Wake Up to Wogan
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Wake Up to Wogan is the name of the most listened to radio show in the United Kingdom and the flagship breakfast programme broadcast on BBC Radio 2. The show is presented by Sir Terry Wogan who has fronted Wake Up to Wogan (WUTW) since January 1993; he had previously presented the breakfast show between 1972 and 1984, but the title WUTW was only added at the start of his second term.
Wogan takes over the airwaves at 7.30am following the news headlines and finishes with a hand over to Ken Bruce at 9.30am. WUTW is a music based programme that includes listeners' views and comments which are often light hearted and whimsical. Traffic bulletins interrupt the programme at half hour intervals and had up until February 2007 been presented by that mornings newsreader. Similar to other programmes during the day the traffic bulletins are delivered by a travel announcer.
The show was produced by Paul Walters for many years until illness took him away from the studio at the start of 2006, he did however continue to programme WUTW up until his death on 21st October, 2006. Alan Boyd took over production duties in Walters' absence and has remained with the show since his death.
The three newsreaders who contribute to the show are Alan Dedicoat ("Deadly"), Charles Nove and Fran Godfrey ("Mimi"). John Marsh ("Boggy") retired in February 2007 and was replaced by Charles Nove, he does however still present news bulletins during off-peak hours on a freelance basis. Each newsreader has become a star in their own right and John Marsh along with his wife Janet have had their life "stories" told in a "Janet and John" CD released to raise funds for the BBC Children in Need appeal. The regular travel announcer is Lyn Bowles, who, prior to John Marsh's retirement and the change in format had only presented the travel on the programmes either side of WUTW.
[edit] Holiday cover
Wogan is famous for the amount of time he has off during the year and has had numerous presenters cover his holiday leave. Originally Dawn Patrol host Sarah Kennedy covered for him after persuading then Radio 2 Controller Frances Line that she was most suitable for the job. A couple of "dubious" moments whilst Kennedy was in the chair during the late 90's under James Moir's reign resulted in Ed Stewart being granted the accolade. In recent years Johnnie Walker has deputised for Wogan although Richard Allinson took on the role during Walker's illness in 2003/04 and his absence at the end of 2006.
