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Veteran broadcaster Terry Wogan has launched an astonishing attack on the BBC saying that it is no longer the best in the world.
In an interview to mark his 70th birthday, Wogan told Radio Times: "When I started, people who worked for the BBC knew they weren't earning as much as people in commercial television, but they did have the satisfaction of knowing that they worked for one of the finest, if not the finest, broadcasting organisation in the whole world.
"I'm not sure they feel that any more, or at least that it means as much as it used to."
He also revealed that when he sent in his first audition tape he had forgotten to rewind it and says if he had tried to join today he would not be guaranteed a job:
"I can tell you, if I was a young chap coming over from Ireland today, they probably wouldn't even listen to my tape, let alone rewind it.
"Somehow, that old-fashioned thoroughness and commitment have disappeared. I suppose no one has the time for it anymore."
The presenter, who reportedly earns £800k a year, also gave his strongest hint yet that he will no longer present Eurovision due to the political nature of the voting. He said: "I've had so much fun, but I think it's time for someone else to take over."
Do you agree with Wogan's comments? Is the BBC no longer a world class broadcaster? Let us know what you think...
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I wholeheartedly agree with Terry, the Eurovision has been a joke for many years now and it has got worse and worse, why do we bother at all!! It is all about money now not the quality any more
Posted by: adrianagutter on Tue Aug 12 11:11PM | Report abuseI think Wogan himself is past his sell by date
Posted by: raymondgmacdonald on Tue Aug 12 11:19PM | Report abuseSir Terry Wogan is probably quite right in his assertions about the "modern" BBC. It is an Organisation usually biased in the extreme, is so politically correct it is nauseating and pays obscene salaries to sexist, self opinionated fools who purport to be the Nations choice. I wish Sir Terry well - Eurovision will probably go to someone like J. Ross - it'll suit him!! Lazypilot999
Posted by: chrisbell999 on Tue Aug 12 11:26PM | Report abuseI think we all know the BBC has turned from a 'solid trustworthy' company, that ran to a strict code, into a cut throat money grabbing get away with anything they can company. Sorry BBC, but you pay yourself such inflated salarys and then say you need more for programs!
Posted by: davelaw.37 on Wed Aug 13 12:48AM | Report abuseThe BBC is a dinosore. They do produce very good programs but I tend to agree with Wogan. Radio one is total crap. Dont know why they bother to broardcast it at all. There is enough rubbish broardcast by the commercial stations. As for the regenal stations well I think they are a waste of our money.
Posted by: warnecke77 on Wed Aug 13 01:28AM | Report abuseWogan is right. The BBC is a shambles of an organisation because it has too much money to play with.
Posted by: jamesandrew1216 on Wed Aug 13 02:57AM | Report abuseThe BBC has become a slave to ratings at the expense of quality. Terry Wogan is right. It's only saving grace remains the world service.
Posted by: gillie.nicholls on Wed Aug 13 07:33AM | Report abuseWhy we still have to pay a license fee to fund this shamed organisation when so many other channels are available free absolutely amazes me. The BBC used to be the one you watched if you didn't want to suffer all that advertising but it now spends so much of its air time plugging it's own content that it's actually more irritating to watch than the commercial channels now. Sky news is free to watch and better so as far as I'm concerned the BBC is we new it 20 years ago is dead and should be burried. The Children In Need/Blue Peter etc. scandals should have been the last straw.
Posted by: dseager01 on Wed Aug 13 09:15AM | Report abuseWho wants to hear this hasbeen Wogans opinion about the BBC he's made enough money out of them, not that he was worth it, he should go back where he came from, and good ridance.
Posted by: bilburn on Wed Aug 13 09:40AM | Report abuseI applaud Terry Wogan for his honesty and i agree with him. Old fashion values are a thing of the past and that is not a good thing. Maybe television , as a whole, should should look to the past as a way forward to the future.
Posted by: maureen.grace on Wed Aug 13 09:44AM | Report abuse