February 15th 2024.
It was a sad day for the broadcasting world as the news of Steve Wright's passing at the age of 69 spread. His close friend revealed that he may have died from a "broken heart" after being dropped from his long-running BBC Radio 2 afternoon show. Wright's family confirmed the news in a statement released on Tuesday.
His lifeless body was found in his flat in central London by paramedics, who were called in for an "incident". However, the police have stated that they are not treating his death as suspicious. While the cause of death has not been officially announced, sources have reported that his employers were aware of his declining health.
Tributes have been pouring in for Wright since his passing, with his colleagues, including Nicki Chapman, visibly emotional as they remembered him on air. Even celebrity PR Gary Farrow, who had been friends with Wright for 40 years, paid his respects and suggested that Wright may have died from a "broken heart". He explained that Wright was deeply passionate about his radio show, which he had been hosting for 23 years, and that the decision to replace him with Scott Mills in 2022 may have taken a toll on him.
Farrow's sentiments were echoed by former BBC presenter Liz Kershaw, who criticized the treatment of Wright by his employers. She called them "hypocritical" for dropping him from the show and not providing him with any support or follow-up after the decision was made.
It was reported that before his death, Wright was set to take on a new BBC radio gig as part of the broadcaster's plans to launch new digital music stations. However, the plans were announced just a week before his passing and it is unclear if he was aware of them.
Wright's last on-air appearance was on Valentine's Day, where he hosted a special edition of his beloved show, "Love Songs". He had been a part of the BBC Radio 1 family since 1980 and had hosted various shows before joining Radio 2 in 1996. He was known for his celebrity interviews and popular segment, "Factoids". In 1999, he began hosting his show on weekdays, before stepping down in 2022 and making way for Scott Mills.
Despite the changes, Wright continued to host "Sunday Love Songs" and also took on the role of presenting "Pick of the Pops" last year. He was awarded an MBE for his contribution to radio in the New Year Honours.
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In other news, it was reported that Wright was set to take on a new role at the BBC just days before his death. The news has left many shocked and saddened, as the veteran broadcaster was highly respected in the industry. Another loss in the entertainment world was rapper and actor "Dead Dawg" Pablo Grant, who passed away at the young age of 26. And just a few weeks ago, Motown legend Henry Fambrough also passed away at the age of 85. Our thoughts go out to their families and friends during this difficult time.
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