Wogan: 'TV was better 50 years ago'

Sir Terry Wogan has complained about the current state of television, claiming that programmes were better 50 years ago.

The 70-year-old broadcaster admitted that he is unhappy over the number of talk shows and reality programmes in the schedules - as well as the public appetite for them.

Wogan told the Sunday Mirror: "Television has changed. It's not what it was like 50 years ago. Light entertainment is no longer the expensive quality that it used to be. It's all quiz games, reality TV and talk shows.

"Talk shows these days are just cheap TV. In the same way that reality TV is cheap television that humiliates people.

"There's no point saying there can't be any humiliation, because the public seem to respond to it, it seems to be something they want. But then again the public liked mass executions as well, but we don't do those any more. To be honest, I don't know where we go from here."

Wogan also singled out celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Gordon Ramsay for criticism, attacking their use of bad language on screen.

"I see people like Jamie Oliver use the F-word in an attempt to achieve what I think he assumes to be credibility and I think it's reprehensible and demeaning," he explained. "And in terms of someone like Gordon Ramsay it's ultimately self-defeating."

The veteran TV star will soon appear in a new series of his Channel 4 gameshow Wogan's Perfect Recall, which launched last year. (from dgs)

So was TV better years ago.. Ok not maybe not 50 but what programmes did you enjoy 10/20/30 years ago.

Would they still be "loved" by today's public?

Could they get away with the racial views ie To death us do part & Love thy neighbour

You views....

Used to love "The Fugitive", with David Janssen.

Remember trying to work out where he got his new suitcase from every week?.

50 years ago we didn't have a TV - BooHoo

My parents used to take us to the theatre - so we never needed one - so now I cannot sit and watch anything for very long!!!! But hubby got them all in Australia and has the complete sets of most of them - Love Thy Neighbour' being one of his favs......

I enjoyed The Walton's [ nite john boy]

TV was definitely better way back then, you only have to see the number of repeats still showing ....

and the comedians, much much better, most of todays 'comics' leave me cold ... cept our Billy of course

Des O'Connor has called for a return of "light entertainment" and "big stars" to British television.

The former Countdown presenter said that he believed the public were united in favouring old-fashioned broadcasting formats.

"Just ask the public and I think we already know what they will say," he said. "They miss the kind of big stars and quality light entertainment productions that the whole family could sit down and watch together."

Speaking about modern TV and the rise of reality shows, he said: "We have to be realistic... in today's economic climate, but I still feel we should be aiming at feel good television that people can watch with a smile on their face."

The problem with big names they want big money, but there are many Good Acts that would do a TV Special just for expences as the exposure on TV will increase there pay packets for the live performances,

Reality TV shows how little we have changed from the days of 'Witch Hunts' and humiliation - I have never watched one - but for my sins I read the Daily Mail and I get headlines which seem so important - then I see it is about Jordan/Jade/or some such 'real' person....so whose to blame for this? the sensationalists who love to recreate the 'Guillotine' effect or the watchers who have so little in their lives that they live through the television screen? when I was at work I used to hear my (much younger) colleagues talking in 'hushed' voices in the staff room about 'things' and 'events' I thought were real...only to discover that they were talking about a 'character' in one of the Soaps!!! they seemed entirely incapable of seperating fact from fiction..... I find it scary! But then again I used to love Songs of Praise and The Black and White Minstrals with Dixon of Dock Green for 'afters'......so maybe Wogan and I are Dinosaurs in entertainment enjoyment!!!