Steve Wright ‘didn’t have any medical problems’, friend says as cops give update on cause of death
STEVE Wright’s friend has claimed the star “didn’t have any medical problems” after cops gave an update on the cause of his death.
The veteran radio presenter passed away at the age of 69 and was found dead at his London flat on Monday.
Police and paramedics scrambled to a flat in the Marylebone area of central London on Monday morning.
But cops said that Steve’s death was “not being treated as suspicious” after he was pronounced dead at the scene.
Celebrity publicist Gary Farrow revealed his friend of 40 years was “devastated” to lose his massively popular Radio 2 slot two years ago.
And Gary added that his pal had no real medical problems to speak of.
He exclusively told The Sun: “From what I know, he didn’t have any real medical problems – he was always taking vitamins and popping pills.
“Sure, he didn’t really eat broccoli and he liked McDonald’s, but he was such a character, the likes of which I don’t think we will see again.”
Gary blasted BBC bosses who deemed Steve “too old”, saying there was no one more “current”.
He told how his “painfully shy” friend “needed an arm round the shoulder” from his bosses — but it never came.
Gary continued: “He would spend hours and hours researching before a show, checking out guests and doing his homework. Radio was his life.
“He was Mr Showbiz. He was the first to discuss and champion new books, films, records and TV shows, and so progressive in that respect.
“So quite how the BBC could decide he was ‘too old’ or not current enough is a joke.
“There was no one more current or on the pulse than Steve. There was no one more relevant.”
It was also claimed that he “died of a broken heart” after being dumped by the BBC.
Steve’s departure from his show after 24 years led to Radio Two shedding a million listeners.
Gary said he never got over being axed from his Radio 2 afternoon show after 24 years.
he just wanted someone at the BBC to put an arm around him
Gary Farrow on Steve Wright
Gary added that the broadcasting giant was the last “of the old guard” and radio is “all the poorer for it”.
His pal also said: “Everybody loved him on and off air, although he was actually painfully shy, and never wanted to attend these big dos that bosses wanted to wheel him out at.
“But he just wanted someone at the BBC to put an arm around him every now and then, and say ‘You’re doing a great job, Steve. We all love you’.
“But I don’t think anybody ever did – that’s all he wanted.
“I’ll never understand the decision to let him go. It devastated him.”
From bullied schoolboy to BBC legend
By Jane Matthews
STEVE Wright went from being a bullied schoolboy cruelly dubbed ‘Big Nose’ to a BBC radio legend.
Wright was born in Greenwich, London and attended Eastwood High School in Southend-on-Sea, Essex.
It was there that he was cruelly nicknamed Big Nose and Concorde.
His first job after leaving school was in marine insurance but after three years he realised it wasn’t for him.
It was then that Wright left to become a local newspaper reporter.
This led him to BBC, as a record librarian, which then went on to his own shows – and the rest was history.
But in 2022 he announced he was stepping back from his Afternoon show after more than two decades.
He said at the time: “Before we start the show proper, if I may, I’d just like to say thank you ever so much for all the messages that have come in, over the weekend after I announced on Friday on the afternoon that we are leaving the afternoon show.”
The axing saw him take another step towards his Sunday Love Songs show – which he last appeared on just days ago.
Earlier this week, there was a backlash against the BBC boss responsible for the scheduling shake-up.
Listeners and BBC staff were left enraged at a “gushing” tribute from station boss Helen Thomas, who got rid of Steve and his popular colleagues Paul O’Grady and Ken Bruce.
In a tribute Helen Thomas called Steve “second to none” — less than 18 months after taking away his hugely popular show in 2022.
Steve continued to present Sunday Love Songs on Radio 2.
He signed off the day before his death with the poignant final words: “I’m back for more Love Songs next Sunday . . . ta-da then.”
After the tragic news broke, tributes flooded in for the radio colossus, while anger mounted against the corporation.
Fellow broadcaster Liz Kershaw told GB News yesterday: “It’s shabby, it’s hypocritical. They just dumped him.
“New management said we’re going to refresh the schedule – and they treat people like tins of beans on a shelf. I doubt that there was any follow-up, or any pastoral care, or any support for him.
“He didn’t need money as he has been one of the highest-paid people on air. But, you know, I wonder if they considered how it affected him.
“There are some people for whom fame and attention are their oxygen. And he was one of those. It was absolutely his life.”
TITAN OF THE AIRWAVES
By Amir Razavi
PIONEERING Steve was remembered across Radios 1 and 2 yesterday.
Scott Mills, who took over his Radio 2 afternoon slot, said: “I wouldn’t want to start the show today and not talk about Steve.
“What a legend, a broadcasting titan. The man who made it sound so effortless but worked the hardest out of everyone — to be in this slot, will forever be an honour.”
Radio 1 breakfast host Greg James opened his show with Steve’s afternoon theme tune, calling it “iconic”.
He later said online: “I felt so lucky to be able to nerd out about radio with him.
“He essentially started the ‘zoo format’ in UK that you now hear everywhere. A true pioneer.”
Radio 2’s Vernon Kay said: “Steve would have wanted us to celebrate his life so I am going to do the show with a smile on my face and think of the big man, the don.
“He was a perfectionist and that’s what we will try and do today.”
Friend Anthony James shared what is believed to be the last picture of Wright – a selfie the pair took together.
James said: “I’m thinking of my dear friend Steve. We took this picture 4 weeks ago in New York.
“We were trying to do, as he put it, ‘ironic selfies’. He had such a love of life and radio. I miss him.”
Steve was well known for presenting Steve Wright in the Afternoon and fronted Top of the Pops.
In a statement on Tuesday, Wright’s family said: “It is with deep sorrow and profound regret that we announce the passing of our beloved Steve Wright.
“In addition to his son, Tom, and daughter, Lucy, Steve leaves behind his brother, Laurence and his father Richard.
“Also, much-loved close friends and colleagues, and millions of devoted radio listeners who had the good fortune and great pleasure of allowing Steve into their daily lives as one of the UK’s most enduring and popular radio personalities.
“As we all grieve, the family requests privacy at this immensely difficult time.”
Chris Evans, who was also a stalwart on Radio 1 and 2 for many years before joining Virgin Radio, said Wright was to afternoons as Sir Terry Wogan was to breakfast.
Wake Up To Wogan on Radio 2 ran from 1993 to 2009 and was the most listened-to radio show in the UK.
Evans wrote on Instagram: “Oh my goodness. What terribly sad news.
“It goes without saying that Steve was the soundtrack to millions of our afternoons for decades.”