Terry Wogan's interview with John Malkovich was reviewed by Tom Little in the Dublin newspaper "Sunday World" (19th March 1989) under the title "Terry shows his teeth":
"The fact that you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of Terry Wogan was chillingly demonstrated on his show last week. [...] Glenn Close seemed happy enough to be there, but Malkovich certainly didn't. He oozed boredom. So when Tel smiled and said to him in a loud voice: "you have no script, John - are you terrified you'll have to ad lib?", he was taken aback. All he could mumble was something along the lines that he was happy to be there and he didn't need a script. It was the perfect put-down. I got the impression - and it's only an impression, mind you - that Terry and Malkovich didn't exactly hit it off before the live show started. Maybe Malkovich wasn't talkative enough. Maybe Terry just took a dislike to the man. Whatever the reason, watching Terry's smiling put-down was as devastating as watching a tiger pounce on its unsuspecting prey."
"The fact that you wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of Terry Wogan was chillingly demonstrated on his show last week. [...] Glenn Close seemed happy enough to be there, but Malkovich certainly didn't. He oozed boredom. So when Tel smiled and said to him in a loud voice: "you have no script, John - are you terrified you'll have to ad lib?", he was taken aback. All he could mumble was something along the lines that he was happy to be there and he didn't need a script. It was the perfect put-down. I got the impression - and it's only an impression, mind you - that Terry and Malkovich didn't exactly hit it off before the live show started. Maybe Malkovich wasn't talkative enough. Maybe Terry just took a dislike to the man. Whatever the reason, watching Terry's smiling put-down was as devastating as watching a tiger pounce on its unsuspecting prey."
John Malkovich and Glenn Close made a special 20 second promo for the episode to be aired on the BBC the day before broadcast. In it, Terry tries to introduce the show, only to be continually interrupted by the pair.
Terry briefly referred to John Malkovich in his 2000 autobiography "Is it me?", while discussing Christopher Lloyd's muted interview on his show (Episode #10.74 (1990)): "He just could not work without a script - an affliction that seemed to cast its shadow over John Malkovich as well."
Terry Wogan cited John Malkovich as one of the guests he most disliked in a "You Ask The Questions" article in The Independent newspaper (10th October 2011).
Asked the question: "Of all your distinguished guests on Wogan, who did you want to throttle the most?", Terry responded: "HRH Prince Philip, John Malkovich, Vanessa Redgrave, Anne Bancroft, Stewart Granger and Spike Milligan."
Terry clarified that Spike Milligan was a good friend, but that his manic episodes made him difficult to deal with. Surprisingly, Terry didn't list David Bowie, who he had elsewhere described as being close to punching during an interview in Episode #11.91 (1991).
Asked the question: "Of all your distinguished guests on Wogan, who did you want to throttle the most?", Terry responded: "HRH Prince Philip, John Malkovich, Vanessa Redgrave, Anne Bancroft, Stewart Granger and Spike Milligan."
Terry clarified that Spike Milligan was a good friend, but that his manic episodes made him difficult to deal with. Surprisingly, Terry didn't list David Bowie, who he had elsewhere described as being close to punching during an interview in Episode #11.91 (1991).