Ryan Tubridy has paid tribute to late Limerick-born broadcaster Terry Wogan's role in the development of a deeper understanding between Ireland and Britain, describing him as "an unofficial, unwitting ambassador for his country".
The RTÉ presenter was speaking on the tribute programme Wogan: A Legacy, which aired on RTÉ One on Monday night and looked at Wogan's life and work, from his early days in Limerick and with RTÉ in Dublin to how he became one of the most skilled, popular and enduring broadcasters of his generation, with more than 40 years at the top of his profession. The 77-year-old passed away in January following a short battle with cancer.
Tubridy said that while Ireland's relationship with Britain was always "fraught", Wogan was "this lovely bridge between the two".
"He just made life a little bit easier for a lot of people," continued Tubridy. "And he made life very enjoyable for millions more. It's not a bad legacy."
Known for his velvety voice on radio and television, Wogan was one of the best-known stars in Ireland and the UK.
He first headed into the world of banking after leaving college in 1956 but, after answering an advertisement, joined RTÉ, where he worked as a newsreader and announcer. He moved on to become a DJ and hosted quiz and variety shows.
Moving to the BBC, he hosted a mid-1960s programme called Midday Spin and when the corporation reorganised its output, he began working on the new Late Night Extra slot on BBC Radio 1, for which he commuted from Dublin.
His career with the BBC flourished as he became one of the organisation's biggest and warmest personalities. His BBC Radio 2 breakfast show, with his recognisable voice and his wry, rambling thoughts on life, achieved the UK's biggest and most loyal audience.
Millions of early-morning listeners tuned in to hear his gentle and witty commentary on the affairs of the day, both trivial and momentous. It was all delivered in a soft Irish brogue, sometimes cutting but never malicious. He put a smile on the faces of countless people at their breakfast tables.
During Monday night's programme, Tubridy also recounted the last contact he had with Wogan, which followed his review of Wogan's book, Those Were the Days, in The Irish Times last November.
"They asked me to review his book, which was a strange book of short stories, all based in life in Limerick," said Tubridy. "As a young bank manager there was snippets of his story in this fiction. And I wrote, 'This is Terry Wogan, who's all about Britain and knighthoods and yet, as he heads into his latter years, he's talking about the place that seems to matter to him most. He's talking about home. In a wistful way'.
"And Terry, unsolicited, sent me an email to say, 'My scouts in Ireland have sent me your Irish Times review of my book. How right you are to spot that I'm thinking about my life'. And I never heard from him again."
Wogan: A Legacy is available to watch on the RTÉ Player.
