This week, Terry Wogan, whose radio shows I have listened to regularly for the last 8 years, returned to BBC Radio 2 with a new series of Weekend Wogan.
The show is no longer produced by the BBC, but by an external production company – Wise Buddah. This means that Wogan now has the same producer as Johnnie Walker.
There’s a new format to the show. Its now no longer broadcast from the BBC Radio Theatre in front of a live audience – Wogan has returned to Radio 2’s main studios over the road at Western House.
With Wogan back in the studio, it sounds more like the days of Wake Up to Wogan. Still featuring live music and live guests, so if that’s what you’re in to, you’re not going to loose out.
I have enjoyed listening to the 2010 series of Weekend Wogan in the theatre, but for me I don’t think they had it quite right; listening to Wogan doing a radio show in front of a live audience wasn’t quite the same a listening to Wogan in the studio, talking to the news reader and reading e-mails from the listeners.
A new development – technology wise – you can now send tweets to Terry in the studio, using his Twitter username @terry_wogan. (Or, there’s the usual methods – e-mail wogan@bbc.co.uk or text 88291).
The Radio Theatre shows I think will still appear as specials from time to time – on Easter Monday from 2-4pm, for example. And I think that’s best for that particular format – it’s not the sort of thing I’d want to listen to every day, but is great for one-off special shows.
Any fellow TOGs/TYGs out there? Let me know your thoughts…
I loved it.
It was, as you say, like Wake up to Wogan with added bits.
I like it when Sir Terry has guests, especially ones that he gets on well with because it brings out his wonderful sense of humour.
I quite agree, Fred. I much prefer the studio programme. It reminds me of the good old days when Terry was on five days a week. he has no equal.
I think I also prefer the radio format to the studio one. although i think the studio format needs:
1. a few more non-singers, a few more comedian guests maybe.
2. Why is John Marsh not back?