ONCE again we're handing over the Looking Back pages to former Radio 1 and 2 DJ David Hamilton who recently brought his Rock 'n' Roll Back the Years show to Weymouth.

David, known as Diddy David, wanted to pay tribute to his late friend Terry Wogan and asked us to share some of his memories.

Terry died of cancer aged 77 on January 31 after suffering a short illness.

His last visit to Dorset was in April last year when he came to Weymouth and Dorchester to film episodes of a series on regional food with his friend London cabbie Mason McQueen.

Here, in David's own words, is his tribute to the Terry Wogan he knew.

I always enjoyed being a panellist when he was hosting Blankety Blank.

Unlike many television shows, nothing was ever planned beforehand. It was all ad-lib and good natured fun.

It pulled big audiences and, remember, there were no big prizes back then.

Winners went home with what today would be considered a booby prize... a Blankety Blank cheque book and pen. Blankety Blank had a simple format and its appeal revolved around Wogan's light-hearted approach and his banter with the panel.

At the height of his success he was easy going and friendly – no big time Charlie like one or two of his colleagues. He was also able to laugh at himself.

There was one day the Radio 2 DJs lined up for a Radio Times front cover photo call.

There was Terry, Ken Bruce, Pete Murray, Brian Matthew and me. The photographer was doing an aerial shot with all of us sitting on a mat and forming the shape of a 2, as in Radio 2.

So as not to make a mark on the mat, he asked us to take our shoes off and when we did Terry, of all people, had holes in his socks.

All that money and socks with holes in. We all fell about, and Terry laughed loudest of all. You can imagine the gags on the radio the next day... Terry Wogan, a very religious man. He has holy socks!

Terry received his knighthood in 2005, just three years after his old sparring partner Jimmy Young got his.

How strange that only months after becoming Sir Jimmy Young, JY would be dropped from his daily show on Radio 2 and replaced by a younger man, Jeremy Vine.

Jimmy was offered a weekend show but turned it down, a shame because Jimmy still might be broadcasting today

Having seen what happened to Jimmy, Wogan didn't make the same mistake.

When he left the breakfast show, he accepted a Sunday show which has run successfully ever since until his recent illness.

There was an enormous hue and cry when he was removed from the daily show, particularly from his loyal army of T.O.G.S who said things would never be the same without him.

That was true but, after an initial dip in the audience, it wasn't long before his successor, Chris Evans, was claiming something the BBC had never thought possible – even bigger listening figures.

Not only that, but probably what Radio 2 bosses wanted – younger ones, too. Out with the Old Gits, in with the Young Turks.

Wogan deserved his lie-in in the morning. Why would he worry? He's been a unique and charismatic talent on radio and television for more than 50 years.

All that work, plus, his business ventures would have made life at Wogan Towers very comfortable indeed.

As well as giving Chris Evans his breakfast show, he handed Blankety Blank to Les Dawson and his annual mickey-take on the Eurovision Song Contest to Graham Norton.

In time, of course, everything changes, and bizarrely the office that once housed his agency in the New King's Road is now a shop selling rugs.

Until his absence towards the end of last year Terry Wogan remained an important part of the Radio 2 schedule and continued to host Children In Need for BBC TV as he had done now for 35 years.

He was also in a position to pick and choose which TV shows he wanted to guest on.

And, unlike many of his colleagues in radio land picture, his life was scandal free.

The other day I was browsing through some old copies of Soccer Star, the national football magazine I wrote a column for while still a teenager, when I came across this little gem in the Swap Shop column published on August 7, 1954...

TERENCE WOGAN, 18 Elm Park, Ennis Road, Limerick, Eire has boxing and wrestling magazines, world sports. Football Monthlies, sport magazine, Soccer Stars for any First or Second Division programmes, three programmes per boxing and wrestling, world sport, football monthly, two per sport and Soccer Stars.

Earlier that week Terry celebrated his sixteenth birthday. You'll notice that even then he was a sharp businessman.

But boxing and wrestling? Terry, you old dark horse.

Could it be another man? I think not. Because as we all know – there was only one Terry Wogan.

Thanks to David for these wonderful memories of his good friend Terry.

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