Tearful Wogan says a last goodbye

Dec 18 2009

Sir Terry Wogan woke up his devoted listeners for the final time and joked: "There's a part of you that's glad to see the back of me."

The much-loved broadcasting veteran was hosting his final BBC Radio 2 breakfast show as he bows out after 27 years in the slot.

Sir Terry was taking no chances to ensure he was prepared for the final show - he stayed across the road from the BBC's Broadcasting House instead of commuting from Buckinghamshire for fear that overnight snowfalls might delay his show.

He was on his usual form, with jovial banter and verse. As he opened the show, he told his audience: "It's Terry's final show, there's no need to worry. Johnny Walker's here next week and the place won't smell of curry."

And after playing The Bluebells' hit Young At Heart, the 71-year-old host quipped: "I expect I don't look it, do I?"

Sir Terry was touched by the response of listeners. He said: "I'm surrounded by poems, farewell poems. Something tells me there's a part of you that's glad to see the back of me.

"I wish I could reply to them personally. I wish I knew you all personally because I feel as though we've met."

But he sounded tearful at times, particularly as he was given a model of a Routemaster London bus by colleagues, which had the message "Sir Terry, may you never miss your bus" written on the side.

And as fellow presenter Sarah Kennedy said her goodbye on air, he told her: "A wonderful woman - I shall miss her companionship of a morning."