Zoe Ball says she misses DJ Steve Wright ‘dearly’ on anniversary of his death
Wright was made an MBE for services to radio in the December 2023 New Year Honours list.
BBC Radio 2 presenter Zoe Ball has said she misses late DJ Steve Wright “dearly” on the second anniversary of his death.
Former Top Of The Pops presenter Wright, who Ball described as a “master of broadcasting”, died on February 12 2024 at the age of 69.
In a post on Instagram, Ball, 55, said: “Thinking of Steve today. sending love to his family, friends and fans. Miss you dearly my friend.”
Wright joined the BBC in the 1970s, going on to host shows on BBC Radio 1 and 2 for more than four decades which attracted millions of listeners, and last appeared on air the Sunday before he died, hosting a pre-recorded Valentine’s Day edition of his Love Songs programme on Radio 2.
A statement shared to the BBC by Wright’s family at the time of his death, 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.”
Born in Greenwich, south-east London, in 1954, Wright’s career at the BBC began when he started working as a clerk. He left in 1976 to begin his broadcasting career at Radio 210 in Reading.
The broadcaster joined BBC Radio 1 in 1980 to host a Saturday evening show before moving on to host Steve Wright In The Afternoon a year later until 1993.
Wright then fronted the Radio 1 Breakfast show for a year until 1995, and completed a stint at commercial radio stations before returning to BBC Radio 2 in 1996 to host Steve Wright’s Saturday Show and Sunday Love Songs.
In 1999, he returned to Steve Wright In The Afternoon every weekday on Radio 2, with celebrity interviews and entertaining trivia in his Factoids segment, before stepping down in September 2022.
He continued to present Sunday Love Songs on BBC Radio 2 and from October 2023, he presented the long-running show Pick Of The Pops, which had previously been fronted by Paul Gambaccini.
Wright was made an MBE for services to radio in the December 2023 New Year Honours list and said he wanted to dedicate it “to all the people in broadcasting who gave comfort and public service during the pandemic”.
