Many of us woke up to the sad news that broadcasting stalwart Sir Terry Wogan had passed away after a short battle with cancer.
His talent and professionalism spanned a career that lasted more than 50 years and he’ll be remembered for his early morning breakfast show on Radio 2, and his BBC1 talk show “Wogan” alongside his outstanding performances as commentator on Eurovision.
To celebrate his life and work, here are 5 of his best moments. Sir Terry, you will be missed.
1. Kenny Everett gets the better of Wogan’s wand on Blankety Blank
When Kenny met Terry. Wogan was also well known for being host of BBC1 gameshow Blankety Blank during the late 70s and early 80s (if you haven’t got the theme tune stuck in your head now, shame on you). One guest, the late comedian Kenny Everett was often unpredictable during his many appearances on the show. Here’s Kenny taking a dislike to Terry’s famed microphone, with hilarious results!
2. Terry signs off in classy style from his Radio 2 Breakfast show
Was there ever a classier sign off than this? Terry was known for not liking rehearsals or planning his shows too much. However, his heartfelt speech during the final moments of his last ever breakfast show on Radio 2 show just what a class act he was.
3. Terry hits the pop charts!
Many people don’t know that during the 1970s Terry had a bash at pop stardom, appearing on Top of the Pops with his own unique take on the Floral Dance, replete with his own brass band. One of the most perfect novelty records – though it was perhaps best he didn’t give up on his broadcasting career.
4. The infamous interview with David Icke
Wogan interviewed many famous celebrities during the run of his chat show on BBC1 during the 1980s. However, one of the most notorious was with a little known former sports presenter David Icke, who appeared on the show in 1991. At the time there was criticism regarding the piece, in which David, wearing a turquoise tracksuit, claimed he was the son of God – when the audience laughed, Wogan told him “they’re not laughing with you, they’re laughing at you”.
5. Wogan the Eurovision King
Of course we all loved Terry’s Eurovision commentary – it made the song contest spectacle all the more enjoyable and watchable. Never taking it too seriously and staying just the right side of glib, Terry’s dulcet tones and delightfully barbed witticisms made the show what it was. Here he is on the BBC2 panel show Never Mind The Buzzcocks, revealing just how deep his knowledge of the song contest actually was!
