Terry Wogan facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Sir Terry Wogan KBE DL
Wogan at the Cheltenham Literature Festival in 2015
Born	Michael Terence Wogan (1938-08-03)3 August 1938 Limerick, Ireland
Died	31 January 2016(2016-01-31) (aged 77) Hitcham (Taplow), Buckinghamshire, England
Citizenship	Ireland United Kingdom (from 2005)
Years active	1956–2015
Employer	BBC
Known for	Television presenting: Eurovision Song Contest (1971, 1973–1978, 1980–2008) Blankety Blank (1979–1983) Children in Need (1980–2014) Wogan (1982–1992) Points of View (1999–2007) Wogan's Perfect Recall (2008–2010) Radio presenting: The Radio 2 Breakfast Show (1972–1984) Wake Up to Wogan (1993–2009) Weekend Wogan (2010–2015)
Spouse(s)	Helen Joyce ​ (m. 1965)​
Children	4

Sir Michael Terence Wogan (born 3 August 1938 – died 31 January 2016) was a famous British-Irish radio and television presenter. He worked for the BBC in the UK for most of his career. From 1993 to 2009, his morning radio show Wake Up to Wogan on BBC Radio 2 was very popular. It had about eight million listeners. Many people thought he was the most listened-to radio host in Europe.

Terry Wogan was a well-known media personality in Ireland and Britain from the late 1960s. People often called him a "national treasure". Besides his weekday radio show, he was famous for his TV work. This included the chat show Wogan, presenting Children in Need, and the game show Blankety Blank. He was also the BBC's commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest for many years. He even hosted the contest in 1998. From 2010 to 2015, he hosted Weekend Wogan, a Sunday morning show on BBC Radio 2.

In 2005, Wogan also became a British citizen, keeping his Irish nationality. He was given a knighthood that same year. This meant he could use the title "Sir" before his name. He passed away from cancer at his home in Hitcham, Buckinghamshire, on 31 January 2016. He was 77 years old.

Early Life and Education

Michael Terence Wogan was born on 3 August 1938 in Limerick, Ireland. He was the older of two children. His father managed a fancy grocery store in Limerick. Terry went to Crescent College, a Jesuit school, from the age of eight. He had a very religious upbringing. He later said he was "brainwashed" into believing by the fear of hell. However, he always loved his hometown. He once said, "Limerick never left me, whatever it is, my identity is Limerick."

When he was 15, his family moved to Dublin because his father got a promotion. In Dublin, he went to Belvedere College. He enjoyed acting in amateur plays and found a love for rock and roll. After leaving school in 1956, Wogan worked briefly in banking. He joined the Royal Bank of Ireland. But in his twenties, he saw a newspaper ad for newsreaders. He then joined Ireland's national broadcaster, Raidió Teilifís Éireann (RTÉ).

Radio Career Highlights

Starting in Radio

Terry Wogan spent his first two years at RTÉ interviewing people and presenting documentaries. Then, he moved to light entertainment. He became a disc jockey and hosted TV quiz and variety shows. One popular show was Jackpot in the 1960s. When RTÉ stopped the show in 1967, he looked for more work at the BBC. David Attenborough turned down his application to be a BBC presenter. Attenborough later said that having two Irishmen presenting on BBC Two would have looked "ridiculous".

Wogan started working for BBC Radio in 1966. He first broadcast on the BBC Light Programme. For two years, he presented the Tuesday edition of Late Night Extra on BBC Radio 2. He traveled weekly from Dublin to London for this. In July 1969, he filled in for Jimmy Young on his mid-morning show. After that, Wogan was offered his own weekday afternoon show, which started in September 1969.

The Breakfast Show and Return

In April 1972, Wogan took over the breakfast show on BBC Radio 2. He became very popular, reaching an audience of almost eight million listeners. His widespread presence in the media made him a target for comedians. In 1978, he released a funny song called "The Floral Dance". It reached number 21 in the UK music charts. In December 1984, Wogan left his breakfast show to focus on television. Ken Bruce took over from him.

In January 1993, Wogan returned to BBC Radio 2. He took over the breakfast show again, which was renamed Wake Up to Wogan. His show became known for his long, interesting talks and his chats with his producer, Paul Walters. Listeners loved sending in letters and emails, often using funny made-up names.

Wogan is also credited with helping to launch the career of singer Katie Melua. He played her first single, "The Closest Thing to Crazy", many times in late 2003. He also helped make Eva Cassidy, an American singer who had died, famous in the UK.

Wogan jokingly called his older fans "TOGs" (Terry's Old Geezers or Gals). Younger listeners were "TYGs" (Terry's Young Geezers/Gals). He was also known as "The Togmeister". He had running jokes with his newsreaders, Alan Dedicoat ('Deadly'), Fran Godfrey ('Frank'), and John Marsh ('Boggy'). Marsh's wife was named Janet, which led to a series of funny "Janet and John" stories. These stories were like children's learn-to-read books but with funny hidden meanings. They often made Wogan and Marsh laugh out loud. Six CDs and two books of these stories were sold to raise money for Children in Need. They raised over £4 million.

Wake Up to Wogan had about eight million listeners in 2005. This number grew even more by 2008. In April 2006, it was reported that Wogan was the highest-paid BBC radio presenter. He earned £800,000 a year. He confirmed this in an interview, saying he was worth the money.

On 7 September 2009, Wogan told his listeners he would be leaving the breakfast show at the end of the year. Chris Evans took over. Wogan presented his last Radio 2 breakfast show on 18 December 2009.

He returned to Radio 2 on 14 February 2010. He hosted a live weekly two-hour Sunday show called Weekend Wogan. This show featured live music and guests. Wogan continued to host this show until his final broadcast on Remembrance Sunday 2015. He had to stop due to his declining health from cancer. Michael Ball later took over the slot permanently.

Television Work and Shows

Eurovision Song Contest Commentary

Terry Wogan was the BBC's radio commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest in 1971 and from 1974 to 1977. He became very famous for his television commentary. He started in 1973, then again in 1978, and every year from 1980 until 2008. He also co-hosted the 1998 contest in Birmingham with Ulrika Jonsson. Wogan was one of the few people to both present and commentate on the contest. He also hosted the UK selection show for Eurovision from 1977 to 1996, and again from 2003 to 2008.

Wogan's commentary style was often dry and humorous. He sometimes made fun of others, which caused some discussion. For example, he called the hosts of the 2001 contest "Doctor Death and the Tooth Fairy". In 2006, he called the Dutch vote presenter an "eejit" for taking too long.

In the 2008 contest, the UK's entry came in last place. Wogan was very disappointed. On 11 August 2008, Wogan said he was unsure about presenting Eurovision again. On 5 December 2008, he stepped down after 35 years. Graham Norton took over as the BBC commentator. After Wogan's death, some people criticized his commentary style for being too mocking.

Chat Shows and Interviews

Wogan's first TV interview show was Lunchtime with Wogan on ITV in 1972. Later, he hosted What's On, Wogan? on BBC1 in 1980. In 1981, he hosted a one-off chat show called Saturday Live. His guests included famous actors like Larry Hagman.

Soon after, Wogan got his own chat show, Wogan. It started on Saturday nights from 1982 to 1984. From 1985 to 1992, the show aired three times a week. He interviewed many famous people, including George Best and Chevy Chase. A memorable moment was when David Icke claimed to be the "Son of God". Wogan famously told him, "They're not laughing with you, they're laughing at you."

The BBC ended his talk show contract in 1992. Wogan said the BBC wanted his time slot for a new soap opera called Eldorado. After Eldorado took over, Wogan briefly hosted Terry Wogan's Friday Night in 1993, but it was not continued.

Wogan also presented Wogan Now and Then (2006). In this show, he re-interviewed guests from his old chat show and met new ones. In 2015, BBC Two launched Wogan: the Best Of. This series showed selected interviews and music from his past shows.

Children in Need Charity Work

In 1980, the BBC's charity appeal for children started as a telethon called Children in Need. Wogan was one of the main presenters, along with Sue Lawley and Esther Rantzen. He worked very hard for the charity. He often held auctions on his radio show or took part in public activities to raise money.

Wogan was the main presenter of Children in Need from 1980 to 2014. In November 2015, Wogan could not participate in the live TV appeal. This was the first time in 35 years. He said it was due to back pain after surgery. However, he did appear briefly in a pre-recorded sketch. Dermot O'Leary replaced him. Before he passed away, Wogan hoped to return to Children in Need in 2016.

Other TV Appearances

Wogan on MasterChef Live in November 2009

Wogan's TV fame grew a lot when he became the first host of Blankety Blank in 1979. His friendly way with contestants and funny chats with celebrity guests made the show a big hit. Famous guests included Kenny Everett, who often broke Wogan's microphone. Wogan left the show after the 1983 series.

Wogan narrated the BBC children's TV series Stoppit and Tidyup in 1987. He also appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross several times. On the BBC show Top Gear, Wogan was the second-slowest guest to drive around the test track as the "Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car". Only Richard Whiteley was slower.

In 2010, Wogan had a small role in the TV series Being Human. He also guest-hosted an episode of Never Mind the Buzzcocks. The next year, Wogan hosted Wogan on Wodehouse for BBC Two. He also appeared as a panelist on Would I Lie To You.

In 2013, Wogan was a panelist on the ITV game show Through the Keyhole. In November 2013, he played in a celebrity edition of the BBC One game show Pointless to raise money for Children in Need.

In 2014, Wogan was a guest reporter on Bang Goes the Theory. He talked about old-age dementia. He also appeared on the Channel 4 game show Draw It!. In November 2014, he guest-hosted an episode of The One Show. In 2015, he presented Terry and Mason's Great Food Trip with cab driver Mason McQueen. They traveled around Britain trying regional food. This was Wogan's final TV work.

Awards and Recognition

Wogan received many honours during his career. In 1997, he was made an Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). In 2005, he became an Honorary Knight Commander of the same order (KBE). After becoming a British citizen, he was officially knighted on 11 October 2005. This allowed him to use the title "Sir". In 2007, he was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of Buckinghamshire.

On 15 June 2007, his hometown of Limerick gave him the Freedom of the City. This was a special honour. In 2009, he was made an honorary freeman of the City of London. He was even invited to raise the bascules (moving parts) of Tower Bridge.

He also received honorary degrees from universities. In 2004, he got an Honorary D.Litt. degree from the University of Limerick. He also received a special lifetime achievement award from his city. In 2010, he received an Honorary LL.D. degree from Leicester University.

In 1978, Wogan was the subject of This Is Your Life. This is a show where a famous person's life is celebrated. Wogan was surprised by the host, Eamonn Andrews.

Wogan was added to the Radio Academy Hall of Fame in 2009. He was also named the Ultimate Icon of Radio 2 in 2007. This was to celebrate the station's 40th birthday. He chose Nat King Cole's "Stardust" as his iconic song. He had chosen this song twice before as his favourite on Desert Island Discs.

Personal Life and Family

Terry Wogan married Helen Joyce on 24 April 1965. They remained married until his death. They lived in Hitcham, Taplow, Buckinghamshire, and also had a home in France. Sir Terry and Lady Wogan had four children. Sadly, one daughter, Vanessa, died when she was only a few weeks old. They also had five grandchildren. In 2010, Wogan spoke about the sadness he felt after losing his baby daughter.

Wogan was raised as a Roman Catholic. However, he became an atheist at age 17. He once said in an interview that he respected people who had "the gift of faith".

Passing Away and Legacy

Wogan's health started to decline after Christmas 2015. He could not present Children in Need in November 2015 due to back pain. His friend, Father Brian D'Arcy, visited him in January and saw he was very ill. Terry Wogan passed away from cancer on 31 January 2016, at his home. He was 77 years old.

British Prime Minister David Cameron said that "Britain has lost a huge talent." Michael D. Higgins, the President of Ireland, praised Wogan's career. He also noted Wogan's frequent visits to his home country.

After Wogan's death, a private funeral was held. A public memorial service took place on 27 September 2016 at Westminster Abbey. It began with a recording of Wogan's voice. Many of his celebrity friends, like Chris Evans and Joanna Lumley, gave speeches. The service was broadcast live on BBC Radio 2.

In February 2016, a tribute video was shown during the UK's selection show for the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest. During the contest in Stockholm, Graham Norton asked UK viewers to "raise a glass" for Wogan before the ninth song. This tradition has continued every year since.

Before the annual Children in Need telethon, the BBC held a special concert. It was called Children in Need Rocks (for Terry). The performers were chosen because they were linked to Wogan's career. These included Katie Melua, whom he helped make famous.

On 16 November 2016, the BBC renamed BBC Western House to BBC Wogan House. This building is home to BBC Radio 2.

Filmography

Television

Radio

Images for kids

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  Memorial statue in Limerick, Ireland

See also

In Spanish: Terry Wogan para niños

• List of Eurovision Song Contest presenters