Sir Terry Wogan: Your memories and pictures - BBC News

Sir Terry Wogan: Your memories and pictures

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Sir Terry Wogan taking part in a charity recordingImage source, AFP

Veteran BBC broadcaster Sir Terry Wogan has died at the age of 77 after a "short but brave battle with cancer".

Your tributes have been pouring in for the much-loved broadcaster. Here is a selection.

Sara Moore emails: "On our first date in 2005, my now husband and I were chatting away, when I dropped into conversation that I had a confession. "I'm afraid", I said "That I do wake up with Wogan...." "Me too!" he exclaimed. Bold statements for people of 22 and 27!

"The rest, as they say, is history. We've been married nine years, have two fabulous boys, and left our wedding reception to the Floral Dance. Thank you, Wogan, for laughter, love and life in your own unique way."

Wendy Alexander emails: "I was a devoted listener to Wake up to Wogan and Terry's wit and warmth was able to carry me through a very challenging time in my life. This was when I was a newly single mum navigating my way through a very difficult divorce. Terry was a truly unique presenter and will be hugely missed."

Image source, Twitter/@MaxSchellm

Emma Burgess in Sydney, Australia: "Just received the devastating news of the sad passing of Sir Terry. For us, Sir Terry Wogan represented home. And always will. Rest in everlasting peace Sir Terry. We salute you."

Paul Gray in Sunderland: "I'm very sad to hear of the passing of Sir Terry. I grew up listening to him, he was on the radio every morning before school then as I got older on his television chat show and latterly Weekend Wogan. Terry you were and will always be a national treasure."

Image source, Rob Blakemore
Image caption,
Andy Hannath with Sir Terry Wogan in 2013

Andy Hannath "was lucky enough to meet" Sir Terry at at 2013 Children in Need live show at Elstree Studios. He said he enjoyed the opportunity to talk "one of the most inspirational national treasures."

Jean Driscoll emails: After my run every Sunday, I had breakfast with Terry (on the radio of course) and always tuned into his weekday shows, listening to Janet and John with his studio buddies. He got me into Eva Cassidy and she is now one of my favourite artists. So many memories, my thoughts are with you all, thank you."

Alison Hayward says Sir Terry once signed her Tube ticket: "I was a young student in London from 1987 to 1989 studying at Hammersmith and West London College which was opposite the BBC Lime Grove studios. We would often see famous TV people in the street or nearby but I only got one autograph and that was Sir Terry's.

"We sat in the pub opposite Shepherds Bush Green and someone said that Terry was outside, so we rushed out to say hello. He was charming and happy to stop and chat to us. I only had an old Tube ticket in my pocket but he was very obliging and signed his name on the back of it."

Image source, Twitter/@gordonsmith63

Johan van Slooten emails: "Living in the Netherlands, the BBC came to our home in the early 1990s when it finally became available on cable. I could finally see and hear all those famous presenters whom I'd read about for years. One of them was Terry Wogan. His legendary Eurovision commentary made me realise that the contest wasn't to be taken too seriously but that you could love it all the same. What a difference with the monotonous tone of our Dutch commentator!

"Years later, I finally got broadband at home and one of the reasons I took it was I could listen to foreign radio stations continuously without having to worry about the phone bill. The first show I listened to after I'd connected to the rest of the world was, naturally, Terry's Radio 2 show.

"I met him once, in 1998 at the Eurovision Song Contest in Birmingham which he co-presented. When he learned I was from the Netherlands, he complimented our song that year. "It's got to win," he said. "It's by far the best. Very musically, very well-performed and arranged by the orchestra." Alas, we didn't win (Israel did), but to hear this from the great man was nice."

Image source, Twitter/@DrDonna25

Anita Mills shared her recent recollections: "I met him at Abergavenny castle last year where he was filming with Mason McQueen. He said hello to both me and my partner and was the perfect gent, it made our holiday!"

Margaret Nugent emails: "As a family we have listened, watched Sir Terry over the years. From watching Come Dancing with your Gran to listening to Terry's hilarious Eurovision commentary. Since our high school days wakening up to Terry getting us out to school on time, listening to him failing miserably trying to 'Fighting the flab'. We remember being stopped in our tracks at the Janet and John stories, laughing until tears ran down our cheeks! Thank you for the memories!"

Melanie Green emails: "I met Sir Terry about 6 years ago when I was a contestant on a quiz show. He was as wonderful and witty in real life as his TV and radio persona. I will miss him immensely."

Image source, Claire Winter
Image caption,
Claire Winter and her friend Debbie posed for a picture with Sir Terry in 2011

Claire Winter and her friend posed for a picture with Sir Terry during a Radio 2's Children in Need Music Marathon event in 2011. She said: "He was always friendly and interested in what was happening."

Patria Fryer from Cyprus writes: "Like most people paying tribute to Sir Terry, my husband and I listened every day we enjoyed his banter with all his fellow presenters, especially with Jimmy Young. We now live in Cyprus but continued to enjoy his Sunday morning show. We will miss him greatly. Our thoughts are with his family, who I hope take some comfort knowing how well liked and loved he was by so many."

Image source, Liam Lyons and Ronan Courell
Image caption,
Sir Terry Wogan visited a hotel in Ireland for a local song contest

Ronan Courell sent us this picture of his father (pictured second left) with a younger Sir Terry Wogan in 1977. Wogan was visiting the Travellers Friend Hotel in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, Republic of Ireland, to judge a local song contest.

Gordon Veniard emails: "No day was better than those when Terry read one of your emails over the waves."

Alan Trevennor in Cornwall emails: "I wrote "letters" to Terry as "Major Rodeworks" when he was doing his Radio 2 breakfast show in the 1980s. Even though I had written them, I used to laugh out loud when he read them on the air - he added so much to them - and I think to everything he did.

"I never met him, but I felt I had and that I knew him well. THAT is the stamp of a great broadcaster. So long Terry and thanks for all the Joy."

Image source, Liz Roberts
Image caption,
Lisa Roberts and Sir Terry posed for a picture in Chester

Lisa Roberts shared her memories of meeting Sir Terry during a filming of 'Terry and Mason's Great Food Trip' in Chester city centre in June 2015. She said: "I was totally star struck. My late father was a great TOG (Terry's Old Geezers), so meeting Sir Terry was always going to be poignant. I was thrilled that he was just as warm and lovely as we all suspected. It was a cuddle with a connection to my Dad! A great loss of one of Britain's greats."

Esther Simpson from Bath: "I am saddened by the news of Terry passing away, both my husband and I always enjoyed listening to his morning programme whilst having breakfast, his sense of humour and great choice of music was a good start to day, especially when we were both going through treatment for cancer, he cheered us before going to the hospital each day for radiotherapy.

"My husband Pete didn't survive, but during his last few months he loved to listen to the beautiful Eva Cassidy singing Fields of Gold, a song that Terry brought to us all. Thank you BBC for giving us Terry."

Complied by Paul Harrison