BBC Radio 2's Steve Wright's final days as pals fear he 'died of a broken heart'

The tragic and sudden death of BBC Radio 2 presenter Steve Wright has been described as "unexpected" but not suspicious by the police. Officers and paramedics were called to a flat in central London's Marylebone area on Monday morning, with Wright's death announced later.

A spokesperson for the Metropolitan Police said: "The death was unexpected, but is not being treated as suspicious. A report will be prepared for the coroner."

Tributes have been pouring in for Wright from his colleagues, who described him as "one of the greatest exponents of the art of radio". Wright was a much-loved figure on BBC Radio 1 and then Radio 2 for over forty years, captivating millions of listeners.

Following Wright's death at the age of 69, many of the legendary broadcaster's friends have been recalling his final days and sharing their fears he died of "a broken heart" after being replaced by Scott Mills in his BBC Radio 2 afternoon slot in 2022. Here is a look at the days leading up to Wright's tragic passing and what Steve's loved ones have said since.

Wright was last heard on-air last Sunday, hosting a special pre-recorded Valentine's Day edition of his much-loved programme on Radio 2, Love Songs. During the show, Wright delighted listeners with a selection of his favourite romantic tunes, before signing off with his customary farewell: "I'll be back for more love songs next Sunday. Ta-ta then."

His broadcasting career began with BBC Radio 1 in 1980, where he helmed a Saturday evening show before transitioning to host Steve Wright In The Afternoon the following year until 1993. After hosting the Radio 1 Breakfast Show for a year until 1995, and a stint at commercial radio, Wright made his return to BBC Radio 2 in 1996. There, he entertained audiences with Steve Wright's Saturday Show and Sunday Love Songs.

In 1999, fans were thrilled as he revived Steve Wright In The Afternoon on weekdays on Radio 2, replete with celebrity chats and intriguing trivia in his popular Factoids segment. He retired from the show in September 2022 but continued to present Sunday Love Songs on Radio 2. Scott Mills, formerly of BBC Radio 1, took the reins of the afternoon slot amid a reshuffling of the station's schedule.

Following Wright's death, speculation arose that the star may have "died from a broken heart" after his beloved BBC Radio 2 afternoon show concluded roughly 17 months earlier. With the end of the show in September last year and Scott Mills installed as the new host, Wright hinted that it wasn't his decision to sign off, leading many of his dedicated listeners to express disappointment with the BBC.

Steve Wright's co-host Liz Kershaw, 65, recently hinted on GB News that the BBC may have "dumped him" by ending his long-running show. She said: "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."

Despite his show ending, Steve continued to work for the broadcaster, hosting Sunday Love Songs on the radio station each weekend. The latest episode, pre-recorded by Steve, was aired on Sunday. Celebrity publicist Gary Farrow, who was friends with Steve for decades, said that Steve was "devastated" to leave his BBC Radio 2 afternoon show as he mourned his pal earlier this week.

Gary told The Sun: "Steve lived for that show, he absolutely loved it - and the listeners loved him. My view is that he died from a broken heart." He added that he will "never understand" why they "let him go," saying: "It devastated him." It's been hinted that Steve wanted more support from the BBC, but Gary doesn't believe his friend received it. He also said that radio was the late presenter's "life".

BBC Radio 2 boss Helen Thomas honoured Steve Wright, saying: "He was a consummate professional whose attention to detail was always second to none, and he made his guests laugh. He was fair and he wanted to showcase them and their work in the best possible light, bringing brilliant stories to our listeners."

Steve's brother spoke on Thursday, saying that Steve wasn't heartbroken about leaving his weekday radio show. Talking to MailOnline, Laurence said Steve didn't like being taken off the air in the afternoons but was happy for the rest.

Laurence suggested Steve's death may have been a result of his unhealthy lifestyle. He mentioned: "He was aware that he could have looked after himself better, in his lifestyle choices. Obviously we all wish he had. It's like anyone who doesn't look after themselves over an extended period. The normal stuff - diet, nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress - he was a very stoic kind of guy as well so if he had something wrong with him and he had to go to have some treatment or go to the doctors, he wouldn't talk about it."

A recent photo of the beloved Radio 2 DJ Steve Wright has been shared after his unexpected death at 69. His mate, music maker Anthony James, posted a fun selfie with Steve on social media, which was taken just four weeks before Steve died.

Anthony was heartbroken and couldn't sleep as he remembered his dear friend Steve Wright. He posted online: "I can't sleep. 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...He told me 'AJ the blond hair has to go!' I miss him #RIPSteveWright."

After Steve's sad passing, his neighbours from his £2million flat in London shared how kind and down-to-earth he was. Tony White, 60, who lived next door to Steve for nearly 10 years, told MailOnline he was shocked by the sudden news.

Tony said: "Steve and I shared the same plumber and I texted him this morning to say how sad it was that Steve had gone. He messaged back and said he'd been left absolutely devastated and that he hadn't yet taken in the awful news. Steve was a genuinely warm and humble man. If he saw you coming down the stairs, he'd smile and hold the front door to the block open for you."

Tony also mentioned how Steve remained grounded despite his fame, choosing Ubers and taxis over a personal driver, and was quite private outside of work. Another nameless neighbour echoed these sentiments, referring to Steve as "a lovely man". "I think he lived in one of the flats on the upper floors with his daughter," they told the publication. "I don't know if anyone is in the property at the moment. But our thoughts are with his family."

One of Wright's friends has heartbreakingly revealed that he was emailing the radio legend on the day of his death, unaware that his pal had passed away. Speaking in the wake of Wright's death, colleague and fellow radio presenter Paul Gambaccini remembered Wright's diligence, noting how he would arrive at the studio hours before his show to prepare.

Gambaccini was shocked to hear of his friend's death because he had just chatted with Wright on Saturday and had sent him two emails on Tuesday, not realising his mate had died. Last year, Wright took over Gambaccini's old show Pick Of The Pops on BBC Radio 2.

"He knew what he was going to do (and) when and that's when the greats like Noel (Edmonds) and Chris Evans shone. They made it sound like it was off the cuff, but it was really well planned," he said when paying tribute to Wright. "And Steve stayed afterwards, this was his life. He gave us his life for 44 years, five days a week and then six with Love Songs."

Noel Edmonds, a star on BBC radio, called into This Morning from New Zealand to share his thoughts about Wright. He said: "We have lost one of the greatest exponents of the art of radio. And radio, if done well, is an art form."

Nicky Campbell, who has worked with Wright for a long time, spoke on BBC Radio 4's Today programme. He said: "It's where he belonged. He was absolutely born to be in a studio, it's where he thrived. It was his natural habitat." He also mentioned: "His heart soared when he was on the air and that was contagious. Our hearts soared when we listened."

Chris Evans, who has been on Radio 1 and 2 and now works at Virgin Radio, compared Wright's effect on afternoon radio shows to how Sir Terry Wogan influenced breakfast shows. Sir Terry's show, Wake Up To Wogan on Radio 2, was super popular in the UK.