Letters from the BBC archives have emerged showing that the late Terry Wogan was turned down by then BBC Two Channel Controller David Attenborough for a job at the broadcaster.
Published in the Radio Times’ special tribute edition to Terry Wogan, who passed away from a short battle with cancer, show the 77-year-old presenter looking for a job with BBC Two in 1964 and again in 1965.
In a letter, addressed directly to David Attenborough, Terry said: “My reason for writing to you is simply ambition.”
Turned down: Terry Wogan applied for a job in the BBC in 1964 | VIPIRELAND.COM
“[I wanted to] extend the sphere of my television activities, to see if the success which I have enjoyed in Ireland can be translated to British television.”
However, naturalist David admitted he didn’t remember the correspondence at all – explaining that he received over 10,000 letters a year.
“Good Lord! He wrote asking me for work? I don’t remember this at all,” David said.
Replying to the Limerick native in 1965, David wrote that BBC Two did not have any vacancies for someone with his “particular talents and experience” at the time.
Passed: David Attenborough opened up about why he passed on Terry Wogan | BBC
The BBC presenter explained that one of the chief BBC Two announcers Denis Tuohy was from Belfast.
Now reflecting on that time, David opened up on why he passed on Terry originally.
“To have had two Irishmen presenting on BBC Two would have looked ridiculous,” he explained.
“This is no comment whatsoever on Terry Wogan’s talents. It’s just that I couldn’t have had two Irish presenters.”
Although in 1966, Terry Wogan had landed a role with the BBC, hosting a programme called Midday Spin – before becoming one of the organisation’s much loved personalities.
