Terry Wogan has died, age 77. This is an extract from a 2007 Matthew Parris article in the Spectator, who looked at an under-examined aspect of his genius: his voice.
Terry Wogan is simply the greatest light broadcaster who ever lived. Millions of words have been written on his genius, and I shall not add to them. There can never quite be another. But many years ago, when Radio Two chiefs were looking for a presenter to occupy the remaining hours of the weekday morning, they do seem to have been looking for another Wogan. What, they must have asked, are the essentials of Woganism? Middle-aged, middle-class white man; unthreatening; self-deprecating; good humour; gentle wit; musing style; sympathetic but teasing manner; and — and this is important — a non-southern-English accent.
Wogan’s is Irish. Ken Bruce’s is Scottish. Both accents are as gentle as they are distinct.
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