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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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Fully agree with Terry Its so sad to see the decline , But its a mirror on the state of the UK
Posted by: colinwagg on Tue Aug 12 12:33PM | Report abuseWogan's right, there's precious little worth watching on the beeb any more. My family usually watch DVDs instead. People like Jonathan Ross are grossly overpaid and the licence fee is far too high for the quality of programmes.
Posted by: peter.nesbit on Tue Aug 12 12:33PM | Report abuseThe BBC hasn't bee a world class broadcaster since the 70's. Almost every programme that was successful they took off and filled the time with cheap reality shows up to the point where there is hardly anything worth watching. They've lost almost all the sport except b***** football and they makes sure that you see all the fouls, spitting and all the other moronic behaviour displayed by the prima-donnas on the pitch. I've no doubt that when they have F1 back, they'll ruin it and be absolutely impervious to criticism as they are now.
Posted by: john.d.westwood on Tue Aug 12 12:33PM | Report abuseI think it's a shame that you have to wait until you are as old as Wogan to be able to speak your mind, without having to look over your shoulder for fear of retribution. Good on ya Tel!
Posted by: christopher.leach2 on Tue Aug 12 12:33PM | Report abuseI feel regarding the BBC some people are paid way to much in wages, i feel held to ransom re the tv licence & like many im only on a very low wage, Its time for big changes!!!
Posted by: richard.poole7 on Tue Aug 12 12:34PM | Report abuseI fully support TW on the Eurovision issue - Iand it's about time the BBC (i.e. the licence payers) ceased the disproportionate amount of money given to this event in view of its overtly political nature.
Posted by: tonylesley on Tue Aug 12 12:35PM | Report abuseHe should have more loyalty to an employer that has made him a multi millionaire. He;'s a talented man, but is he really worth that much of licence payer's money?
Posted by: elm.farm on Tue Aug 12 12:36PM | Report abuseSorry, where does he say the BBc is not world class? from the article above it seems he simply said he's not sure that people feel it's the best. Could be many reasons for that, and perhaps some standards have slipped. But of course it's still world class and he knows it. He was just having a Meldrew Moment.
Posted by: aka.smith on Tue Aug 12 12:36PM | Report abuseAs the rest of the English society 1
Posted by: claire.e.421 on Tue Aug 12 12:36PM | Report abuseHe is dead right, BBC suit themselves what goes on and when. You can not guarentee your favorite program on a Saturday night will be on at all let alone the time its coming on. Casualty for instance is taken off at a whim and never is at the same time. Come on BBC get your act together.
Posted by: j.nye38 on Tue Aug 12 12:37PM | Report abuse