In a statement, his family said: “Sir Terry Wogan died today after a short but courageous battle with cancer”.
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“He passed away surrounded by his family”.
Fellow BBC broadcaster Jeremy Vine said someone once asked Wogan how many listeners he had.
Born on the 3 August 1938, Sir Terry was an Irish radio and television broadcaster who worked at the BBC for his most of his career. He was best known for his long-running radio morning show and for BBC’s coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Director General Tony Hall described Sir Terry, who was born in Limerick, as a “national treasure”.
Describing him as a total “family man”, Sir Terry’s good friend also praised his generosity and intelligence.
Sir Terry said: “We love Chester – it’s a lovely, lovely city”.
British Prime Minister David Cameron tweeted his condolences to Wogan’s family.
“His millions of listeners adored him, as did his whole Radio 2 family. His charm and wit always made me smile”. “I’m going to miss you”, he said, signing off his Radio 2 show for the final time.
He pulled out of presenting last year’s fundraiser at short notice, but no one then knew how ill he was.
In 1980, he became the the anchorman for the BBC’s very first Children in Need extravaganza, a role he performed for the next 35 years, as well as recording charity singles “Little Drummer Boy” and “Silver Bells” alongside singer Aled Jones.
He even found time to have a novelty hit single in 1978 when he released a version of the Floral Dance.
He later said of the contest: “All I’ve gained by watching the Eurovision Song Contest over the years is a numbing of the prefrontal lobes”.
On hearing the news, he joked: “Hang on, there’s 60 million people in the country – what are the other 52 million listening to?”
The nation’s favourite DJ was awarded a knighthood in 2005.
He was a master of the live event, whether hosting his chat shows or compering Children in Need.
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He is survived by three children, another one dying shortly after birth, and wife Helen Joyce.
