Is It Me? by Terry Wogan

Is It Me? by Terry Wogan is the first volume of Terry's autobiography. Published in 2000, it covers his life up to about 1985, starting with the story of his childhood and schooling in Ireland, and his first career in a bank. The bulk of the book discusses his radio and TV careers, starting in Ireland and then his subsequent move to the BBC including his first run on the Radio 2 breakfast show and the BBC1 Wogan talk show.

As I understand it, the second volume of autobiography, Mustn't Grumble, released in late 2006, recaps and expands on some of this story, and brings his life right up to date.

I found the book an enjoyable and funny read. At times it was laugh out loud funny, which is a rare thing for me when reading. Terry tells his life story with the same self deprecating charm that he has on both the TV and radio. It was often easy to hear his soft Irish tones speaking the words as I read them. There is clearly no ghost writer involved here, the phrasing and language is all Terry Wogan.

The story itself is an interesting one, from a happy childhood, heavily religious (and at times brutal) schooling, and then a career that has included plenty of risk. The other thing about his career that stands out is his loyalty to Auntie, when there were big money offers from other places - a loyalty that has probably not been rewarded as much as it could have been it seems.

Terry talks warmly and at length about friends and co-workers, which while really enjoyable when about well known people, it is maybe a little long winded at times when referring to people I did not know. It could be my age, in that most of this volume of Terry's story - and so the people - is before my time. It is only the very end of the story, with the Wogan show that I was old enough to know his work covered here.

My only other criticism of the book is that terry almost skips over some of the things that he is best known and loved for. The Eurovision Song Contest and Children in Need are discussed in a matter of a few pages, and the Wogan show does not get a lot more page space. The reviews I have read for Mustn't Grumble suggest that they are covered in much more detail in that book, so it is now a small niggle with that knowledge.

I would definitely recommend Is It Me? to any fan of Terry Wogan - a funny and interesting read.