Veteran BBC presenter Terry Wogan dies aged 77

Sir Terry Wogan’s friend Father Brian D’Arcy has spoken of their emotional “last shake hands” and goodbye.

BBC announcer Alan Dedicoat and presenter Lynn Bowles, who worked alongside Wogan on his Radio 2 show, Wake Up to Wogan, also appeared on the programme.

Veteran broadcaster Gay Byrne paid a moving tribute to his late friend Terry Wogan, describing him as “the best of the best of us”.

It’s been reported that Terry Wogan found out he was dying from cancer three weeks ago.

“It didn’t come as a great surprise because we knew that he was not well and so we were expecting this day – not quite so soon but there you are”, he said.

He added that the DJ told him before the new year “Everything is going to be alright, old boy” before things began to change.

Sir Terry first learned about the work of the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) at St Mary’s Hospital in 1993 when he saw Cries of Alarm, a critically acclaimed documentary about the hospital unit’s rapid response team as they rush to treat critically ill children.

“He was loved by everybody, even in show business, which tends to be a catty one, yet I can’t recollect anyone in my group every being critical of him”.

A BBC spokesperson said: “We are delighted with the audience comments that we did Sir Terry proud”. “I mean, someone my age very much just feels you grew up with this man”, he said.

He began presenting the BBC Radio 2 breakfast show in 1972, helping it become Europe’s most-listened radio broadcast with a combination of smooth Irish charm and a subversive sense of fun.

Shortly afterwards, a separate fan wrote: “Loving the one show’s tribute to Terry Wogan, through the tears!”