Star-studded farewell to Wogan
SIR Terry Wogan’s status as a national treasure was secured yesterday with a service of thanksgiving which had all the trappings of a state occasion.
A host of stars gathered at Westminster Abbey to honour the life of the broadcaster, who gave enjoyment to audiences over six decades.
Even the Queen sent a representative to pay her respects to Sir Terry, who died of cancer aged 77 in January.
In an address, DJ Chris Evans, who took over Wogan’s Radio 2 breakfast show, simply said: “He will always be the best.”
The service opened with recordings of Sir Terry speaking in his unmistakable Irish accent.
Pop star Katie Melua, whose career was boosted by Wogan on the radio, sang her hit The Closest Thing To Crazy.
And Peter Gabriel sang a moving rendition of That’ll Do, the track Sir Terry played before signing off from his breakfast show after 27 years. The event was attended by Sir Terry’s three children and his wife Helen, who he famously used to describe as “the present Lady Wogan”.
Celebrities at the service included Dermot O’Leary, Claudia Winkleman, Fearne Cotton, Tess Daly, Joanna Lumley, Gloria Hunniford, Jimmy Carr, Eamonn Holmes, Ruth Langsford, Matt Baker and Jo Whiley.
Strictly Come Dancing co-host Claudia said: “I thought the service was beautiful.”
A poem written for the occasion, called For The Former Greatest Living Irishman, was read by Absolutely Fabulous actress Joanna. In the poem, cowritten with Richard Stilgoe, she compared Sir Terry’s voice to “a newly ripened peach”.
BBC director-general Tony Hall recalled the broadcaster’s “memorable” quips while presenting Eurovision. He said: “My own favourite comes from 2007, when he announced at the start, ‘Who knows what hellish future lies ahead? Actually I do, I’ve seen the rehearsals’.”
Wisdom
Mr Hall thanked the radio and TV legend “for giving us so much sheer unalloyed joy”.
Sir Terry’s children, Alan, Mark and Katherine, paid tribute.
They spoke of “his true understanding of charity”, his “empathy and selfless wisdom”, his gentleness and “his love of people”.
Other stars present included Alan Titchmarsh, Esther Rantzen, Maureen Lipman, Gaby Roslin, Sara Cox, Michael Ball, Rory Bremner, Paul Gambaccini, Judith Chalmers, Vanessa Feltz, Heston Blumenthal, Aled Jones and June Whitfield.
Lady Susan Hussey, the Queen’s lady-in-waiting, represented her at the service, which ended with the BBC Concert Orchestra playing The Floral Dance, the song Sir Terry had a hit with in 1978.
The congregation was asked to donate to one of Sir Terry’s most beloved causes, Children In Need. He fronted the appeal show from its inception in 1980 to 2014.
Beforehand Gloria Hunniford, spoke for many when she said: “It’s wonderful to have a chance to say goodbye to Terry.
“Terry dealt with his illness in privacy, which was the way he wanted it.
“And I think a part of Terry would be saying ‘What’s all the fuss about today?’”
FIFTY years on from his first BBC broadcast a star-studded array of guests joined the family of the late Sir Terry Wogan at Westminster Abbey to pay tribute to the beloved broadcaster. Such an august celebration is no less than he deserved and a fitting send-off for the radio legend.