Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL (born 3 August 1938), or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career. Before he retired from the weekday breakfast programme 'Wake Up to Woga'n on BBC Radio 2 on 18 December 2009, Sir Terry had a regular 8 million listeners, making him the most listened-to radio broadcaster of any European nation. He began his career at Raidió Teilifís Éireann where he presented shows such as Jackpot in the 1960s.Wogan has been a leading media personality in the UK since the late 1960s and is often referred to as a national treasure. He is perhaps best known in the United Kingdom for his BBC1 chat show Wogan, for his work presenting Children in Need, as the host of Wake Up to Wogan, the original host of the BBC game show Blankety Blank (before being replaced by Les Dawson), a presenter of Come Dancing in the 1970s, and as the BBC's commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest on radio and television from 1971 to 2008. Wogan started a primetime weekend show on Radio 2 from 14 February 2010.
He attended a Jesuit College in Ireland.
Father of Katherine Wogan.
Radio DJ and TV personality.
He was awarded an Honorary OBE (Officer of the Order of the British Empire) in the 1997 New Year Honours List for his services to Broadcasting.
Plays golf with Michael Parkinson.
Three children: Alan (born 1967), Mark Wogan and Katherine Wogan (born 1972).
Holds the record for the longest televised putt. It was at Gleneagles golf course in a Pro-Celebrity golf tournament in Britain
Has been a commentator for the United Kingdom in The Eurovision Song contest since the 70s and is well-known for his sarcastic language.
In 1997 he was made an honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire.He was promoted to honorary Knight in the Queens Birthday Honours List 2005. He later obtained dual citizenship (of the UK as well as his native Ireland) so he became a substantive Kinght Commander of Order of the British Empire from 11 October 2005. He received the accolade from the Queen at Buckingham Palace on 6 December 2005.
Refers to his listeners on Radio 2 as "TOGs" - "Terrys Old Geezers". After he was knighted, he joked that they are now going to be called "STOGs" - "Sir Terrys Old Geezers".
Ranked #46 on the 2008 Telegraphs list "the 100 most powerful people in British culture".
In 2006, he was one of several BBC star presenters whose salaries were leaked to a national newspaper by a temporary agency worker at the corporation. Following this, the BBC Trust launched a review into whether the BBC was paying its stars above the market rate, which was published in 2008 and vindicated the corporation.
He is one of 9 presenters to host and commentate on the Eurovision Song Contest. The others are Lon Zitrone , Pat Kenny , Lolita Morena , Pavlo Shylko , Oliver Mlakar , Leyla Aliyeva , Harald Treutiger and Jaana Pelkonen.
Mentioned in the song The Dark of the Matinee by Franz Ferdinand.
Attended the ceremonial funeral of Margaret Thatcher in 2013 on the personal invitation of her family.
Gave out a prize to people writing in to his radio show: The Wake Up to Wogan Alarm Clock, or "Wutwac".
On 16 November 2016, the BBC renamed BBC Western House, the building from which Terry used to broadcast his Radio 2 breakfast show, to BBC Wogan House, in memory of his "warmth, wit and endless charm". His widow and children were present at the unveiling of the new name.
It is an Irish tradition to leave.
Is there anything we can do about these Professors? Like drag them,kicking and screaming into the real World. . .
A talk show is about having a look at a famous face, a bit of stand-up comedy, knockabout stuff - an interview is what Barbara Walters or Connie Chung does in the States, in-depth, done properly.
I say to my children, the reason that marriage - and having children - is so important is that it stops you thinking about yourself. The way to happiness is to give yourself to others and to think of others before you think of yourself.
My father was always slightly bemused by my success. Although he knew that I had reasonable intelligence, he always thought that I was a little bit lazy.
Just as you should never confuse the law with common justice, intelligence should not be confused with common sense. Some of the brightest people in the world have no idea how to cross the road.
Time flies like an arrow - but fruit flies like a banana.
If the present Mrs. Wogan has a fault - and I must tread carefully here - if she has a fault, this gem in the diadem of womanhood is a hoarder. She never throws anything out. Which may explain the longevity of our marriage.
Television contracts the imagination and radio expands it. .
