BBC Radio DJ Jo Whiley shares tribute about Steve Wright’s generosity that ‘sums him up’

BBC Radio 2 host Jo Whiley has shared a heartfelt tribute to her colleague DJ stalwart Steve Wright who has died aged 69.

Wright, best known for fronting Top of the Pops and for hosting various shows on BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 for more than four decades, has been remembered by his family as the “UK’s most enduring and popular radio personalities” in a statement shared on Tuesday (13 February).

As tributes flood in for the late radio host, Whiley shared a sweet anecdote about Wright’s generosity that she said “sums him up”.

Whiley shared a picture of Wright standing next to the BBC Radio logo, as she recalled an occasion when the radio host went out of his way to give her sister Frances – who is a huge fan of Wright’s work – a personalised Christmas present.

“Just this Xmas I asked [Wright] to record a message for my sister Frances who is obsessed with Pick of The Pops and therefore Steve himself.”

“He didn’t just send a message – he recorded a personalised mini package for her… jingles and all.”

Whiley added that her sister was delighted and listened to the recording “over a hundred million times during the course of Xmas day”.

“And that sums him up,” she added.

In an accompanying video, Whiley’s sister Frances is seen smiling as she listens to the recording in which Wright wishes her a Merry Christmas.

Wright’s voice is heard saying: “I’ve had a nod from a national elf... It’s Jo to mention her sister Frances. It’s Steve here. Happy Christmas Frances. I know you like Pick of the Pops, so happy Christmas from me and everybody on Pick of the Pops and everyone on Love Songs”.

Whiley added that she was utterly devastated by Wright’s death, calling him a “class act”, an “utter perfectionist” and the “King of the Airwaves”.

She continued: “No-one cared more about the quality of what came of the your speakers than Wrighty.”

“But he was also extraordinarily kind and big-hearted. We saw each other a lot doing our shows during the pandemic and I loved the banter we had.”

The news of Wright’s death was first announced by a tearful Sara Cox on her Radio 2 show on Tuesday, who later said: “It’s really hard to know what to say about the news of Steve Wright’s passing except that we are all absolutely devastated and shocked and blindsided by this news.”

His death was confirmed by his family in a statement shared on Tuesday: “It is with deep sorrow and profound regret that we announce the passing of our beloved Steve Wright.

After the news was announced, Veteran BBC Radio host Tony Blackburn called Wright a “one-off” person and said he was “one of my favourite DJs of all time”.

Ken Bruce, another stalwart of BBC Radio, said in a tribute that Wright was an “outstanding and innovative broadcaster whose listeners love him”.

“What a loss to the world of radio.”

Wright’s final radio show was aired on Sunday, in which he delivered a pre-Valentine’s edition of his weekly Love Songs programme. During the episode, Wright happily sang along to familiar songs and read out listeners’ shout-outs for their loved ones.

Wright played a selection of romantic hits from the Sixties through to the present day, including Dusty Springfield’s “I Only Want to be With You”, Kenny Rogers & Dolly Parton’s “Islands in the Stream” and “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran.

At the end of the show, the radio legend signed off by saying: “That’s it today for Love Songs.“

“I’ll be back for more love songs next Sunday. Ta-ra then.”