“It’s taken 50 years in broadcasting, but I’ve finally cracked it – a chance to meander around the country, see the sights, meet the people and eat and drink.” And so it was that the legendary broadcaster Terry Wogan launched on a culinary TV tour of Britain with London cabbie Mason McQueen, called ‘Terry and Mason’s great food trip.’ And it was great. That great Irish baritone alongside the cockney taxi driver. It worked beautifully. Now Terry Wogan has left us. What a year 2016 is turning out to be.
When I heard Wogan was too ill to present the 2015 Children In Need show followed by his subsequent absence from his quirky Sunday morning show on Radio Two it felt like something was wrong. We had no way of knowing if anything was wrong, certainly nothing serious. Only today we find he was taken by cancer.
Terry Wogan, younger readers (if there are any) may be surprised to learn that he was one of the original DJs on Radio One. Granted the Radio One was the 1960s was a very different beast from today’s model, he was actually at the cutting edge of new music. Later, he joined Radio Two which was where he belonged and where he stayed.
Highlights? There have been a few but none greater than his commentary at the Eurovision Song Contest. No one understood the whole point of the contest more than he did, the point being entertainment. If the songs were awful and the voting system skewed by countries voting for geographical and political allies (“And the Greek jury awards Cyprus 12 points!”), he took the…er…Mickey. But it was never vicious. He always understood the line between parody and insult and never once crossed it.
Jeremy Vine told a story today when Wogan was asked how many listeners he had to his Radio Two breakfast show, he replied simply “One.” The actually figure was approaching 10 million, the most listened to show in Europe, but Wogan knew he was speaking to one person, as the great radio broadcasters do.
It is right that his millions of fans should mourn his passing. There is nothing wrong with shedding a tear or pausing for reflection because he was part of life’s rich tapestry. For most people he was not family, but to many his voice was an integral part of their lives. It’s still a great loss and I very much get that.
Selfishly, I had been looking forward to another series with Terry and Mason driving up and down the land, chatting with people and scoffing some of the best food. And tuning in to a bit of ‘Weekend Wogan’ on a Sunday. And, every year, hosting his beloved Children In Need. No more.
Great is a much overused word but, love him or hate him, Wogan was undoubtedly a broadcasting great, right up there with the best of all time.
My thoughts are with his family and friends. His loss must be unbearable.
