Wogan: I'd rather leave while we're in love

Published on Monday 7 September 2009 22:03

HE IS almost as much an institution as the BBC itself, but veteran DJ Sir Terry Wogan has announced he is quitting his Radio 2 show after 27 years.

Sir Terry yesterday told listeners: "I'd rather leave while we're in love."

The presenter of the UK's most listened-to programme – will be replaced by his one-time breakfast show rival Chris Evans.

Sir Terry, 71, has said he will be stepping down at the end of the year.

However, the switch will be difficult for some of his most loyal fans, known as Togs – Terry's Old Geezers or Gals.

The Radio 2 message board on the BBC's website was inundated with listeners both lamenting Wogan's departure and decrying the appointment of Evans.

A typical comment ran: "I wish TW all the best in his retirement, he will be a very hard act to follow.

"Johnnie Walker should be given his spot, as I feel Chris Evans is the wrong choice for that time of the day."

Sir Terry, whose show boasts an audience of about eight million loyal listeners, made his announcement live on air, and said the decision to leave was "the hardest thing I have ever done in my broadcasting career".

The veteran broadcaster told listeners: "I wanted to be the first to tell you. It's the least I owe you, for endless years, countless hours of morning companionship, friendship, good humour, and laughter.

"Your loyalty and support has been a beacon of love in my life."

He added: "I'd rather leave while we're in love, as the song says, while the programme is the most popular on British radio, while we still delight in each other's company."

Sir Terry began his first stint as Radio 2's breakfast host in 1972, but bowed out at the end of 1984 to work on his BBC1 chat show. He rejoined in 1993. He will continue to work for Radio 2 with a new weekend show when he leaves the breakfast slot.

Evans, who currently hosts the Radio 2 drivetime show, praised Sir Terry: "To step down from something you have done so well and for so long and obviously still enjoy doing must be a tough call, even for such a stoic as Sir Tel.

"I couldn't be more excited at the prospect of hosting the flagship show on one of the BBC's national networks."

Evans had previously been Sir Terry's breakfast rival on two occasions, when he fronted shows for Radio 1 and Virgin Radio.

Meanwhile, Chris Moyles, the current Radio 1 morning presenter, paid tribute to Wogan's work today – and relished the opportunity to overtake his listening figures.

Moyles, who became the longest-serving breakfast host at Radio 1 yesterday, said: "Terry Wogan is a phenomenal broadcaster; it's the end of an era Terry not being on in the morning. I, like millions of others, will miss hearing his great Irish brogue every morning."

Tim Davie, director of audio and music at the BBC said: "Terry is a legendary talent, and I'd like to pay tribute, on behalf of the BBC and his millions of devoted listeners, to his unique place in UK broadcasting history.

Sir Terry modestly played down his contribution yesterday as he recorded a charity single, a cover of The Beatles' song All You Need Is Love for Children In Need. He joked: "I've just worn them down. If you do something for long enough, as I have, people confuse longevity with merit. They begin to feel sorry for you."

Yesterday, however, bookies were giving odds of 25/1 of Evans lasting longer on Radio 2's breakfast show than Wogan.

TEL IT LIKE IT IS – HIS WISDOM ON …

HOLIDAYS: "There can be few things more irritating than returning home to find everyone who stayed at home has got a better tan than you."

HIS REPORTED 800K SALARY: "I'm being underpaid. I've got eight million listeners."

COVERING EUROVISION: "They'll have to shoot me to stop it. I shall cling to the wreckage as long as I can"

SUCCESS: "I put it all down to clean living and plenty of roughage."

GOD: "I have the intellectual arrogance that makes it very hard to believe in Him"

PRAISE: "I would never read out a letter saying, 'Love your show'. That's not how friends are. Friends are mutually abusive"

TV SERIES HELL'S KITCHEN: "It's encouraging the public to sneer at poor pseudo-celebrities. It's demeaning."

DAVID AND VICTORIA BECKHAM: "Posh and Becks are ridiculous. I mean, he is a fair footballer but the poor girl hasn't got any talent at all."

RETIREMENT: "I know one should never say never, but I hope that I'll get off the beach before the tide goes out."

RADIO VERSUS TELEVISION: "Television contracts the imagination and radio expands it."

THE BBC: "The culture now in television is that the presenter calls the financial and, increasingly, the creative shots. It is comparable to what happened in Hollywood 15 or so years ago."

DIETING: "She (his wife] and I have taken up the diet of Monsieur Montignac which revolves around goose fat, red wine, cheese and chocolate, so long as you don't combine it with bread and potatoes."