R.I.P. Steve Wright

[Milzy]

If he cycled a bit he’d make late 70’s. There’s a guy on you tube who is 87 riding his steel road bike nearly everyday.

 

[gbb]

Never my cup of tea, but sad nevertheless.

He became 'not my cup of tea' but he certainly used to be. His format became a bit jaded imho, didn't really change but nevertheless, very sad, he was a part of almost anyone's life who listened to the radio .

 

[wiggydiggy]

I read this yesterday, I'm quite sad this Sunday will be the last time I listen to 'Sunday Love Songs', its a great way to start the day listening to all the heartwarming messages.

 

[cougie uk]

Okay, so they didn't sack him but they didn't offer him another contract either. Not much of a difference and part of a BBC clear-out of older presenters at the time to bring the station more up to date.

Radio 2's audience was (maybe even still is) the biggest in the world and Steve Wright's show the mainstay of that accolade. Number of listeners for the afternoon spot have dropped severely since he left so maybe he (and Ken Bruce) was more in tune with what his audience wanted than the BBC mandarins.

Is it only the BBC that have mandarins ?

He had a good old run there.

Stations always drop some listeners before they build up again. I loved his show back in the 80s but things change. Still sad that he died so young.

 

[CXRAndy]

Did like Steve Wright

Saw photos of him recently, grossly obese, he was never going to make old bones.

 

[Jody]

Saw photos of him recently, grossly obese, he was never going to make old bones.

Wonder if that was part of the recent health issues he reportedly faced or if they were because of his weight?

 

[matticus]

Is it only the BBC that have mandarins ?

hang on; I'll check the fruit bowl ...

Serious Jokin' !!

 

[icowden]

Okay, so they didn't sack him but they didn't offer him another contract either. Not much of a difference and part of a BBC clear-out of older presenters at the time to bring the station more up to date.

Yes, I always found it peculiar that they wanted to get rid of so many excellent DJs and their listeners. Radio 2 is now Radio 1 from about 30 years ago.
Hence I now listen to Gold or Magic. I was never a huge fan of Steve Wright, but once they started to get rid of all the good shows and parachute in ex Radio 1 DJs the writing was on the wall. Zoe Ball is now down to about 7 million listeners.

 

[Jody]

Radio 2 is now Radio 1 from about 30 years ago.

But the R1 listeners are/were heading into their 40's/50's which is probably the time of life a lot of current R2 listeners joined that station back in the 90's

A lot of the modern crap people are moaning about is 80/90/00's so 20-40 years ago. Which is right for the core group they want to attract.

Happens all the time with the beeb and their push to move age groups onto the next station.

 

[gbb]

I bash the Beeb all the time. I don't pay the licence, that how much I disapprove of the organisation.

Despite the technicalities over contract renewal, there's no doubt it was ineffect a sacking. Wright had been on a rolling contract and it was terminated without notice. That's as near to a sacking as someone on a contract can get as dammit is to swearing. Lets make no bones, he was treated very poorly.

Tbf, and I have no great like or dislike for him, don't know the reasons etc etc, but at those kind of levels, same as senior managers in industry, they tend to go with immediate effect, its always been that way. Right or wrong, that's another matter...

hang on; I'll check the fruit bowl ...

Serious Jokin' !!

Groan
That punchline did get very annoying after a decade or two

 

[icowden]

But the R1 listeners are/were heading into their 40's/50's which is probably the time of life a lot of current R2 listeners joined that station back in the 90's

A lot of the modern crap people are moaning about is 80/90/00's so 20-40 years ago. Which is right for the core group they want to attract.

Happens all the time with the beeb and their push to move age groups onto the next station.

I was between 16 and 26 in the 1990s :-) Maybe I'm an exception to the rule...

 

[Jody]

I was between 16 and 26 in the 1990s :-) Maybe I'm an exception to the rule...

We're not that far apart then age wise

Definitely an exception to the rule if you jumped to R2 in the 90's. That was prime R1 years

 

[Chris S]

Can remember him on the local Reading station (210FM) back in the 70's, him and Mike Read, think it was called the Read and Wright show.
Fond memories and sad to hear this news.

AKA The Smashie and Nicey Show

 

[Badger_Boom]

Radio 2 are doing a bit of a bit of a U turn and trying to get the old folk to tune back in again by launching their take on Boom Radio

Which is ironic because I'm sure I read somewhere that Steve Wright was going to present a show on the new channel.

 

[wiggydiggy]

Which is ironic because I'm sure I read somewhere that Steve Wright was going to present a show on the new channel.

He was, it easy going to be the new home of Love Songs which would be dual cast on R2 and the new station.

R2 has done a good job of annoying its presenters these last few years, Simon Mayo quit after they butchered his drive time show, Paul O'Grady quit his Sunday show as they wanted him to share the slot and now Steve Wright was told he's getting bumped to some other station.