[News] Steve Wright RIP

[Harry Wilson's tackle]

For all the justified criticism of some of its main “characters” - I’m looking at you, DLT - I really rather miss the hugely popular and down-to-earth, fun nature of the old Radio One. The roadshows, Our Tune, the ancient and sometimes very dodgy DJs, all things that are easy to mock in hindsight.

But since then nothing that appealed so widely, right across all age and class divides has replaced it. Getting rid of hugely popular figures is always justifiable with a public sector broadcasting remit but something that a lot of people simply enjoyed was disbanded. With the BBC there’s often a real sense of not knowing what you’ve got until it’s gone. Just my humble opinion.

You may have a point. I did listen to R1, from when Tony Blackburn opened it with The Move, right through till Judge Jules and his trance mixes in the late 90s. But I struggled with the chatterboxes, and the relentless Smashy and Nicey naffness. And of course I was working during the day, the sort of work that is not enhanced by radio prattle. So most of R1 passed me by.

But even so, I can't ever engage with hankering for past times. Even John Peel was a perve (his schoolgirl obsession) and the relentless diet of 1970s casual racism, sexism and homophobia cannot easily be dismissed as 'simpler times'. And most of the music played was part of a narrow playlist, informed by payola, with the dull MOR punctuated by frequent extreme shite (Clodagh Rogers; Paper Lace, Tina Charles), making the whole thing borderline unlistenable. Still 1000 times better than Heart FM, though.

 

[Henfield One]

Steve Wright regularly played Stephen Bishop tracks - no other DJ ever did. A class DJ, the consummate professional - hearing tracks now, you associate with SW playing them : like Bread, Bee Gees etc. We will miss him no doubt.

 

[seagullwedgee]

I am praying that Steve did not have a meltdown. We have no news on what took him, but he was at work 3 days before he passed away, and other than allergies, asthma and weight control concerns, there seemed nothing outwardly wrong. The last track he played was ‘Delicate’, by Terence Trent D’Arby. I’ve just read the lyrics and the implied meaning of the song. Absolutely loved the bloke, from the crazy characters he created back in 82. God rest his soul.

 

[The Clamp]

I am praying that Steve did not have a meltdown. We have no news on what took him, but he was at work 3 days before he passed away, and other than allergies, asthma and weight control concerns, there seemed nothing outwardly wrong. The last track he played was ‘Delicate’, by Terence Trent D’Arby. I’ve just read the lyrics and the implied meaning of the song. Absolutely loved the bloke, from the crazy characters he created back in 82. God rest his soul.

He was morbidly obese by the look of it.

 

[Tubby Mondays]

Noel Edmonds was doing the funny characters on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show before Steve Wright started. In fact, I think Steve Wright took over the Breakfast Show from Noel Edmonds.

Surely Mike Reid, Mike Reid 275 and 285 Mike Reid Mike Reid National Radio1 did that?

 

[seagullwedgee]

I didn’t realise that, I read he had ballooned to 18 stones at one point, but it wasn’t clear how long ago that was, but I honestly he thought he was back in a much safer range for someone of his frame size.

 

[Nathan]

I am praying that Steve did not have a meltdown. We have no news on what took him, but he was at work 3 days before he passed away, and other than allergies, asthma and weight control concerns, there seemed nothing outwardly wrong. The last track he played was ‘Delicate’, by Terence Trent D’Arby. I’ve just read the lyrics and the implied meaning of the song. Absolutely loved the bloke, from the crazy characters he created back in 82. God rest his soul.

I think they said his Sunday show on Radio 2 was pre-recorded this week and not live.

 

[ROSM]

Noel Edmonds was doing the funny characters on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show before Steve Wright started. In fact, I think Steve Wright took over the Breakfast Show from Noel Edmonds

DLT took over from noel edmons. Then it was mike read. Steve wright would step in for mike read then mike Smith when they were on hols

Steve wright did the show as his prior to chris evans for 1 year.

 

[Ooh it’s a corner]

On TVR I think he had a show with the aforementioned Mike Read - Read and Wright!

 

[Seagull58]

Surely Mike Reid, Mike Reid 275 and 285 Mike Reid Mike Reid National Radio1 did that?

It was a long time ago and I don't recall those times that well, even though I listened to R1 incessantly through the 70's, so I'llbow to your knowledge. My point was that Noel Edmonds pioneered the "crazy" characters on R1, taking nothing away from Steve Wright who took it on further.

 

[Seagull58]

Surely Mike Reid, Mike Reid 275 and 285 Mike Reid Mike Reid National Radio1 did that?

Did what? The crazy characters or replacing Noel Edmonds, or both?

 

[Tubby Mondays]

Did what? The crazy characters or replacing Noel Edmonds, or both?

Replaced Edmonds but its already been stated that DLT did that.

 

[Psychobilly freakout]

I didn’t realise that, I read he had ballooned to 18 stones at one point, but it wasn’t clear how long ago that was, but I honestly he thought he was back in a much safer range for someone of his frame size.

If he was 18 stone, for his height he had a BMI 34.10 which is obese and the damage over a period of time, can do irreparable damage to you, probably had circulation issues, cardiac and diabetes, only one way that is going to end, and sadly it did.

Great fun to listen to as a teenager, lost his appeal as I grew up, but still relevant to people.

 

[Westdene Seagull]

You’ve missed the point entirely. Steve was at an age where death is to be more, rather than less, expected. It’s just a statistical fact.

Doesn’t make it any better for his loved ones or the many people on here who grew up with him. But let’s stop pretending that 70 next birthday is young. It isn’t.

Wow - aren't you full of empathy ! Nobody has said 69 is young but given the average age of death in the UK is 81 it can be considered a young death.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Wow - aren't you full of empathy ! Nobody has said 69 is young but given the average age of death in the UK is 81 it can be considered a young death.

They literally did. Portslade Seagull said 'such a young age' which was the first post I replied to.

 

[Stato]

It was a long time ago and I don't recall those times that well, even though I listened to R1 incessantly through the 70's, so I'llbow to your knowledge. My point was that Noel Edmonds pioneered the "crazy" characters on R1, taking nothing away from Steve Wright who took it on further.

Aside from pretending that there's a secret strategy to opening random boxes, Edmonds never pioneered anything. Even Swap Shop was just Tiswas for Blue Peter badge holders. It was Kenny Everett that was doing this schtick from the beginning of Radio 1.

What Steve Wright did bring to R1 was the zoo format of US Radio as typified by Howard Stern. His was obviously a family friendly version, not as ground breaking, but thankfully, I don't think Steve was guilty of the 'huge ego pandered to by underlings' awfulness that this became for Stern and for later copyist Chris Evans. He always seemed too grounded a bloke for that.

 

[zefarelly]

God radio 2 is a very hard listen at the moment.

I thought it had shut down years ago.

 

[Titanic]

God radio 2 is a very hard listen at the moment.

Our tribute to Steve Wright from the BBC Radio 2 Piano Room this morning 🧡 | BBC Concert Orchestra | BBC Concert Orchestra · Original audio

Our tribute to Steve Wright from the BBC Radio 2 Piano Room this morning 🧡. BBC Concert Orchestra · Original audio

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[Publius Ovidius]

Our tribute to Steve Wright from the BBC Radio 2 Piano Room this morning 🧡 | BBC Concert Orchestra | BBC Concert Orchestra · Original audio

Our tribute to Steve Wright from the BBC Radio 2 Piano Room this morning 🧡. BBC Concert Orchestra · Original audio

www.facebook.com

Sara cox and Bobby Pryor tried so very hard to keep it together and eventually they had to cut to a song. It was heartbreaking to listen to.

for most of my life I listened to Steve wright On the radio, be it radio 1 or radio 2

 

[Invicta]

Replaced Edmonds but its already been stated that DLT did that.