Is It Me?: Terry Wogan - An Autobiography

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Terry Wogan

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Pages: 288 (Hardcover)

ISBN: 0563551399

Pub: BBC Books

Pub date: 2000-09-07

Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 74966

Editorial Review:

Much has been made of Terry Wogan, that genial stalwart of the BBC, "biting the hand that feeds him" in his autobiography, Is it Me?, though his mild criticisms form a very small part of these witty, loquacious reminscences. Born in Limerick in 1938 to a grocer father and a mother who "was Ireland's worst cook", Wogan recalls that "most of my boyhood was spent on a bike"--though he did demonstrate a flair for amateur dramatics very early on. "The Great Move to Dublin" occurred in 1956, when his father was appointed to a general manager position. Wogan relates his teenage love of early rock and roll, his lack of interest in school exams and his early years as a bank clerk before he noticed an advertisement in the Irish Independent for announcers for Radio Eireann. So began Wogan's long career in broadcasting; by the early 1960s he was a household name in Ireland. It was only a matter of time before he was courted by the BBC, and during the 1970s and early 1980s he was the voice of BBC Radio 2, with a wry commentary style, an unthreatening playlist and a unique talent for tapping into the nation's obsessions (could anyone forget his "Who Shot JR?" campaign when Dallas fever reached its peak?). Television presenting followed: there was the hit quiz show Blankety Blank, "a watershed for me, the start of a decade of extraordinary success and acclaim"; and the thrice-weekly chat show Wogan, attracting an average of 8 million viewers. The latter had its highs among the interviewees--Cilla Black; Dolly Parton; Mel Brooks--and its lows--comedian Freddie Starr, "the world's most frightening interviewee"; a monosyllabic Anne Bancroft; and David Bowie, who "would not speak ... or at least not sensibly ... he will never know how close he came to a slap on live television". Wogan has now come full circle and is back presenting the Breakfast Show on BBC Radio 2, the annual Eurovision Song Contest (which would be lost without his gentle mockery), with the centre of his life remaining his children and his wife of 35 years ("the present Mrs Wogan"), a man for whom "the trappings of fame came thick and fast" but who has never seemed to lose his sense of humour--or his sense of the absurd. --Kate Weaver

Reader Reviews:

It could only be him! (0/0 people found this helpful)

This is a really enjoyable read, not just for fans of Wogan but for anyone who enjoys a success story delivered with gentle self-deprecating humour, in the everyday language that has made its author and subject the popular figure he has remained over the last forty years. The stories of his early life in Ireland, and in particular his stint in the bank, are wonderful to read, and it is nice to see the Limerick of the age not portrayed as the hell hole it appeared to be in Angela's Ashes (noted too by Wogan himself). I hadn't realized how popular and big a celebrity Wogan was in Ireland before he came over to conquer the UK in the late seventies. From the outset, the whole story is established in the context of a great adventure, none of which was planned and very little detail of which was apparently recorded or remembered by the man himself. TW describes himself as a man of little emotion and it is this absence of depth of feeling that prevents the book from getting beyond a straight, if hugely enjoyable, narrative. Nonetheless, it's highly recommended for all Wogan fans.

Limerick"s finest (1/1 people found this helpful)

The great thing about Terry Wogan is unlike a lot of celebrites he doesn"t take himself seriously.He takes success as it comes and that is why he is so well loved.And this book shows he hasn"t changed one iota in his lifetime.From his upbringing in Limerick to his work in a bank in Dublin to his career in broadcasting this is a funny and heartwarming book

As always, entertaining (3/3 people found this helpful)

Had to purchase after reading his other book (mustn't grumble) and yes I enjoyed it as much, YOU CAN HEAR HIM SPEAK AS YOU READ THE WORDS, WRITEN ALMOST AS HE WOULD SPEAK. An image of Terry in short trousers as a lad, cycling his way around Island is a sight for sore eyes, I BET.
"The Who Shot JR?" campaign, when Dallas reached fever pitch? WAS SOME THING I STILL REMEMBER WITH A Smile, AND I WALKED DOWN MEMORY LANE WITHIN THE PAGES OF THIS BOOK. I still think the program Wogan was the icing on the cake for him, and once the public got to see this man on a weekly footing they could not get enough of his cheeky smile, or boyish grin. His interview technique amazed me, he was able to slip in a comment, or two, that others would not be able to get away with. A Wogan all grannies wanted to mother. It's a light hearted read taking you into the life of the man him self, HIS EARLY YEARS and later notoriety that he has worked hard to attain without using or dropping names. A man any one would be proud to introduce as a friend, or family member. Can any one be this perfect? Ummm...Only time will tell but I for one adore this national treasure and hope to meet him one day. Maybe interviewing me for my own biography.....there you go Terry, an invite you won't be able to resist!!!

Standards...decency (5/11 people found this helpful)

..just two of the words which could be used to describe this broadcasting legend. If youngsters today would try to emulate this man rather than 50 cent there may be some hope for them. Verdict: Inspiring

For Terry's old geezers (12/14 people found this helpful)

Wogan writes the way he speaks - whimsical, humorous, self-deprecating: but anyone who has listened to or watched him will recognise the intelligence behind it all.

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