Inside Steve Wright’s meteoric rise from growing up in poverty to becoming UK’s most-loved radio DJ as he dies aged 69
STEVE Wright’s army of devoted fans are in mourning following the news of the legendary DJ’s sudden death at the age of 69.
He grew up in poverty — but went on to become the nation’s most loved radio presenter.
Just three days ago the veteran broadcaster was entertaining listeners with a pre-recorded special Valentine’s Day edition of his Love Songs programme on Radio 2.
Millions would tune in to have Steve brighten up their day with his music choice of “non-stop oldies”, infectious laughter and celebrity interviews.
The innovator is credited with introducing the “zoo” format to British radio, with his posse of colourful, comic characters such as Mr Angry and a host of co-presenters.
The show was interspersed with “factoids” — items of bizarre trivia from around the world.
But the hugely popular star’s upbeat persona hid woes that he never shared with his listeners.
Steve was believed to have been single since divorcing his wife Cyndi in 1999 and rarely socialised.
The father of two reportedly ordered takeaway meals and spent much of his spare time working on perfecting his show.
He once admitted he could not find love because “I work on an afternoon show on the BBC and do a love songs show at the weekend.
“It means I do a lot of interviews and prep and write a lot so I have to work all the time.”
Steve was born in Greenwich, in South East London.
His dad Dick managed a Burton’s men’s clothing store in central London and the family did not have a proper bathroom in their New Cross home.
He and his brother washed in a tin bath — but Steve did not consider himself to be poor.
The greatest struggle in his early days was with asthma, which meant he was in and out of hospital until the age of 11.
Steve said: “At one stage they put me in an oxygen tent.
“I would sometimes be in Greenwich Hospital for three to four days.
“We used to live in New Cross and I think it was the heavy pollution of London that brought it on.”
Outstanding and innovative. What a loss to the world of radio
Ken Bruce
He also lost 20 per cent of the hearing in his right ear after prodding it with a birthday cake candle at the age of ten.
And he suffered from a hereditary inflammation of the eyelids, which gave the appearance that he was tired.
At school Steve faced cruel taunts about his appearance.
He once said: “In my teens I was known as Concorde, on account of my big hooter.”
The self-deprecating broadcaster has always been able to laugh off any barbs, though, saying he had a face for radio.
He left school with three O-Levels and went to work in marine insurance before joining the BBC to work as a clerk in the gramophone library.
That inspired him to chance his arm in broadcasting and he joined an independent radio station in Reading in 1976.
So gifted natural and engaging. Always an honour to be on his show
Matt Lucas
It was while working there with DJ Mike Read, who also went on to join Radio 1, that he met Cyndi.
She was a local newspaper journalist who had been sent to interview the pair and it did not appear to go well.
Steve said: “Thinking us a couple of silly DJs, she did not want to do it and was fairly hostile and aggressive.
“I was attracted to that. I thought, ‘Great, give us some stick’.”
Any hopes of romance were scuppered by a move to Radio Luxembourg.
He returned to Britain in 1980 to join Radio 1 and pursued Cyndi once more.
But unable to propose marriage in person, Steve did it live on air in 1983.
Steve said: “I was, for some reason, a bit shy about doing it in real life.
“She was driving when she heard the proposal.
“She couldn’t find a phone box, only an AA box. So she called the AA and asked them to phone me and tell me, ‘yes’.
“I didn’t plan to do what I did. It was just reckless adrenaline.’”
The couple made a home in Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, and had two children, Lucy, 29, and Tom, 36.
I’ve lost my hero. Heartfelt condolences to his family & friends
Richard Hammond
Steve really was Lucy’s hero because when she was six, a motorbike smashed into their car and Steve pulled her from it just before it went up in flames.
By the late 1990s Steve and Cyndi’s marriage had fallen apart and they divorced in 1999.
And it was not the only painful split he endured.
In 1994 Steve, who had drawn huge audiences with his afternoon show, took over Radio 1’s coveted breakfast show.
He brought with him his famous “posse” such as a hairdresser called Gervase and Damian the social worker.
These actors gave a sense of chaos to Steve’s shows.
Steve was one of Britain’s greatest ever radio broadcasters
Piers Morgan
But they were, in fact, the product of great scripts.
Steve explained the cast of characters, saying: “I consider myself an observer on other people’s behalf rather then the focus of other people’s attention.
“Which is why I love radio.
“What I have always striven to do on my shows is to take the attention away from myself.”
But the breakfast show stint lasted only one year, and Steve left for Talk Radio in 1995.
A year later he was back at the BBC, this time on Radio 2.
He was witty, he was warm and a huge, huge part of the R2 family
Sara Cox
At first Steve worked his magic on the weekends, with Steve Wright’s Saturday Show and Steve Wright’s Sunday Love Songs.
Then from 1999 to 2022 he presented the hugely popular Steve Wright in the Afternoon programme.
In between he tried his hand at television, hosting shows such as Top of the Pops, Home Truths, The Steve Wright People Show and Auntie’s TV Favourites.
But he admitted he never felt comfortable in front of a camera.
What was certain was that people loved his radio voice.
Yet despite Steve’s popularity, 18 months ago he was ditched from his Radio 2 slot, and replaced by Scott Mills.
Steve was one of the BBC’s biggest earners, being paid £479,999 in 2020 and cutbacks were believed to be behind his departure.
But he liked to work hard for his money — staying awake for days at a time.
“He once said: “I often find I don’t need to sleep.
I am so sad that my dear friend Steve Wright has passed away
Tony Blackburn
“I tend to stay up three nights on the trot every so often.”
He also admitted that sitting in a studio all day was not good for his health.
Steve said: “When you get to my age, you get that paunch and I also sit down all day for my work.
“So exercise is the key — but eating right is also important.”
Master of hearts
By Ellie Henman, Bizarre Editor
THE ability to make somebody feel loved, even if they are alone, is a knack very few have managed to master.
But Steve Wright had it down to a fine art.
No matter how I was feeling — happy, sad, lonely or at peace — there would be something in Steve’s Sunday Love Songs that would catch me just when I needed it.
His ability to read the minds of millions was astounding.
Every broadcast he made felt so personal to each and every one of us.
His career was also inspiring — climbing the ranks from being a clerk at the Beeb to one of their best-loved stars.
Listening to DJ Sara Cox and travel reporter Bobbie Pryor break down yesterday at news of Steve’s death, I cried too.
Who else will sing over the end of the songs now?
Or know exactly what to say when everything all feels a bit s**t?
The first track of his final Love Songs show on Sunday was Amii Stewart’s Friends.
How very fitting.