Very scary Radio Times cover this week, celebrating the 70th birthday of Terry Wogan ("The Togfather" - lost on about 50 per cent of their readers). It's a terrible cover - he's all plastic and sweaty and cartoonish, though not as bad as TV & Satellite Week, on which Simon Cowell looks like he's had a stroke at Madam Tussauds. And it's an old shoot done for UKTV, to boot. So much for exclusivity.
In the magazine, he's done his once-a-year 'the BBC is rubbish' rant, how all TV's awful (I agree with that bit) and more. But really, if it's that bad to be earning £25 a minute, then why doesn't he just retire and shut up about it. Talk about biting the hand that feeds. Give it a rest. Expect the Jean Alexander 'Corrie's rubbish and sordid and I'd never go back' merry-go-round any second now.
Anyway, I hear a bit of his radio show while I'm having my breakfast and I find it harmless fun, lots of people called things like Heidi Vodka, Amanda Hugandkiss and Pat Codd (who's actually real) with their grumpy old men/women observations. His interaction with the newsreaders and others is light-hearted and warm, and you can see quite why he's got such a following. He clearly loves doing the show. But does he think he's got a job for life. As we know no one's indispensible - but perhaps Wogan might prove us wrong.
It's funny because I used to have my breakfast to this show 30 or so years ago. I remember hearing lots of songs you didn't hear on Radio 1 (my personal choice, but forbidden at family breakfast time), which still remind me of the show now: It's For My Dad by Nancy Sinatra, Harry by Catherine Howe, the legendary Kitten In A Brandy Glass-endorsed Daytrip To Bangor, all comedy records and everything the Wurzels ever did, to name but a few. His easy style was the perfect accompaniment to Puffa Puffa Rice and Ski yoghurt. Despite being a stroppy teenager, this I didn't mind at all.
I think of those days as I eat my Activia and drink my two glasses of water. Sometimes he plays a record I remember him playing first time around, and it gives me a warm glow. The more things change, the more they stay the same.
So don't rock the boat, Terry. Shut it. We don't like change.
