RIP Sir Terry Wogan

[Andrewausfa]

RIP Sir Terry. We used to have a Fidelity RAD something or other in the 70's and Terry was on from waking up time to going to school time. That continued on his second spell at R2 from waking up to off to work time. I said to the Mrs earlier that I guess my love and preference for radio listening rather than the TV could be down to him.

Andrew

[Mike Phelan]

A very sad loss. Heard it on BBC website this morning.

Though I didn't watch or listen to many of his programmes, thos which I did get showed his great sense of humour.

He will be remembered.

[Martin Bush]

I've been whistling 'the floral dance' all day.

As a kid I could never understand why such an awful record had been made. Then as a grown up I realised Terry was having a laugh and I've liked it since.

[Paul Stenning]

Enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N-Fytuw17vw

[bikerhifinut]

I caught the lunchtime news Obituary, the thing that came through and was mentioned was that for once the expression "tributes are flooding in" was actually true and not just the usual bunch of shobiz "luvvies" and bandwagon jumping politicians, but people from every walk of life. I think the phrase "national institution" is not amiss here.
Off now to dig the "Janet and John" stories book off the Bookcase.

A.

[McMurdo]

His voice on the radio was one of the sounds of my childhood, usually coming from my Nana's rediffusion tv, set to 'radio only', along with Jimmy Young and David Jacobs. He was just born to communicate with that lovely voice and wit. One of a slowly diminishing group.

[Alvin]

It was a Wednesday afternoon in December 1970 when, as a novice 18 year old TO fresh from Wood Norton, I pressed my first button live on air and that was to fire off a music session recording* when the DJ cued me... and that DJ was none other than Terry Wogan!

I regularly worked with him from then on, first on R1 then R2 until I left for pastures new in the summer of '77.

He was a great character to work with and I never heard him say a bad word about anyone, we would almost beg to be allocated duties on his shows.

*In those days the BBC was restricted by the amount of records (or needle time) they could play and the shortfall was made up by session musicians performing cover versions which it was our job to play in, that is until they provided the jocks with remote starts to our Studer C37s demoting us to mere tape loaders, still an art in itself to achieve a quick start without it wowing in!

This reminds me of a story I was told about a trick some colleagues played on Terry prior to me joining there and before the advent of the jocks having remote start - he'd got wise to occasionally cueing a tape only to see the tape op had disappeared as he soon realised the desk op was firing it but on this occasion the tape op had gone and the desk op was across the room but the tape still played... then at the end of the number he saw the quadrant fader on the machine close and the tape spool itself off leaving him somewhat perplexed to say the least... the trick was accomplished by a small member of the team squeezing himself INSIDE the Studer and operating it from within!!

Happy Days

Alvin

[Tractorfan]

Hi,
I can't help thinking that Sir Terry's rich tones are almost for which the output pentode might have been invented.
Cheers, Pete.

[Radio Wrangler]

Originally Posted by Martin Bush

I've been whistling 'the floral dance' all day.

As a kid I could never understand why such an awful record had been made. Then as a grown up I realised Terry was having a laugh and I've liked it since.

To fully understand how much fun Terry Wogan was having, you have to have heard similar records done in all seriousness. Dare I suggest "Bilbo Baggins" by Leonard Nimoy and "Lucy in the sky with diamonds" by William Shatner.

What were they thinking?

David

[Lloyd 1985]

Just been listening to some of the Janet and John stories on Youtube, which had me in stitches! When I worked for a panel wiring company around 2008-2010, we had Radio 2 on throughout the day, I always loved listening to his breakfast show, no matter what kind of day you were having, he could always make you laugh.

Rest in peace.

Lloyd.

[unitaudio]

He was, without doubt, the best guest ever on Top Gear. He was absolutely hilarious! The world just became a little bit duller when we lost him.

R.I.P.
Paul

[rbm1973]

Sad news indeed R.I.P Sir Terry wogan a broadcasting legend and a very funny man indeed that helped raise millions for good causes children in need will not be the same without his touch

[Neil Purling]

Terry was easy on the ears at that delicate time of the morning before your brain warms up.
El Tel' used to be very funny on 'Blankety Blank'.
I was never interested in the Eurovision contest as the voting is not on artistic merit these days.
I think T.W. treated the Eurovision Song Contest with the appropriate degree of seriousness.

[MotorBikeLes]

Like most people I have been "aware" of him for decades, but never watched BB, EV-song or any other stuff. But in the mid '70s, I sometimes had light prog (or was it R2) whilst driving to one of the factories if I had my assistant with me. So I sometimes heard his Breakfast Show. The one quote which had me in stitches was "Suivez la piste", which he translated as "Follow the drunken French woman on her 'bike". (maybe not exact translation but near enough).
Les.

[Hybrid tellies]

Yesterday Steve Wright payed tribute to him on his show with memories and recordings of past interviews with Terry Wogan. It might still be on BBC Iplayer.

[Paul Stenning]

Do you mean Tuesday or Monday (only asking because you posted at 2am)? Many of the Radio 2 daytime shows on Monday were about Terry to a greater or lesser extent (I was listening until early afternoon at work).

The One Show on BBC1 on Monday evening was a tribute to Terry too, and is worth watching on iPlayer if it's available. There are some excerpts from a documentary he made after leaving Radio 2 about his earlier life in Ireland towards the end of the show, and it would be good to see the whole thing if anyone knows what it is and whether available somewhere.

[dave walsh]

I think it was a two parter Paul. I'm pretty sure I recorded the second part at least and will check out the archive. I'm afraid my enthusiasm doesn't match the tone of this thread but I recall being surprised at the quality of his biographical film, which was really the history of his homeland and had less of the usual "geniality". I recall the day he left Broadcasting House for the "last time". It was all over the Six O'clock News with everyone lining up to pay tribute but then he was back on the radio again very quickly, so there was a bit of confusion all round

Dave W

PS Yes Terry Wogan's Ireland 2/2 15/10/15 I'll check it out!

[Hybrid tellies]

Originally Posted by Paul Stenning

Do you mean Tuesday or Monday (only asking because you posted at 2am)? Many of the Radio 2 daytime shows on Monday were about Terry to a greater or lesser extent (I was listening until early afternoon at work).

It was on Tuesday as Steve Wright was not in on Monday.

[dave walsh]

It seems that Terry Wogan's Ireland was first broadcast in 2011 Paul.
It makes me wonder whether the repeat in October last had a particular motive I've actually got the second episode listed as Wed 21st Oct [possibly a repeat from the 15th] but the I-Player info suggests the 27th! Anyway the DVD of the whole thing seems to be available on Amazon for the price of a couple of pints! Hope this helps.
Dave W

[Paul Stenning]

Thanks Dave.