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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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The words "POT KETTLE BLACK" come to mind. At least the other "celebs" that do Children in need, dont submit an invoice for their work Wogan !!!!! The BBC is a commercial organisation just like any other. Standards in everything in this country have slipped below the horizon, that is where the majority of the "Big brother/Little Britains" like to live. As long as you pay Pratt's like Jonathan Ross, £millions of licence payers money for the utter trash he broadcasts, you (the BBC) will never change it. The BBC can not compete with what is regarded as entertainment these days, so why doesn't it stop wasting OUR money and go back to what it is good at. Drama, do@#$%entaries, wildlife, news and factual and stop trying to be all things to all simple minds.
Posted by: wrenn4sale on Tue Aug 12 01:06PM | Report abuseyes i agree with terry bbc is not the same anymore and terry is quite right to stop working on the eurovision its not longer about the song!! how sad that its come to this
Posted by: theresalewis502 on Tue Aug 12 01:06PM | Report abuseWogan is right..and the fact we have to pay a TV license for a service that some of us hardly ever use makes the point even more valid!
Posted by: r_newberry on Tue Aug 12 01:06PM | Report abuseWhy do Yahoo! UK persist in using stupid American terminology like "slams" for their news articles? This is the UK, not some pinheaded WWF wrestling match. Please stop treating us like mentally adolescent teenagers!
Posted by: sylaq on Tue Aug 12 01:06PM | Report abuseI agree wholeheartedly! I rarely watch BBC1 these days as I have no interest in soap operas. Following the David Kelly affair I no longer trust the BBC News to be impartial. Throughout both channels there is Far too much American rubbish!
Posted by: averilcrawford on Tue Aug 12 01:07PM | Report abuseYes I totally agree with Terry but I'm afraid that its the same story with most of our oldest and considered prestigious organisations. Like everything else in Britain the BBC has dumbed itself down so low it ranks with the "sink estate" culture of Big Brother and I'm A Celebrity. What happened to the ethos of Entertainment/Education/Information. with fourr main channels on television it would be hard to find enough decent programmes to fill just one. Never the less the standard does remain high on Radio 4 and the World Service, is it not possible to replicate that type of programming visually?. Well done the Dimblbeys, Andrew Marr, Francesco de Mosto, Newsnight, Panorama, Dr Who,and dear Terry W for simply being there ....from time to time .
Posted by: pat.omahoney on Tue Aug 12 01:07PM | Report abuseI totally agree with Terry Wogan, Furthermore the standards are much lower there seems to be nothing interesting and many more repeats and Old Ideas, Get some new Bllod in and start from the top weed out all those has beens
Posted by: biday5 on Tue Aug 12 01:07PM | Report abuseTotally agree with Terry. BBC is no longer worth paying a Broadcast Licence for as it does not deliver many of the programns it use to. Sky, Sentana should be made to pay these charges on behalf of the public from all the revenue they have taken from BBC who are no longer able to compete. Regards R
Posted by: roger.campbellr7 on Tue Aug 12 01:07PM | Report abuseWogan should support the BBC as it has given him a very luxurious lifestyle and he has not had much to do. Give him a real hard job to do and he would crack up. In other words he should shut his mouth and keep quiet about the best radio and television company in the world unless he has good words for the company that is still employing him well past retirement.
Posted by: mauriceboyer01 on Tue Aug 12 01:07PM | Report abuseSpeaking someone who listens to radio 2 regularly these days. I enjoy many of the programmes e.g. Chris Evans and Jonathon Ross. But I cant listen to Terrys show, hw just waffles on and most of the time I cant even understand him, its just drivel. If theres one DJ they should axe its Wogan.
Posted by: markdoney on Tue Aug 12 01:07PM | Report abuse