Steve Wright was ‘in talks’ to host huge new BBC TV show weeks before tragic death aged 69
RADIO legend Steve Wright was ‘in talks’ to front a huge BBC TV show just weeks before his death.
The presenter passed away at the age of 69 and was found at his home in London on Monday.
Simon Margaroli, who runs a hotel, has said that he got into a conversation with the star shortly before his death.
“He talked of an imminent meeting with a lady from the BBC regarding a new TV series that he was hoping to be involved with, which he was very excited about,” the staff member told The Mirror.
“He said that it was about people such as airline stewardesses or restaurant managers, chambermaids, and traffic wardens all spilling the beans about their lives basically the people we all see every day but never hear their stories.”
Colleagues have said that Steve’s death was “very, very sudden” and said that he had been talking to Radio 2 bosses just days before.
He’d allegedly been part of the planning for the four new stations being launched by BBC Radio.
One of the four new channels will be a BBC Radio 2 spin-off station, and Steve Wright was set to be hosting a new version of his Sunday Love Songs show, made especially for the launching network.
The BBC said the station would “bring heritage artist catalogues and stories to life in a much deeper and more richly textured manner than the main mixed-genre Radio 2 schedule can allow.”
Friends of the veteran presenter said that he “died of a broken heart” after he was axed from his Radio 2 afternoon show after 24 years.
Celebrity publicist Gary Farrow said his friend of 40 years was “devastated” to lose his hugely popular radio slot two years ago.
Gary blasted BBC bosses who deemed Steve “too old”, saying there was no one more “current”.
He added: “Steve lived for that show, he absolutely loved it – and the listeners loved him. My view is that he died from a broken heart.”
Listeners and BBC staff were left enraged yesterday at a “gushing” tribute from station boss Helen Thomas, who got rid of Steve and his popular colleagues Paul O’Grady and Ken Bruce.
Steve’s departure from his show after 24 years led to Radio Two shedding a million listeners.
Gary told how his “painfully shy” friend “needed an arm round the shoulder” from his bosses — but it never came.
He said: “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. He would spend hours and hours researching before a show, checking out guests and doing his homework. Radio was his life.”
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.”
Cops said that Steve’s death was “not being treated as suspicious” after he was pronounced dead at the scene.