“Steve on the mic was a force to be reckoned with”
I am devastated to learn of the passing of Steve Wright. For a long time I was part of the team responsible for the comedy jingles featured on his show during its run on Radio 1 and Radio 2. I was very proud to be Mr Food, performing And it’s tea before me on his show as well as several others. Steve Wright on the mic was a force to be reckoned with. Unstoppable. In addition to interviewing all the stars on-air, the Steve Wright I met off-air was a genuine, sincere, down-to-earth man who cared deeply about people. One of the other jingles I sang on his show said, “Stevie Wright in the Afternoon, still there but over too soon, makes you feel in heaven, Stevie in the afternoon.” » It’s over too soon…it’s so sad to think about it now. David Sanderson, Devon
“Such a breath of fresh air”
I started listening to Steve in the 80s with everyone I knew at the time. His unique style and distinctive voice have entertained me for years. These characters were such a breath of fresh air on the radio. Everyone imitated Mr. Angry and Sid the manager – hilarious. I met Steve a few times while working as a DJ in a club in Bradford. He came to make personal appearances. He was always lovely – a real gentleman and quite humble. Thank goodness he recorded a jingle for me on tape: “Hello, my name is Steve Wright and this is…Richard Daniels” (my stage persona). I used it for years after that. Unfortunately lost now. Richard Wood, 61, celebrant, Saltburn-by-the-Sea
“It helped us cope with the stress of our demanding jobs”
I am saddened to learn of the passing of Steve Wright. My old work colleague and I had Steve’s radio show on a Friday afternoon at the office to help us cope with the stress of our demanding nursing jobs! I remember my coworker took off her work shoes at 4:15 p.m. and danced to Steve’s serious jockey! Angela Baksh, 57, retired NHS specialist nurse, Whitley Bay
“A constant thought for 40 years”
I feel like I’ve lost a friend. It was a constant thought over the last 40 years – we were practically the same age; our lives followed one another. I always listened to his show when I was in the car – all the characters, the band, we all grew up together. I never turned Radio 2 on again after its last broadcast. It’s like losing a life companion. He will be missed so much by so many people. Lynne, 67, retired, Yorkshire
“He spent the afternoon giving advice to my roommate during the radio presentations”
Steve was the morning DJ at Radio 210 when I lived in Reading. If I didn’t brush my teeth when he played Sultans of Swing, I knew I’d be late for work! One Valentine’s Day, he asked if there was anyone who could accompany him to surprise a few lucky listeners with a serenade. My roommate volunteered with her violin and a rendition of My Love is Like a Red Red Rose. After spending the morning running around Reading, they returned to the studio where she told him of her wish to become a radio presenter. He spent the rest of the afternoon giving her tips on how to present and explain how broadcasting works. My only regret ? He picked her up at 6am and I just didn’t get out of bed in time! Judith Barton, retired, Surrey
“Steve was very engaging and made us laugh”
It must have been 1976 when Steve came to our primary school to do an outside broadcast for Thames Valley Radio. Loads of kids crowded around the van, but I wasn’t interested: local radio wasn’t on my radar. Soon after, the school had a road safety quiz team and I was the captain. Steve’s producer contacted us while he was doing an evening chat show and that week the theme was children and road safety. Our boss wanted us to participate, so our teacher took me and a boy from the team. We sat across from Steve, behind his huge desk with what seemed like hundreds of buttons and levers. He was very engaging and made us feel comfortable, joking and making us laugh. He must have been quite young but I didn’t realize it at the time. He was an adult and seemed to me to be responsible for everything. Helen Zisul, 58 years old, retired, Normandy, France
“One of the best radio stations ever broadcast”
Steve has been a staple in my life as I grew up listening to him with my father. From his afternoon show that played in the car as I drove home from school, then college, and finally work, to his Sunday love songs that soundtracked Sundays in the living room of my late grandmother. He was so full of laughter and caring, and it truly felt like we had lost a good friend. One of the best radios of all time, I feel so lucky that he allowed us to spend time in his world every day. Paige, 26, Durham
“He presented his speech with the right level of seriousness after 9/11”
I was walking home on the M5 listening, as usual, to Radio 2 when the 9/11 attacks happened. The event was reported live on Steve Wright in the Afternoon, first as a plane crashed into one tower, then a few minutes later into the other. Steve continued his show punctuated with thoughtful comments that he presented with the right level of seriousness. I still remember that moment very well and the professionalism with which he handled his show after the news. Paul Reynolds, 73, lacemaker, Devon
“Steve was part of the last group of DJs who were DJs first”
I was a latchkey kid and we lived quite far from my peers and my parents both worked all day. So I had six parents: Mum, Dad, Simon Mayo, Simon Bates, Gary Davies and Steve Wright! Every holiday outside of school I listened before breakfast until tea time. Whether it was optimistically trying to get a tan in the Midlands, perfecting my football skills against the brick shed, mowing the lawn or trying to complete Wonder Boy on my Sega, Radio 1 was on all the weather. Of course, music was key, but I could get away with passing off a news story, random nugget, or joke as my own from what I heard during the day on the radio. Steve and his colleagues were my “summer school” teachers – the last group of DJs who were DJs first. Antony Train, 48, Tamworth, events manager, Staffordshire
“Mom and I were dying of laughter listening to his show”
I am the only child of a single mother and the cultural experiences shared with her in everyday life in 80s and 90s Britain are something I truly cherish. At the top of that list, we were both dying of laughter as Mom tried to drive to the store while listening to Steve Wright in the afternoon. As a father now, I know how special it is when you and your kids are on the same page, so when you both get along, it’s pure magic. Brett50 years, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
