62 Facts About Sir Terry Wogan

Sir Michael Terence Wogan was an Irish-British radio and television broadcaster who worked for the BBC in the UK for most of his career.

Between 1993 and his semi-retirement in December 2009, his BBC Radio 2 weekday breakfast programme Wake Up to Wogan regularly drew an estimated eight million listeners.

Sir Terry Wogan was believed to be the most listened-to radio broadcaster in Europe.

Sir Terry Wogan was a leading media personality in Ireland and Britain from the late 1960s, and was often referred to as a "national treasure".

Sir Terry Wogan was the BBC's commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest from 1971 to 2008 and the Contest's host in 1998.

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In 2005, Wogan acquired British citizenship in addition to his Irish nationality and was therefore entitled to use the title "Sir" in front of his name when he was awarded a knighthood in the same year.

Sir Terry Wogan died from cancer, at his home in Hitcham, Buckinghamshire, on 31 January 2016, aged 77.

Michael Terence Sir Terry Wogan was born on 3 August 1938 at Cleary's Nursing Home, Elm Park, Limerick, Ireland, the elder of two children.

Sir Terry Wogan experienced a strongly religious upbringing, later commenting that he had been brainwashed into believing by the threat of going to hell.

Sir Terry Wogan participated in amateur dramatics and discovered a love of rock and roll.

Sir Terry Wogan conducted interviews and presented documentary features during his first two years at Raidio Teilifis Eireann, before moving to the light entertainment department as a disc jockey and host of TV quiz and variety shows such as Jackpot, a top-rated quiz show on RTE in the 1960s.

Sir Terry Wogan began working for BBC Radio, initially 'down the line' from Dublin, first broadcasting on the BBC Light Programme on 27 September 1966.

Sir Terry Wogan presented the Tuesday edition of Late Night Extra for two years on BBC Radio 2, commuting weekly from Dublin to London.

Sir Terry Wogan released a parody vocal version of the song "The Floral Dance" in 1978, by popular request from listeners who enjoyed hearing him sing over the instrumental hit by the Brighouse and Rastrick Brass Band.

In December 1984, Sir Terry Wogan left his breakfast show to pursue a full-time career in television and was replaced by Ken Bruce.

In January 1993 he returned to BBC Radio 2, replacing Brian Hayes to present the breakfast show, which took the new name Wake Up to Sir Terry Wogan; it began with a preview show in the mid-morning of Boxing Day 1992.

Sir Terry Wogan was referred to as "The Togmeister" on his own programme by himself and members of his production team, and he referred to the podcast of his show as a 'togcast'.

That figure was surpassed in 2008, as Sir Terry Wogan's show held off a challenge from Radio 1 for listeners during the breakfast slot.

Sir Terry Wogan was forced off the air on 16 February 2007, when steam from a nearby gym set off fire alarms.

On returning, Sir Terry Wogan read out several light-hearted comments from listeners, saying that they thought he had died with his sudden disappearance and the playing of such sentimental music.

On 7 September 2009, Sir Terry Wogan confirmed to his listeners that he would be leaving the breakfast show at the end of the year, with Chris Evans taking over.

Sir Terry Wogan continued to host the show until his final broadcast on Remembrance Sunday 2015, due to his declining health with cancer.

In 1971, and from 1974 until 1977, Sir Terry Wogan provided the BBC's radio commentary for the Eurovision Song Contest.

Sir Terry Wogan became known for his television commentary, which he handled first in 1973, again in 1978, then every year from 1980 until 2008.

Sir Terry Wogan co-hosted the 1998 contest with Ulrika Jonsson, in Birmingham's National Indoor Arena on 9 May Wogan was the third person in the contest's history to combine the roles of presenter and commentator.

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From 1977 until 1996, Sir Terry Wogan hosted the UK selection show each year, returning to the job in 1998, and again from 2003 until 2008.

In 1973,1975, every year from 1977 until 1984, and again in 1994, Sir Terry Wogan presented the UK Eurovision Song Contest Previews on BBC 1.

The winner was the group Scooch; according to the BBC, Sir Terry Wogan was provided with the correct result during the live show.

Sir Terry Wogan argued that Abraham gave a better performance than the entries from Spain and Bosnia-Herzegovina.

On 11 August 2008, Sir Terry Wogan said in an interview with the Radio Times magazine that he was doubtful about presenting the Eurovision Song Contest for the United Kingdom again.

In November 2014, Sir Terry Wogan reviewed Norton's autobiography for The Irish Times.

Sir Terry Wogan was released from his talk-show contract in 1992, after pressure from the BBC.

Sir Terry Wogan said that the BBC wanted his scheduling slot for the ill-fated soap Eldorado.

Sir Terry Wogan presented Sir Terry Wogan Now and Then, a show in which he interviewed guests from his former chat show, as well as new guests.

In 1980, the BBC's charity appeal for children was first broadcast as a telethon called Children in Need, with Sir Terry Wogan presenting alongside Sue Lawley and Esther Rantzen.

Sir Terry Wogan campaigned extensively for the charity, and often involved himself via auctions on his radio show, or more directly by taking part in well-publicised sponsored activities.

Sir Terry Wogan was reported to be the only celebrity paid for his participation in Children in Need, having received a fee every year since 1980.

Sir Terry Wogan stated that he would "quite happily do it for nothing" and that he "never asked for a fee".

Sir Terry Wogan appeared on the panel comedy show QI in the 2008 episode for Children in Need, 'Families'.

Sir Terry Wogan was the main regular presenter of Children in Need between 1980 and 2014.

In November 2015, Sir Terry Wogan was unable to participate in the live televised Children in Need appeal for the first time in its 35-year history, due to poor health after a surgical procedure on his back.

Sir Terry Wogan did make a brief appearance as part of a pre-recorded sketch.

Sir Terry Wogan left the show after the 1983 series, just over a year before his thrice-weekly chat show commenced.

Sir Terry Wogan narrated the BBC television series Stoppit and Tidyup, which was broadcast in 1987.

Sir Terry Wogan appeared on Friday Night with Jonathan Ross four times, between 2004 and 2009.

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In 2010, Sir Terry Wogan made a cameo appearance in the second series of Being Human, and guest-hosted the fourth episode of the 24th series of Never Mind the Buzzcocks.

On 21 September 2013, Sir Terry Wogan appeared as a panellist on ITV game show Through the Keyhole.

On 31 March 2014, Sir Terry Wogan was a guest reporter on Bang Goes the Theory, on which he discussed old-age dementia.

On 10 November 2014, in the run up to that year's Children in Need telethon, Sir Terry Wogan guest hosted an episode of The One Show with Alex Jones.

Sir Terry Wogan presented a series called Terry and Mason's Great Food Trip with the cab driver Mason McQueen in 2015, in which the duo travelled all over Britain eating regional food.

Sir Terry Wogan was appointed an Honorary Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1997, and later became an Honorary Knight Commander of the same order in the 2005 Queen's Birthday Honours List.

Sir Terry Wogan was made an honorary freeman of the City of London in 2009, and invited to raise the bascules of Tower Bridge.

In 1978, Sir Terry Wogan was the subject of This Is Your Life, when he was surprised by Eamonn Andrews at Broadcasting House.

Sir Terry Wogan was inducted into the Radio Academy Hall of Fame at a gala dinner held in his honour on 10 December 2009.

Sir Terry Wogan was announced as the Ultimate Icon of Radio 2, commemorating the station's 40th birthday.

Sir Terry Wogan praised his fellow nominees, the Beatles, Diana, Princess of Wales, and Nelson Mandela during his acceptance speech, which was broadcast live on BBC Radio 2, and he chose Nat King Cole's recording of "Stardust" as his iconic song of the last 40 years.

Sir Terry Wogan had chosen the song twice before as his favourite record on Desert Island Discs, and said he wanted to be buried with it.

Sir Terry Wogan married Helen Joyce on 24 April 1965 in her parish church, Our Lady of Refuge, Rathmines, and they remained married until his death.

In 2010, Sir Terry Wogan described the anguish he felt on the loss of his baby daughter.

Sir Terry Wogan was brought up and educated as a Roman Catholic, but became an atheist at the age of 17.

Sir Terry Wogan did not present Children in Need in November 2015, citing back pain as the reason for his absence from the long-running annual show.

Sir Terry Wogan died of cancer, aged 77, on 31 January 2016, at his home.