A Farewell to Tel?

By Jamie McLoughlin on Aug 13, 08 11:32 AM

According to this week's Radio Times, Terry Wogan is bidding au revoir to the Eurovision commentator's mic, 37 years after he squashed in to a tiny booth at Dublin's Gaiety Theatre to watch Monaco (who don't even enter anymore) take the 1971 title over Spain, Germany and UK entrant Clodagh Rodgers.

Imagine Boom Bang a Blog's surprise, then, to get a phone call yesterday lunchtime and be asked to nip on the radio later that day to talk about it.

It was those nice people at BBC Three Counties, who first approached us back in May when the news emerged that Sir Cliff may have been denied his rightful trophy in 1968.

Clearly, their list of Eurovision contacts isn't overly long, so back I went on their Drivetime show to speak to a gentleman called Roberto about who could possibly replace him (I said Lorraine Kelly, he thought Graham Norton) and how we could do a bit better in the Contest itself (try a lot harder is the simple answer there).

But back to Mr Wogan. In his Radio Times interview, Terry states: "I was considering giving up before Belgrade, and now I have to say I'm very doubtful about ever wanting to do Eurovision again.
"I've had so much fun, but I think it's time for someone else to take over."

However, this is August. When the build-up to Moscow begins in February/March next year and 40-plus broadcatsers are preparing to set off for Russia, can you really see Tel content to stay at home and not join in all the fun?