Terry Wogan makes a rule-breaking joke

Terry Wogan, a legend in broadcasting, has recently received negative feedback after he made a joke

16:57 05 July 2012

Terry Wogan, a legend in broadcasting, has recently received negative feedback after he made a joke about the Costa Concordia tragedy, which led to a total death rate of 32.  

In January, nine days after the Italian ship ran aground, the broadcasting star played the disco track Rock the Boat during his BBC Radio 2 show. At the end of the show, he jokingly said, “Frankly, if I had my time over again, and given the boating tragedy in Italy, I mightn’t have picked that as an opening song. Rock the Boat, argh, Captain Coward.” 

Later on, Terry also quipped to an announcer of the Sunday Show, “I don’t know about you but I’ll be the last to leave the BBC. Not sinking, is it? Me first, never mind the women and children. I’m not even Italian.” 

Both comments then caused listeners to complain that the broadcasting legend was being “insensitive and offensive.” 

The Editorial Complaints Unit, however, ruled that a public apology was not necessary. The BBC Trust, however, said that Terry had broken broadcasting guidelines. The BBC then accepted that the remarks as well as the music were both inappropriate, so no sanction has been placed.