RAJAR Q4 2009: Wogan bows out on top with 8.1 million weekly listeners

The 71-year-old, who stepped down from his 'Wake up to Wogan' radio slot in December after 27 years in the presenter's chair, enjoyed an increase in listeners of 350,000 from the previous quarter, retaining his lead over BBC breakfast rival Chris Moyles, as well as his commercial challengers.

Moyles' Radio 1 breakfast show attracted 7.24 million listeners each week, keeping it in second spot ahead of the Radio 4 breakfast show, which achieved a weekly audience of 6.41 million.

Wogan has now been replaced in the Radio 2 breakfast show slot by Chris Evans, but will be back on the air from 14 February, with a weekly Sunday morning show.

Tim Davie, director of BBC audio and music, said: "Terry is a legendary broadcaster and these figures show his popularity has never been higher. I'm now looking forward to tuning in to his new show later this month, along with all the TOGs [Terry's Old Geezers]."

Some 46 million UK adults tuned in to a radio station each week during the last quarter of 2009, according to the latest RAJAR figures. This signalled a rise of 250,000 listeners quarter on quarter, and an increase of half a million listeners from the previous year.