes he has presented:

[edit] Return to radio

By 1992, something of a backlash began against the seemingly ubiquitous Wogan. This was highlighted when a poll apparently revealed him to be simultaneously the most and the least popular person in Britain. He was released from his talk-show contract after much pushing by the BBC, and was mocked for some time after this. He claims that the BBC also wanted his scheduling slot for the ill-fated soap Eldorado. Swapping Wogan for Eldorado turned out to be a bad decision and earned the BBC much mockery.

In January 1993, he returned to BBC Radio 2 to take back the breakfast show, by then presented by Brian Hayes. As a result, Hayes was moved to a weekend & a Tuesday evening slot.

In recent years Wogan's fortunes have improved. His BBC Radio 2 breakfast show is now the most popular on British radio. His tendency to go off on rambling, esoteric tangents, often including banter with his then producer the late Paul Walters, seems to have become popular with younger listeners, who appreciate his easy going style and flights of inspired surrealism, as well as the older fans. The show is highly interactive, with much of the entertainment coming from letters and emails sent in by listeners (many of whom adopt punning pseudonyms for the purpose such as Edina Cloud, Lucy Lastic, Mick Sturbs or Hellen Bach), often with a surrealistic bent. One memorable occasion meant Wogan read an email from one Tess Tickles, without realising what the name was referring to. This prompted Paul Walters' standard reply in such situations - "I only print 'em!"

There are also running jokes involving Wogan's newsreader colleagues Alan Dedicoat (nicknamed 'Deadly'), Fran Godfrey and John Marsh (nicknamed 'Boggy'). Marsh having let slip that his wife was called Janet, a series of "Janet and John" stories followed, read by Wogan during the breakfast show. These are based on children's reading schemes but always end with hilarious double-entendres, similar to Finbarr Saunders from the magazine Viz. For example, when Marsh tells his wife about what he did in the opticians, he says, "Mrs Passey says I've got nice strong arms now [his spectacles had been repaired] and she showed me this little fir she'd been growing since she was a teenager, and let me trim it into an interesting shape using scissors." While Marsh actually means that he trimmed Mrs Passey's bonsai tree, Janet assumes he means pubic hair. A CD of fourteen stories, sold by TOGS in aid of Children in Need, has now raised close to £1million.

In 2005 it was reported that his breakfast show (Wake Up To Wogan) attracted an audience of eight million. After he received a then honorary knighthood the same year (see below) the UK newspaper, The Daily Mirror, ran a front page reading "It's Sir Del and It's Sir Tel", this was in reference to Wogan (whose nickname is "Tel") and actor David Jason who's most famous for playing Derek "Del" Trotter in the classic sitcom, Only Fools And Horses. In the same year, however, he broke strike picket lines when he presented his show on May 23, the day BBC staff were protesting over announced job cuts [1]. Reportedly, he gave a thumbs up to his colleagues and wished them all well. He explained on air the reason for doing so - he is contracted to host Wake up to Wogan and hence is not directly employed by the BBC, and could not strike with their employees. According to figures leaked to British newspapers in April 2006 and neither confirmed nor denied by the BBC, Wogan was the highest paid BBC radio presenter at that time, with an £800,000 a year salary[2]. He is reported to be the only celebrity paid for his participation in Children in Need,having received a fee every year since 1980 (£9,065 in 2005). Wogan, however, has stated that he would "quite happily do it for nothing" and that he "never asked for a fee". The BBC stated that the fee had "never been negotiated".[3]

In an interview with Britain's Hello magazine in its 30 May 2006 issue, Wogan confirmed this, saying, "The amount they said was true and I don't give a monkey's about people knowing it. Nor do I feel guilty. If you do the maths, factoring in my eight million listeners, I cost the BBC about 2p a fortnight. I think I'm cheap at the price". Terry also earns a reported £150,000 at the Eurovision Song Contest. However, many European countries opt to take the BBC's coverage of the event rather than the expense of covering it themselves.

[edit] Honours

In the Queen's Birthday Honours list of 2005, Wogan was made an honorary Knight of the Order of the British Empire. As an Irish citizen he was initially only able to use the post-nominal letters KBE, however he is now entitled to use the title "Sir Terry" since he has since taken dual British and Irish nationality. Terry does not use his title on-air; however, it is often used as a catalyst for listeners' contributions, and BBC Radio 2 dawn patrol (early breakfast) presenter Sarah Kennedy refers to Terry as 'STW'. He had previously (1997) been made an honorary Officer of the order (OBE), which is now subsumed in the knighthood.

Terry Wogan has been awarded the Gold Blue Peter Badge.

In 2004 Wogan received an honorary doctorate from the University of Limerick.

[edit] Trivia

  • In the novelization of TV series Yes, Prime Minister, the fictional PM discusses having an interview with Wogan and wonders how to ensure that it goes well for him. To his suggestion that Wogan be given a knighthood (which eventually happened in real life), his Private Secretary answers: "Sir Terence Wogan? I hardly think so, Prime Minister."
  • Wogan received a mention in the song "The Dark of the Matinée" by Scottish indie rockers Franz Ferdinand. ("So I'm on BBC2 now telling Terry Wogan how I made it and / What I made isn't clear now, but his deference is and his laughter is / My words and smile are so easy now"...) It has been said that when Wogan was contacted by the band for his permission to be referenced in the song, he was bemused by the mention of his being on BBC2 but gave his approval anyway.
  • He is mentioned in the box set Divine Madness by British 2 Tone band Madness. Track 9 of disk 2 is the "Terry Wogan Jingle" (25 seconds). ("Ter-ry Wo-gan is a blankety blankety blank").
  • Wogan is referred to in the Willy Russell play 'One for the Road.' The characters in it play a game called 'The Wogan Game' in which they act out interviews from the show pretending to be Terry. However, the game isn't as innocent as it sounds.
  • In the 1991 film The Commitments, Jimmy Rabitte repeatedly does mock interviews with "Terry". Wogan, who was until then unknown in the United States, became famous on the film's release as "Terry from The Commitments."
  • Wogan once held the world record for the longest successful golf putt ever televised; 33 yards at the Gleneagles golf course in a pro-celebrity TV programme[4]. TV golf commentator Peter Alliss described it as "The most remarkable shot I've ever seen in my life".
  • Wogan is widely credited with launching the career of singer Katie Melua after he played her debut single, "The Closest Thing to Crazy", repeatedly in late 2003. When she performed on Children in Need in 2005, Wogan joked to Melua, "You owe it all to me, and maybe a little to your own talent". He has, however, made no secret that the credit for discovering her lies with his long time producer, the late Paul Walters.
  • Terry earns a reported £30,000 per episode for Wogan Now & Then.[citation needed]
  • David Icke credits Wogan's obnoxious demeanor during a 1991 interview with launching Icke's successful career as prophet and guru
  • During the presentation of the Dutch televote in the Eurovision Song Contest 2006, Terry Wogan called the Dutch televote presenter, Paul de Leeuw, an "eejit" (the original pronunciation of 'idiot', still commonly used in Ireland and Scotland), as de Leeuw started to make comments and gave his mobile phone number and lengthened the Dutch results.
  • A popular running joke on Wogan's eponymous chat show was that the interviewee, either male or female, could touch Terry's knee.
  • Terry Wogan holds the unenviable record of being one of the slowest people to go around the Top Gear test track as the Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car, with his time of 2:04 being faster only than the late Richard Whiteley and Jimmy Carr in the Chevrolet Lacetti, who spun out on his timed lap. Wogan's time has been beaten by Johnny Vegas, who hasn't got a driving license, and Bosnia war veteran Billy Baxter, who is blind and was guided by Clarkson around the track.
  • On 16 February 2007, Wogan was forced off air when a fire alarm was activated in his studio.[5] For 15 minutes an emergency tape played non stop music, finishing with Phil Collins' "You'll Be in My Heart". On returning, Wogan read out several light hearted comments from listeners saying that they thought he had died with his sudden disappearance and the playing of such sentimental music.

[edit] External links

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