Terry Wogan only realised he was dying three weeks ago

Sir Terry Wogan only realised he was dying three weeks ago.

The 77-year-old broadcaster passed away over the weekend following a "short but brave" secret cancer battle and his close friend Father Brian D'Arcy revealed that Terry's health rapidly deteriorated after Christmas.

He explained: "I think alarms bells began to ring about three weeks ago. He had been in some pain before that, and he had got through Christmas. And the family had a lovely Christmas because I rang them specifically to see and everything was fine, and then things began [getting worse].

"Last Thursday, something told me: 'Brian, go and see him', and I rang [Terry's wife] Helen, and she said: 'Please do come Brian'. I did, and it was the saddest day and the most rewarding day of my life."

Meanwhile, Brian revealed he doesn't expect a public funeral for Terry because no venue could be big enough to honour the legendary broadcaster but said Terry will be laid to rest in England, rather than his native Ireland.

The Daily Mirror reports that he added on Irish radio: "How can you have a public funeral for Terry Wogan? Where would you put it? Wembley wouldn't be big enough for it, so there will probably be just family and friends at a private funeral. I suspect it will be probably early next week. It is in the UK. The BBC usually holds a quite public memorial service later on."