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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
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Jessica Elgot

Sir Terry Wogan: tributes to BBC broadcaster dead aged 77 - as they happened

Terry Wogan, who has died aged 77 Photograph: BBC/PA

Summary

We’re going to end this live blog now, thank you very much for all the touching contributions via GuardianWitness, especially the insights into the world of TOGs.

Sir Terry Wogan seen at An Evening With The Stars
Sir Terry Wogan seen at An Evening With The Stars Photograph: Jon Furniss/PA

Here’s how the day of tributes to Sir Terry Wogan unfolded throughout the day.

  • The veteran Terry Wogan has died aged 77, his family announced, in what they described as a “short but brave battle with cancer”.
  • Wogan had a career spanning five decades, hosting his radio show for 27 years and anchoring a thrice-weekly chatshow in the 1980s, as well as the BBC’s Eurovision coverage and annual fundraiser Children in Need.
  • Prime Minister David Cameron said Britain had lost a huge talent, and said he grew up listening to him on the radio and watching him on TV.
  • His Irish counterpart Enda Kenny said the Limerick-born presenter “occupied a special place in British listeners’ hearts and he acted in no small way as a bridge between Ireland and Britain.”
  • Tony Hall, the BBC’s director general, led the tributes from the corporation, calling Wogan “a national treasure”.

For 50 years Sir Terry graced our screens and airwaves. His warmth, wit and geniality meant that for millions he was a part of the family.

  • Broadcaster and journalist Piers Morgan called him “one of the greatest broadcasters who ever lived”.
  • Wogan offered commentary on the Eurovision Song Contest from 1980 until 2008, garnering a huge following with his light-hearted cynicism of the kitsch music competition.
  • Broadcasters from Radio 2 were effusive about the man many said had inspired them to go into radio. Chris Evans, who replaced him on the breakfast show in 2009, said:

We are all so terribly sad upon hearing of the passing of Terry. I can’t put into words how the whole Radio 2 family is feeling.

  • The first sign that the veteran broadcaster was suffering from ill-health was when Wogan pulled out of hosting his beloved Children in Need last November, citing doctors’ orders. Wogan had presented the show since its inception in 1980, and had planned to host the entire six-and-a-half hour broadcast until 2am.

None of us were expecting this, come out of a clear blue sky, so it’s really hard to take in.

  • Richard Madeley, who had been sitting in for Wogan’s Sunday show on Radio 2, told journalists he had expected the presenter to come back next month. “None of us saw this coming,” he said.
  • Irish broadcasters and entertainers hailed Wogan as a pioneer for British-Irish relations during the darkest days of the Troubles. “Hard to quantify what he achieved, not just in broadcasting, but for the Irish in Britain,” comedian Dara O’Briain wrote

Thanks again for reading. I’ll leave you with the song which Wogan himself used to sign off Wake Up to Wogan in 2009 - Anthony Newley’s The Party’s Over.

Anthony Newley’s The Party’s Over

Updated

The pop stars whose music was a regular feature on Wogan’s breakfast and Sunday shows have been tweeting their appreciation.

A wonderful anecdote here about Terry Wogan from Eurovision producer Guy Freeman, on the BBC’s live blog.

Sir Terry Wogan with Eurovision bands Bardo an Bucks Fizz
Sir Terry Wogan with Eurovision bands Bardo and Bucks Fizz Photograph: PA

My fondest memory of Sir Terry was sitting next to him in the commentary box in Dublin in 1997. Not only was he having a great and hospitable time in his home country, but was also enjoying the rare treat of a scoring sequence that culminated in a UK victory.

As soon as we came off air, with genuine modesty, he turned to me and asked me to please bear him in mind next year, if we were looking for a host. As if we would ever have asked anyone else!!

Updated

People watch a news report through the windows at BBC Broadcasting House in central London following the death of veteran broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan.
People watch a news report through the windows at BBC Broadcasting House in central London following the death of veteran broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA
Bob Shennan, controller of Radio 2 and director of BBC Music, speaks to the media outside BBC Broadcasting House
Bob Shennan, controller of Radio 2 and director of BBC Music, speaks to the media outside BBC Broadcasting House Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA
Tony Blackburn speaks to the media outside BBC Broadcasting House in central London following the death of veteran broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan.
Tony Blackburn speaks to the media outside BBC Broadcasting House in central London following the death of veteran broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan. Photograph: Anthony Devlin/PA

Morning listeners, TOGs and quiz show contestants have been getting in touch via GuardianWitness to tell their best Wogan anecdotes and their fondest memories of their ‘friend’ on the radio.

Here are some of the most touching tributes:

Explaining to Sir Terry Wogan the effect of wind when free-fall parachuting; a hamster face! I then went on to lose the quiz show spectacularly. Sir Terry was a true gentle-man, witty and sharp. It was a lifelong ambition by a TYG who became a TOG to meet the man who represented my childhood. I'm so pleased I made it come true. He will be missed by so many, of all walks of life and all political leanings. He, more than any other broadcaster, broke down barriers and became beloved by all. RIP.

My Grandmother used to keep a radio (or wireless, as she called it) by her bedside. She lived on her own for many years as my Grandfather died quite young and the first thing she did as she opened her eyes was to turn the radio on to the Wogan breakfast show. She used to say that if my Granddad's voice wasn't the first one she could hear, then Terry Wogan's was the next best thing.

So, thank you Sir Terry for making the morning more bearable for her and may you rest easy.

I was a TOG from the age of 17. He was my hero making me laugh and cry with his wit and wisdom over the years. Joining the TOGS brought me friendship and love. and so much of my life has been shaped by people I’ve met through a shared passion of Wogan. The laughter brought in the morning often made driving to work a hazard. I am bereft this morning. The shock of the suddenness of losing him and thought that we won’t ever hear that cheeky rogue again on live radio or see him making a fool of himself on telly. Farewell Sir Tel. You will be missed.

I do not normally get a little bit choked by the passing of stars from stage, screen or radio but this morning I do feel pretty upset by the passing of Sir Terry.

Why? Probably as he has always been there throughout my life, mainly his voice but in the later years on screen too.

He brings back memories of my childhood, getting up for primary school in the early 1970s and coming down for breakfast. My Dad would be having his cereal and my Mum would be busy rustling up something for us with Terry on in the background. Music, chat, Wogans Wager and Fight The Flab.

Moving on, his thrice weekly shows were always on the TV in our house and his Eurovision stints were something else.

Thanks for the last 45 years Sir Terry.

Surprised by how sad I feel to hear this, brings back memories of weekday mornings through my teenage years. Radio 2 was my mum's choice. I would never have admitted it, as I'd rather have been listening to radio 1, but Terry was great company. I remember the Floral Dance and the wobbly bits in front of the mirror. Ah Terry, it's a shame you're gone.

I've listened for much of my life, watched ditto and looked forward to Children in need every year! He never wavered. Iconoclastic from the earliest days, a constant and self mocking humour anyone could relate to but overall a warmth and humanity which was accessible to everyone and could be nothing but genuine. Farewell feels so inadequate but it's all we have - there will be a great big hole in our lives now where El Tel used to be. Play him out with the Sabre Dance!

Father Brian D’Arcy was one of the few friends and colleagues who shared Wogan’s final days. He revealed how in the early years of Wogan’s career in Britain, he had received death threats because of his Irish heritage.

He had to work through a terrible time as an Irish voice when terrible things were happening in the name of Irish people.

He got threats from various organisations. He lived through it all, he kept quiet.

Fr D’Arcy, a contributor to Wake Up To Wogan for more than two decades, said he had been with Wogan and his family on Thursday, when it was apparent his friend did not have long left to live.

“He was quite ill at that stage and I knew it wasn’t long,” the priest said. “We prepared for the worst, and thank God Terry got out of his suffering.”

Terry Wogan at the family home
Terry Wogan at the family home Photograph: Norman Potter/REX/Shutterstock

It was the death of his three-week daughter Vanessa, Wogan and his wife’s first child, which had been a major factor in his loss of his Catholic faith, Fr D’Arcy said, though the priest had officiated at the weddings of Sir Terry’s children.

Family was the centre of his universe, D’Arcy said.

Lady Helen was the love of his life. If you go into Terry Wogan’s house you won’t see a picture of any star - you’ll see pictures of his children and grandchildren festooned around the walls.

Despite his self-professed atheism, Fr D’Arcy said no one deserved to go to heaven more than Wogan.

He was filled with love, he was filled with charity, he helped so may people in a quiet way.

Honest to God, if there is not room for Terry Wogan in heaven, well then, the God I’ve been preaching is a way off.

He put it into practice, whether he could agree with religious institutions or not is an entirely different thing. But he had certainly a great deal of faith.”

Tributes from TOGs

The Toggs, Terry’s Old Geezers and Gals, such as King Tog, Helen Bach, Dibley, Lucy Quipment, Ricky T Outhouse and Jo King who met at a Toggs convention, will feel that they have lost family.

Any other broadcaster might have regarded the most obsessively devoted fans in the history of radio as stalkers but Wogan shared their terrible jokes, celebrated their birthdays, ate the cake they sent in by the barrow load, laughed at their misfortunes, sang to their babies, talked to their cats, and beamed from ear to ear as they turned up whenever he opened so much as an envelope.

Terry Wogan on the breakfast show
Terry Wogan on the breakfast show Photograph: Clive Howes/ANL/REX/Shutterstock

The Queen on a visit to Radio 2, and her daughter in law Camilla at a literary reception at St James’s Palace, both outed themselves as fellow travellers.

The Togs were already organising their next annual convention, to be held in Reading next August, and were confident that this year their hero would walk amongst them again: in retrospect it was an ominous indicator when he had to cancel last time.

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II meets Terry Wogan
Britain’s Queen Elizabeth II meets Terry Wogan Photograph: Kirsty Wigglesworth/PA

In 2009 on a freezing December morning they gathered on the doorstep of Radio 2, to mark what he announced on air with a wobble in his voice as “the day I’ve been dreading,” his last breakfast show.

Dibley had come by overnight coach from Inverness, others from Yorkshire and south Wales.

As Wogan came out and greeted them with a shout of delighted recognition and an imperial two armed salute, they comforted themselves that he would still be on the air:

“He’s only moving from breakfast time to Sunday mornings, for heaven’s sake. It’s not as if the man is dead,” Lucy Quipment said.”

The Toggs won’t let a little thing like the fact that he has now passed affect their devotion.

Updated

Rather than enthuse his children with a love for broadcasting, it was his enthusiasm for good food that seems to have rubbed off on Wogan’s three children.

The presenter always described himself as a “foodie” and just last year he recorded a 20-part television show with London cabbie Mason McQueen called ‘Terry and Mason’s Great Food Trip’ for BBC2, looking at regional British cuisine from Cheshire cheese to a Dorchester garlic farm, trying lardy cakes, honey-glazed dormouse and curries from the Balti Triangle.

Terry Wogan and his wife Helen
Terry Wogan and his wife Helen Photograph: Toby Melville / Reuters/Reuters

In an interview with website BookATable, Wogan spoke about his children’s enthusiasm for food which has seen all of them have some involvement in the restaurant business. His daughter Katherine and her husband own several Berkshire pubs, and son Mark was one of the founders of Covent Garden pizzeria Home Slice.

Of his daughter’s pubs, Wogan said: “My only input is to turn up and sit down at the table once in a while. And we’re always quite critical because we are a foodie. The food thing really comes from my wife, who is an excellent cook. In stark contrast to my mother, who was a terrible cook.”

It is his wife’s cooking that Wogan said he wanted to have for his last meal.

I’d have my wife’s duck in a bordelaise sauce, with her beautifully roasted potatoes. I’m not going to have it with orange sauce, I don’t like that. We have a house in the south west of France where we eat a lot of duck, obviously.

That would absolutely be my last meal… with the crispy skin. I only eat turkey for the skin, and it’s also a great bonus with the duck.

Chairman of BBC Trust Rona Fairhead
Chairman of BBC Trust Rona Fairhead Photograph: Handout/Getty Images

BBC Trust chairman Rona Fairhead has sent a statement praising Wogan’s commitment to his audiences.

“Sir Terry Wogan was an extraordinary broadcaster treasured by audiences, who made an immense contribution in his long and dedicated career,” she said.

“He will be much missed by millions and all our thoughts are with his family and friends at this sad time.”

Wogan’s home city is to open a book of condolences for the “true son of Limerick”.

Two books will be opened, one at Dooradoyle and another at Merchants Quay on Monday morning, with an online book of condolences at http://www.limerick.ie.

Veteran broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan honoured with the Freedom of Limerick city.
Veteran broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan honoured with the Freedom of Limerick city. Photograph: Kieran Clancy/PA

Limerick Mayor Liam Galvin said Wogan never forgot his roots in the city, which he visited regularly.

Despite his fame and the fact that he was based in the UK throughout much of his career, Sir Terry often returned home to Limerick and never missed an opportunity on radio or TV to speak about his Limerick roots.

The council honoured him with the title of Freeman of Limerick in 2007, which I know was a title that meant very much to him and his family.

Updated

Wogan’s neighbour Mark Jones, who runs the Wall Of Sound record label, came to lay flowers outside his home in the Buckinghamshire village of Taplow.

The pair had never formally met, but Jones said Wogan was active in village life. “He was just one of those legends of television and radio that you grew up with,” he said.

A local well-wisher leaves flowers outside the home of Sir Terry Wogan in Taplow, Buckinghamshire
A local well-wisher leaves flowers outside the home of Sir Terry Wogan in Taplow, Buckinghamshire Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA

We have been neighbours but I never met him, so I wanted to come and lay some flowers here. It is just one of those things - it feels very strange today.

He has always had that spirit of friendship. He was very communicative and a local supporter, as far as I am aware. It is just sad that we never actually met.

Flowers left outside the home of Sir Terry Wogan
Flowers left outside the home of Sir Terry Wogan Photograph: Jonathan Brady/PA

Updated

Richard Madeley, who had been sitting in for Wogan’s Sunday show on Radio 2, has been speaking to journalists as he left the studio this morning, saying “none of us saw this coming”

Sir Terry Wogan recording a track for Children in Need at Abbey Road studios in London
Sir Terry Wogan recording a track for Children in Need at Abbey Road studios in London Photograph: Katie Collins/PA

Madeley said he had expected to see Wogan back in the presenting chair early next month. He praised the presenter’s talent for off-the-cuff broadcasting.

What we realised straight away was there was no disconnect between the Terry Wogan that we saw on the television or heard on the radio, and the real man, none at all.

He would just walk in, shoulder off his coat and start broadcasting without there being any kind of gap.

There have been non-stop accolades for Wogan continuing on Twitter and other networks this morning. Here’s just a tiny snapshot.

This sketch by artist Darren Bird -known as Birdie - is being widely shared among Wogan fans. It is a take on the famous Pudsey Bear, the mascot of Children In Need, perhaps the only other character as firmly associated with the fundraiser as Wogan himself.

Tony Hall's email to BBC staff

The BBC director general Tony Hall has sent an email to staff marking the death of Terry Wogan, shared here by BBC home duty editor Neil Henderson

The One Show will air a special tribute to Wogan tomorrow night at 7pm, the BBC has announced.

Updated

Terry Wogan’s death was first announced shortly after 9am on BBC Radio 2. Here’s how listeners found out the news the veteran presenter had passed away, with some beautiful tributes coming in from fans within minutes.

The Radio 2 announcement of the death of Terry Wogan

One of the Wogan’s regular contributors has got in touch - Kevin Joslin, who goes by the name Mick Sturbs on GuardianWitness.

I was lucky enough to know Sir Terry for nearly 15 years, going from a new listener, to a regular contributor to his morning show (under a variety of assumed names) and finally writing the Janet & John stories. On all of the occasions I shared his company, he would always be approached by people who wanted a photo or autograph. Many times this meant standing in the pouring rain patiently while people found their phone or camera. The smile never left his face. I and I suspect a good portion of the nation, have lost our favourite uncle.

We’ve just spoken to him to find out more about his relationship with the programme.

I had been a regular contributor to ‘Wake up to Wogan’ for many years, and a devoted listener for even longer. One morning, John Marsh, one of the regular news team, mentioned his wife, Janet. I learned to read with Janet & John books, so the idea of a parody seemed like a good one.

The stories became a regular feature on the show, and got progressively more smutty (but still broadcastable) as the years went by. Paul Walters, Terry’s late producer, had the idea of recording the stories live and putting them onto CD to sell for Children in Need.

In the end, six CDs were released, which between them raised about £4m for the charity.


Here’s a tribute too from a TOG, “Emma Roid”.

Sad day, deepest sympathy to his family. Proud to be a TOG. Emma Roid xxx

Here’s what she told us about being a TOG

All TOGS had different nicknames. Mine Emma Roid. One of the other girls was Mother Superior of Perpetual Motion. Hellenbach was another.

Being a TOG was like being part of a big loving family. Everybody looked out for each other even if you had never met them and when you did meet up it was joyful.

I met Terry just the once when we all got together to make a CD at Longleat. I was alone and soon found myself within the welcoming arms of Mother Superior!

Typical of all TOGs who followed Terry’s lead of being kind to all. Perfect gentleman and will be sadly missed by all. I’ve been a fan of his since the first broadcast and whilst not an active TOG, felt always part of the family.

Updated

During the morning, many friends and colleagues of Wogan have said his illness was short, and the interviews given by the star during the six months before his death betray no sense that he knew he was unwell. He was promoting a novel and had plans to remain a decade longer in showbusiness.

But in one interview with Event magazine from October, shortly before he pulled out of hosting BBC Children in Need, Wogan does appear to be grappling with questions of his own mortality, and talks about his views on religion and the right to die.

Sir Terry Wogan and his wife Helen
Sir Terry Wogan and his wife Helen. Photograph: Stefan Rousseau/PA

My health seems OK, but I am 77 now. Things will go wrong. I am clinging to the wreckage.

Though a self-declared atheist, Wogan revealed that he did still attend mass with his wife.

I don’t believe in God, but when the grim reaper turns up, I may well think, ’Oh, just in case, let me leave an exit door open.’ Maybe I do believe!

Wogan said he would not want to suffer the pain and indignity of a long fatal illness.

I might go to Dignitas, if I was in enough pain and suffering and I was causing a lot of disruption and pain to everybody around me, yeah. I don’t know if I could be bothered getting on a plane and going to Switzerland.

I’m very Irish about that. Can we not do this kind of thing at home? I would have thought it is a basic human right, but it is bound around by religious considerations.

Updated

Ireland pays tribute to Terry Wogan

President Michael Higgins has led the tributes in Ireland to Wogan, with Taoiseach Enda Kenny describing him as a man who was “in no small way as a bridge between Ireland and Britain”.

Terry Wogan with book Wogan’s Ireland
Terry Wogan with his book Wogan’s Ireland. Photograph: Solent News/Rex/Shutterstock

“People in Ireland will remember his early career in Irish broadcasting,” Higgins said.

On his move to Britain his voice became one of the most often quoted, favourite radio voices.

Always proud of his origins in Limerick, he made many returns to his native country for television and radio projects.

His rise to the top of radio listenership in the United Kingdom was a great tribute to his breadth of knowledge and in particular his unique, very personal sense of humour.

Kenny called Wogan’s humour and wit “unparalleled” among his peers. “He graced the top of his broadcasting profession for decades as a reassuring voice on the BBC,” he said.

“His always entertaining, and often unforgiving, commentary of the Eurovision Song Contest provided viewers here and in Britain with endless entertainment.”

Updated

Summary: Colleagues and celebrities pay tribute to Terry Wogan

  • Sir Terry Wogan, the legendary broadcaster and entertainer, has died from cancer aged 77.
  • The Limerick-born BBC Radio 2 presenter who had a career spanning five decades, died surrounded by his loved ones, his family said in a statement. He is survived by Lady Helen, his wife of 50 years, and three children, Katherine, Mark and Alan.
  • The BBC director general, Tony Hall, described Wogan as a “national treasure” who had been a huge part of the BBC on television and on radio.
Sir Terry Wogan and his daughter Katherine at the Savoy hotel in London
Sir Terry Wogan and his daughter Katherine at the Savoy hotel in London. Photograph: Yui Mok/PA
  • As well as presenting the long-running Wake Up to Wogan, the Eurovision song contest, television chatshow Wogan and the quizshow Blankety Blank, Wogan was the face of the charity fundraiser Children in Need, raising hundreds of millions of pounds.
  • Last November, Wogan was forced to pull out of presenting Children in Need at the last minute due to health issues.
  • The prime minister, David Cameron, called Wogan a “huge talent – someone millions came to feel was their own special friend.

I grew up listening to him on the radio and watching him on TV. His charm and wit always made me smile.

Sir Terry Wogan (right) with Chris Evans
Sir Terry Wogan (right) with Chris Evans Photograph: Dominic Lipinski/PA
  • Tributes have been paid from across the world of broadcasting and entertainment, led by Radio 2 co-stars.
  • Jeremy Vine called Wogan “unfailingly encouraging and friendly” and Chris Evans, Wogan’s replacement when he left the breakfast show in 2009, said he couldn’t “put into words how the whole Radio 2 family is feeling”.
  • Irish broadcasters and entertainers hailed Wogan as a pioneer for British-Irish relations during the darkest days of the Troubles. “Hard to quantify what he achieved, not just in broadcasting, but for the Irish in Britain,” comedian Dara O’Briain wrote.

Updated

Radio 2 presenter Dermot O’Leary has shared a tribute to Wogan on his Instagram, with the words of a famous Irish blessing.

Dermot O’Leary’s tribute to Terry Wogan

Many have commented on the importance of Wogan’s popularity and his Irish heritage, especially during the strife of the 1970s and 80s.

The BBC announcer Alan Dedicoat, perhaps one of the only people at the corporation who could match Wogan for the familiarity of their distinctive voices, has been speaking to Radio 2 about his friend.

Terry Wogan at the Radio 2 studio
Terry Wogan at the Radio 2 studio Photograph: REX/Shutterstock

There will be no one like him again because he was so cheeky, so naughty. I spent 15 years on that breakfast show with him and I regret not one single day.

It was a laugh from the minute he arrived to the minute he left. Rehearsal – he knew the meaning of the word, knew the concept, never actually applied it. What you saw, what you heard, was exactly what you got.

He was the cheeky Irishman, always very perky. But he was able to see us slightly differently and see our weaknesses and see our strengths.

Updated

There are so many highlights to choose from, but here’s a short selection of clips from Terry Wogan’s career as a BBC TV and radio presenter from the past 30 years, from Blankety Blank to Wake Up with Wogan.

Terry Wogan’s career in the spotlight - video

Updated

'None of us were expecting this'

Ken Bruce, one of Wogan’s longtime colleagues at Radio 2, has been speaking about the shock of the broadcaster’s sudden passing.

None of us were expecting this, come out of a clear blue sky, so it’s really hard to take in.

He was part of the fabric of our lives in so many ways. He could have been the presenter of the most difficult, most involved news programmes. He could have done anything in broadcasting, whatever he wanted to do. What he chose to do was bring his vast wit and intelligence to entertainment.

He was a positive person, a warm generous person and that’s exactly what you heard in the ear. He never forgot he was there to entertain. in the studio he was exactly the same. I worked alongside him for 20 years and it was fun every day, he enjoyed doing what he did and made sure we enjoyed doing it every day.

Ken Bruce (left) and Sir Terry Wogan
Radio 2 colleague Ken Bruce (left) and Terry Wogan enjoying an extra hour in bed before presenting their radio programmes from Millstreet, Ireland, the venue for the Eurovision Song Contest Photograph: Martin McCullough/PA

Bruce said Wogan never really wanted to rehearse anything he did, producing his best work spontaneously.

He came in and did it as it happened. He turned up with a few minutes to go every time. He ran it very close as it happened he didn’t plan anything or prepare anything.

He was the first kind of person to do that kind of thing. In the early days of Blankety Blank, no one had ever spoken to celebrities like that. He was a mould-breaker.

Updated

One Guardian reader points out, via Guardian Witness, how much Wogan meant to Irish listeners, particularly during the tensions between Britain and Ireland in the early days of his career.

In the dark days for the Irish in Britain of the late 1970s and 1980s, Terry was a man we could all point to as extolling our cultural virtues; geniality, good humour and a ready wit. His wider appeal, while never losing his Irishness, showed some of us that what we had in common with our neighbours was far deeper and stronger than ever we thought. Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam.

Translation: May his soul sit at God's right hand

Other readers have been sharing their fond memories of listening daily to Wogan’s Radio 2 show.

I remember driving to work crying with laughter and if you saw another driver laughing you knew they were listening too. A brilliant broadcaster.

His silliness was part of every school morning. He was a big part of my childhood and is bringing back vivid memories of family. Feeling very sad and also for his family.

Wogan interviewed many public figures over the year, using his gentle, personable style for even the most probing exchanges. Though there are almost 50 years’ worth to choose from, there are two that are particularly being discussed this morning.

The first is from 1990, Wogan’s interview with George Best at the height of the footballer’s alcoholism. “I was ill,’ Best said of that interview, “and everyone could see it but me.”

George Best on Wogan in 1990

But probably the most astonishing interview Wogan ever conducted was in 1991 with David Icke, who had been his fellow BBC presenter, now a controversial conspiracy theorist. Wogan asked Icke if he believed he was the son of God, which Icke did not deny.

Wogan interviews David Icke in 1991

The interview was devastating to Icke’s career.

As a television presenter, I’d been respected. People come up to you in the street and shake your hand and talk to you in a respectful way. And suddenly, overnight, this was transformed into “Icke’s a nutter.” I couldn’t walk down any street in Britain without being laughed at.

Wogan re-interviewed Icke in 2006, admitting he may have been “a bit sharp” in their original exchange, but continued to question him on his belief in conspiracy theories.

Wogan interviews Icke again in 2006

Updated

One group sure to be holding vigils nationwide is Wogan’s legion of devoted followers – the TOGs.

A long-running feature on Wake Up to Wogan, the presenter developed an affectionate fan club called Terry’s Old Geezers or Gals, to whom he assigned nicknames and imagined humorous characteristics.

Terry Wogan’s final BBC breakfast show
Terry Wogan’s final BBC breakfast show. Photograph: BBC/PA

Over time, “Togginess” came to mean not just a devotion to Wogan, but a state of mind, which Wogan described as “that feeling of being old before your time ... a flat cap and an inexplicable penchant for driving their Volvos in the centre lane of the motorway at 60mph.”

There is talk of a secret sign, known only to those who see it flashed, rather like some Bat-Signal, on the radio every morning. There is an even more secret Grand Master, or TOGmeister, sign always exchanged under cover of darkness, or the snug of a seedy eaterie near Broadcasting House, which is known only to Wogan himself, and the Duke of Kent.

The TOGs sweatshirt, which, like the car-sticker, is rarer than hen’s teeth, bears the legend: ‘Do I come here often?’ – a tried and trusted TOG chat-up line. There was a strong groundswell of opinion to have ‘I stop for no particular reason’ on the back, but it soon petered out.

Currently a movement is gathering strength to have the logos changed to ‘It’s never your fault’ on the front and ‘Mustn’t grumble’, on the back.

TOGs feel a deep-seated need to form themselves into groups, clusters or tribes. Watch out for a gathering near you.

Even the Queen is reported to have outed herself as a secret TOG.

Updated

The Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has posted his own tribute to Wogan.

There have been countless senior politicians revealing themselves to have been regular Wogan listeners and viewers this morning.

Wogan had more than 9 million daily listeners at the pinnacle of his broadcasting career.

What are your fondest memories? Share your experiences and tributes by clicking on the blue ‘Contribute with Guardian Witness’ button at the top of this live blog.

Updated

Wogan famously said he did not have 9 million listeners – he had one – because he always spoke into the microphone as if it was a personal conversation with a friend.

Many have been sharing this final sign-off from Wake Up to Wogan from 2009, which captures that intimacy with the listener.

Sir Terry Wogan signs off on his breakfast show

You’ve allowed me to share your lives with you. When you tell me how important I’ve been in your lives, it’s fairly moving. You’ve been every bit as important in mine.

If anybody embodies the generous, warm spirit of this country it’s you, my listeners.

Now, I’m not going to pretend that this is not a sad day – you can probably hear it in my voice. I’m going to miss the laughter and the fun of our mornings together.

“I’m going to miss you – till we’re together again in February. Have a happy Christmas. Thank you. Thank you for being my friend.

Updated

Broadcasters call Wogan 'inspiration'

Hundreds of the tributes this morning are coming from broadcasters, including Dermot O’Leary, Gaby Roslin and Scott Mills, many crediting him as their career inspiration.

Updated

The first sign that the veteran broadcaster was suffering from ill-health was when Wogan pulled out of hosting his beloved Children in Need last November, citing doctors’ orders.

Wogan had presented the show since its inception in 1980, and had planned to host the entire six-and-a-half hour broadcast until 2am.

In a statement announcing he would not be hosting the show, Wogan said:

So, here we are on the 36th edition of Children in Need, every one of which I’ve been proud to present since it started in 1980, and for the first time, I won’t be there, to cheer you on with word and gesture to another record-breaking year.

I’m going to miss our wonderful, inspiring evening together, but I’ll be with you, watching, cheering and donating.

Sir Terry Wogan with a collection of Pudsey Bears
Sir Terry Wogan with a collection of Pudsey Bears. Photograph: Sean Dempsey/PA

As recently as September, the 77-year-old had been expressing a desire to work in broadcasting for at least another decade. “I’m used to long days,” he told the Daily Record.

I do seven hours on my feet of live television for Children in Need every year, so the day that I can’t stand up is when I will stop doing it.

I’d love to keep going for another 10 years, I’ll cling to the wreckage for as long as I can.

I’m supposed to be retiring, but I’m not. I have no plans to retire – they’ll have to carry me off stage.

Updated

Chris Evans, who replaced Wogan on his morning slot in 2009, has tweeted his tribute.

Updated

The broadcaster and priest Father Brian D’Arcy, who was a longtime regular on the Pause for Thought section of Wake Up to Wogan, has been speaking on BBC Radio 2, where Mark Goodier is presenting a tribute show.

D’Arcy said he had recently visited Wogan when the broadcaster knew he was dying.

I’ve known him over 40 years, I knew him before he went to Britain. We kept up the friendship ever since.

I was with Terry on Thursday to say goodbye. It as a short enough illness. He was such a man for a laugh. It was one long joke after another.

He was a wonderful storyteller, a magnificent memory. He was one of the most educated, friendly, charitable, gentle men I’ve ever met.

He was totally a family men. Everything revolved around Helen. Helen was the centre of his life for over 50 years.

The family was the centre of his life and everything revolved around the beauty and the happiness of Helen and his family. He had a brilliant mind that could see the fun in all sorts of things.

Updated

PM pays tribute to 'huge talent'

David Cameron has added his voice to the tributes, saying he grew up watching and listening to Wogan.

Updated

As you might imagine with a career that spanned generations, tributes have been non-stop on social media from fellow BBC presenters, celebrities he had met and interviewed, and regular listeners.

Wogan’s fellow Radio 2 presenter Jeremy Vine has been speaking to BBC News.

This is tremendously sad. None of Terry’s colleagues knew he was ill, certainly not this ill, and I’m devastated this morning to hear the news.

I found him unfailingly courteous and encouraging to me as a very junior broadcaster. He was the same off-the-air as he was on-the-air, you couldn’t have done that amount of time if there been any split between on-air and off-air Wogan.

He was just a gorgeous man, a brilliant broadcaster, probably the greatest broadcaster since the invention of the microphone.

The greatest radio is intimate, and the reason we all mourn him today is because we feel he spoke to us. He was never predictable, he was always an innovator.

Updated

Terry Wogan’s death was announced today by his family and by the BBC.

The broadcaster was married to Helen Joyce for 50 years, and the couple had four children, one of whom died as an infant. “Sir Terry Wogan died today after a short but brave battle with cancer,” the family statement said.

“He passed away surrounded by his family. While we understand he will be missed by many, the family ask that their privacy is respected at this time.”

Sir Terry Wogan and his wife Helen with their daughter Katherine at three weeks old, and their sons Alan, five (right), and Mark, two
Sir Terry Wogan and his wife Helen with their daughter Katherine at three weeks old, and their sons Alan, five (right), and Mark, two. Photograph: PA

The BBC director general, Tony Hall, called Wogan “a national treasure”.

Today we’ve lost a wonderful friend. He was a lovely, lovely man and our thoughts are with his wife and family.

For 50 years Sir Terry graced our screens and airwaves. His warmth, wit and geniality meant that for millions he was a part of the family.

Wake Up To Wogan was for millions of Radio 2 listeners the very best way to start the day. For decades he’s been such a huge part of the BBC on television and radio and leaves so many wonderful memories.

At the centre of Children In Need since its beginning he raised hundreds of millions of pounds and changed so many lives for the better. He leaves a remarkable legacy.

The BBC Radio 2 controller, Bob Shennan, said: “As the host of Wake up to Wogan, Terry established himself as one of the greatest and most popular radio hosts this country has ever heard.

“We were brightened by his wonderful personality and charm as he woke us up every weekday morning, becoming an essential and much-loved part of our lives.

“His millions of listeners adored him, as did his whole Radio 2 family. We will miss him enormously and our thoughts at this very sad time are with Helen and all the family.”

Terry Wogan on air in 1976
Terry Wogan on air in 1976. Photograph: Daily Mail/Rex/Shutterstock

Helen Boaden, the director of BBC Radio, added: “Sir Terry was a radio legend. For decades, he gave great pleasure to radio listeners with his wit, warmth and inimitable humour.

“He was an extraordinary broadcaster but also incredibly good fun, and will be sorely missed.”

Updated

Terry Wogan dies aged 77

Sir Terry Wogan, the BBC TV and radio presenter, has died aged 77 from cancer, his family have said.

We’ll bring you the latest tributes to a broadcasting legend, and the highlights of a career spanning more than 50 years.

Sir Terry Wogan recording a track for Children in Need at Abbey Road studios in London
Sir Terry Wogan recording a track for Children in Need at Abbey Road studios in London. Photograph: Katie Collins/PA
  • Wogan’s first BBC radio show was Midday Spin, followed by Late Night Extra on Radio 1, which he presented after flying over from Dublin every two weeks. In 1969, he began a daily show on Radio 1 and 2, taking over the morning show on Radio 2 three years later.
  • He presented this until 1984, shortly before starting his thrice-weekly chatshow Wogan on BBC1, which ran for seven years.
  • One of Wogan’s biggest TV hits was the missing-word quiz show Blankety Blank, where celebrities and contestants fought it out for prizes, though most coveted was the second prize Blankety Blank chequebook and pen.
  • He returned to Radio 2 in 1993 as host of Wake Up to Wogan and presented the show until December 2009, returning the following year to host the channel’s Sunday show.
  • In November 2015, Wogan was forced to pull out of BBC Children in Need, citing health reasons.

Updated

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