The homes of two 1980s TV icons are both up for sale at the same time

Like the proverbial London bus, you wait ages for the home of a 1980s TV icon to come up for sale, and then two come along at once. The people in question — Terry Wogan and Bob Monkhouse — lived within 30 miles of each other, the former in Taplow, in Buckinghamshire, and the latter in Eggington, a little to the north in Bedfordshire.

Monkhouse had an enviably long career, starting out writing for The Beano while still at school, hopping straight from National Service to a contract with the BBC, and going to to become a comedian, actor (he starred in the first few Carry On films), writer and — perhaps most famously — a presenter of quiz shows and other TV programmes for many decades.

His personal life was often turbulent — particularly in the 1950s and 1960s — and his hundreds of affairs ended his first marriage in a bitter divorce.

His second, to his former secretary Jackie, went much better: they stayed together from their wedding in 1973 until Monkhouse's death from prostate cancer in 2003. 'I'd never be unfaithful to my wife,' the comedian once said. 'I love my house too much.' it's the house in question that is now on the market: a fine home called Claridges, in the village of Eggington.

It comes complete with a 600-bottle climate-controlled wine store and a heated outdoor swimming pool, which you'd imagine would have be the minimum pre-requisites for throwing a celebrity-laden party in the 1980s and 1990s.

You can see why Bob and Jackie lived here happily for so long: this is an attractive Grade II-listed house that dates back to the 17th century, with sympathetic extensions added in the 18th century and the 1970s.

The five-bedroom, five-bathroom family home has oodles of historic charm inside: exposed timber beams and brickwork as well as a striking inglenook fireplace.

But that’s not to say Claridges is dusty and tired. The house was sold in 2008 after Jackie's death, and since then it's evidently been updated and upgraded with the trappings of a modern home, including new kitchen and bathrooms, a study with extensively-fitted joinery, and a conservatory built by the current owners.

The house is spacious too, with 6,200sq ft of space, nestled in two acres of landscaped grounds, with a pool house, greenhouse and a double garage. In short, it is the kind of home you could move straight into and live comfortably.

Claridges is being marketed by Harding Green for £3.15 million, with agent Jack Graham-Lindsey describing it as ‘a true country sanctuary... it combines period elegance with the comforts of modern family living.

‘Its proximity to London, with Euston just 30 minutes from Leighton Buzzard, makes it especially rare — a quintessential English country house with all the space and serenity of the countryside, yet within easy reach of the capital.’

Sir Terry Wogan's career, like Bob Monkhouse's, also stretched across decades, making him a household name from the 1960s through to his final broadcast just a few months before his death. Wogan was never a comedian or an actor, though: he was a presenter through and through, first becoming a household name on BBC Radio 2 in the 1970s and going on to present countless TV before his fame hit its height in the 1980s when his chat show, Wogan, was broadcast three times a week.

Everyone who is anyone appeared on the show, from Sean Connery and John Cleese to Cher, Audrey Hepburn, David Bowie and George Michael, to name but a few. With the A-listers came controversies: he dealt with George Best rolling on to set drunk, and sparred with David Icke when the former BBC Sport presenter claimed, live on air, to be the son of God. No wonder Terry returned to radio.

Wogan bought his house, Hitcham Close, at the same time as Monkhouse moved in to Claridges; like Monkhouse, he also lived there for the rest of his life; and he also died from prostate cancer while still in his mid-70s.

Wogan's widow, Helen, sadly died last year, and the family are now selling their home for £3.75 million. And while Claridges has changed a lot in recent, the Wogan family home still feels exactly as you'd expect a 1980s TV legend's house to look like, with decor and furniture that feel entirely fitting.

With 6,500sq ft of space, it’s a sprawling affair, with rooms that are spacious, if a little dated. As selling agents Bovingdons and Savills point out, ‘while some modernisation would enhance the property, it offers a solid foundation for a comfortable family home in a peaceful setting.’

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The double-height hallway, with a large staircase, is particularly striking. And upstairs, two bedrooms open out onto a shared balcony with views across the immaculate grounds.

The top floor is self-contained and comprises two bedrooms, a bathroom, living room, and a kitchen. It screams ‘multi-generational living’ and ‘guest accommodation’, don’t you think?

Outside, Hitcham Close has a carefully-tended garden that is sure to make green-fingered buyers salivate. Plus, a tennis court, outdoor swimming pool, triple garage, areas for entertaining — and views of Windsor Castle in the distance.

All of which sounds rather promising. But Wogan’s son, Mark, claimed recently that no one has been to see the house — and he points the finger at Chancellor Rachel Reeves. Appearing on TalkTV’s Plank of the Week, he said: ‘It’s interesting how you say Rachel Reeves is killing off the housing market — she’s killed it already.’

Evidently no fan of the present government, he continued: ‘You’d think someone would come round, even just out of interest, thinking, “Oh, I’d quite like to go round and see Terry Wogan’s house”.’

‘But no one’s come to see it. No one, not one single person. That’s how dead the economy is.’

After Mark’s comments whipped up a flurry of headlines in the media, he may just get the buyer interest he’s after...

Claridges, former home of Bob Monkhouse, is for sale via Harding Green.

Sir Terry Wogan's former home is for sale via Bovingdons and Savills.