Terry Wogan (1938 – 2016)

“A lot depends on luck, and being in the right place at the right time; which was certainly true in my case.”

~ Sir Terry Wogan

His Birthchart

We have no birth time for Terry Wogan, or Tel as he was nicknamed.  He had half his planets (5 out of 10) in Fixed signs, and certainly was a solid and enduring figure on our national broadcasting scene for 50 years or so.

He had only one Air planet (Jupiter in Aquarius), but was known for his joviality.  Jupiter is not prominent in the noon based chart, so I would think it had to be prominently linked with his Ascendant.  His Jupiter made loose aspects: it opposed Mercury,  squared the Nodal Axis, and trined Chiron.  If the quote at the top of the page reflects his philosophy of life, then Jupiter features strongly in his total chart.

He was a Leo by Sun sign, comfortable with performing, and bringing sunshine into people’s lives.  The noon chart shows Moon opposite Uranus (by 2 degrees) – he loved the capacity to surprise.

His Mercury was sextile exactly Chiron (an acute talent for problem solving, and the ability to think on his feet for live broadcasting).  However, in relation to his mental abilities at school he was quoted as saying: “I only ever did enough to pass exams”.

Venus is key in his chart.  His Virgoan Venus was trine Uranus (social brilliance) and conjunct Neptune (showing discriminating and refined tastes, and association with charity, principally Children in Need).  Venus was also sextile exactly the North Node (life purpose connected with music, to be loved as a national treasure and to present the Eurovision Song Contest!)  This prominence and strength of Venus in his character and life and laid back personality may point to a Venusian Ascendant, such as Taurus.  Venus was also prominent in the transits at important times of his life.

Life

Wogan was born in Limerick, the son of a grocery store manager, in 1938.  “Limerick never left me, whatever it is, my identity is Limerick” he was quoted as saying.

He went to a Jesuit school and was given a religious education (“We were brainwashed into believing”) but lost his faith at the age of 17, and declared himself an atheist but had respect for those with “the gift of faith”.  There is no evidence of religiosity in his chart, though his birth time could reveal more.

D.J.

He was a well-known D.J. in the 1960s, when I was a teenager, and first broadcast on the Light Programme on 27 September 1966, during the decade of the explosion of pop music. Jupiter was transiting his natal Pluto at 0 deg Leo, ushering in a new age of entertainment, and the position of his natal Pluto symbolically points to his pivotal role.

1980

1980 was an important year in Terry’s career.  His progressed Sun reached his natal Venus and sextiled his natal North Node, showing the importance of this exact sextile in his chart and life.  From 1980 – 2008 he presented the Eurovision Song Contest continuously, and from 1980 – 2014 he presented Children in Need continuously.

Eurovision

Where I have special affection for Terry Wogan is in his broadcasting of the Eurovision Song Contest.  Regular readers of this blog may remember my jaunt to Dusseldorf  to see the event in 2010, although Graham Norton had taken over by then.  Terry had presented the contest on radio and television occasionally since 1971, but 19th April 1980 marked the beginning of the long continuous association with this annual event.  Jupiter was exactly opposite his natal Jupiter at the time, bringing out the quirkiness of his humour, and also reinforcing the importance Jupiter would have in his exact chart.  Neptune from Sagittarius (a global event) was exactly square his natal Venus in Virgo: it was his irritation with the flaws of the contest that brought out his acerbic wit.  Chris Tarrant once said: “Terry Wogan’s commentary is why any sane person would choose to watch the Eurovision.” His off the cuff witticisms were legendary, and even Graham Norton acknowledged he would not be able to match him.

In its later years, especially with the break up of the soviet empire and the addition of the Balkan states, the voting became more political than ever. You could see him becoming increasingly frustrated about this, and it took the edge off his enjoyment and perhaps ability to create new humour from the situation.

On 11th August 2008, he prepared the ground for leaving.  Neptune was squaring his Nodal Axis – time for a spiritual shift.  Pluto was sextile his natal Jupiter – time for a liberation.  He officially retired on 5th December 2008, by which time Jupiter was trine his natal Venus, a personal liberation.  Jupiter was sextile his North Node, a karmic liberation.  Pluto was sextile his natal Jupiter – an important stage in his life psychologically, freeing up energy.

This association had a 28 year run, which is a Saturn cycle.  At the time he stepped down exactly, Saturn was in the same position as when he started.

Children in Need

His work with Children in Need was an enormous force for good.  Natally he had Chiron in Cancer, which is about healing the Inner Child, and compassion for childhood wounds.  He first broadcast this programme on 21st November 1980, with Mars exactly sextile his natal Jupiter (again highlighting the possible role of Jupiter). Saturn sextiled his natal Mars, linking practicality with his Inner Warrior (he had Sun conjunct Mars in his chart).

Marriage

Terry was a family man, who loved his grandchildren.  On 25th April 1965 he married Helen Joyce, the beginning of an enduring marriage.  Transiting Jupiter was exactly sextile his natal Pluto (a huge psychological uplift, and a relationship which sustained him throughout his life).  Apparently, he did not work on a Sunday, and gave the day over to being with his family.  Sun-day is Leo’s day!

Illness

We missed him as presenter of Children in Need on 12th November 2015.  He was needing to recover from surgery on his back, the back being one of the health areas associated with Leo.  At that time, Mars was sextile natal Pluto, but more tellingly (no pun intended) Uranus was conjunct his natal Saturn, a transit which would be associated with having to pull out of a longstanding association.  Neptune was opposite his natal Mercury, bringing about a possible health mystery or debilitation, so he may also have been suffering other symptoms at that time.

Death

At the time of his passing, Jupiter was transiting his natal Venus in Virgo (reinforcing the importance of Venus in his chart), and sextile exactly his natal North Node in Scorpio (a karmic completion).  Uranus was transiting his natal Saturn in Aries (signifying a possible departure).  The North Node in Scorpio in his natal chart implies that his death is a significant event in the wider context, and ensures he will be as strongly remembered as he will be sorely missed.

 

Aspects

Tomorrow (1st February) Mercury squares Uranus, giving rise to cranky conversations and general awkwardness, including technical difficulties.

If Monday sets you back in any direction, Wednesday (3rd) is a day of fighting back, with Mars sextile Pluto.  Physical strength and exercise are favoured.  Go back to the gym if you have the membership, or lift the hoover if housework is your exercise.  If you lack the will to exercise entirely, then you may be shifting mental weights.

Wednesday is also stabilizing from the point of view of healing, as Mercury sextiles Chiron.  This represents a good balance between conventional and alternative medicine, or the balance between body, mind and soul.

A further stabilizing aspect occurs that same evening, with the Sun sextile Saturn.  This is good for laying the foundations of something, be it practical or theoretical, after the energetic input of Mars sextile Pluto, and the health benefits of Mercury sextile Chiron.  An idea may occur to you as the day progresses, which can take you forward significantly.

Venus conjuncts Pluto on Saturday (6th) bringing home what your loved ones mean to you, and in some cases necessitating the need for letting go.  Vulnerability needs to be acknowledged, psychological needs aired, and tenderness given and received.

This could be a heavy day altogether, with four aspects to be processed.  The second one occurs late afternoon, when the Sun sextiles Uranus.  Despite the possible heartache of the earlier aspect,  there is some uplift, possibly involving telepathy or invention.

Then at tea time Mercury trines Jupiter, and you may hear uplifting words or take part in a successful transaction, which may or may not be linked with earlier events.  Open your mind, and you may hear something positive.

Lastly, Venus squares Uranus, in the late evening, and this is an aspect of separation and possible disagreement.  Social cohesion may prove very difficult to achieve, if say you have organized a party.  A quiet Saturday night in is the optimum choice, to digest the day’s experience, for meditative types.

For social animals, keep your nose clean, keep a respectful distance, avoid confrontation, don’t be clingy, don’t make demands, or just become a meditative type!

The week in bullet points:

  • Tomorrow – cranky
  • Wednesday – positivity, fighting back, healing, laying foundations
  • Saturday – complexity, letting go, some brilliance, some uplift, estrangement


Date: Jan 31st, 2016 · Comments RSS · Tags: Astrological Appreciation · Celebrities · Obituary