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Music legends have lined up to pay tribute to friend Steve Wright as they commemorated the star on would have been his 70th birthday.
From Sir Elton John to Jessie J, fellow celebrities gathered to honour the memory of the much-loved DJ.
Steve, who passed away in February 2024 aged 69, was fondly remembered by many, adding the likes of Lulu, Greg James, and Jessie J.
‘Every interview I did with you was funny, rude sometimes I’m going to miss you, miss you big time,’ said Sir Rod Stewart.
Sir Elton John, 78, revealed it was Steve’s campaigning that eventually forced his record company to switch things – which led to his 1989 hit Sacrifice becoming a hit single.
‘It was my first solo number one record in England. He supported me all throughout my career. He had such a knowledge of music and a love of music. I was, for me a terrible loss for radio.’
Music legends have lined up to pay tribute to friend Steve Wright as they commemorated the star on would have been his 70th birthday
From Sir Elton John to Jessie J, fellow celebrities gathered to honour the memory of the much-loved the Aussie pop legend
While Radio 1 Breakfast show host Greg James dubbed him as one of the ‘founding fathers’ of the station, Jessie J recalled her his kindness.
Moreover, Scottish singer Lulu called him ‘a tremendous support to me and my career’ which ‘became a friend’.
A colleague and friend of Radio 2 DJ Wright recently accused the BBC of tarnishing his legacy and mistreating the star in the lead up to his death.
Wright died in February last year, leaving thousands of fans of the beloved radio personality heartbroken.
His colleague Anthony James, who worked on the music on Steve Wright in the Afternoon and Steve Wright’s Sunday Love Songs, has said he is unhappy with the BBC’s handling of his friend’s career – both before and after his death.
In 2022, Wright was axed from the BBC, despite the success of his show being ‘through the roof’.
The star admitted to James that he had been told of its cancellation and sworn to secrecy by the corporation nine months beforehand.
However, he believed he had been reassured by Helen Thomas, the head of BBC Radio 2, that the show would continue via a new digital channel.
Sir Elton John revealed it was Steve’s campaigning that eventually forced his record company to switch things – which led to his 1989 hit Sacrifice becoming the A side of his single
Moreover, Scottish singer Lulu called him ‘a tremendous support to me and my career’ which ‘became a friend’
When the months went by with no word on this, Wright was said to have approached director-general Tim Davie, who allegedly told Wright: ‘I can’t believe she fired you… I wouldn’t have fired you myself.’ The BBC has denied this.
James claimed the axing of Steve Wright in the Afternoon was part of a move by the BBC to ban broadcasters considered too ‘pale, male and stale’.
He told The Telegraph: ‘They thought that this idea of personality is old style; it’s not cool anymore, we should make Radio 2 cool.
‘But who gives a s*** about cool? It’s about being entertained.’
James claimed the effect of the sacking on Wright’s physical and mental health was devastating. ‘He didn’t really stop to accept it. I think it ate him up,’ he said. ‘It got worse, and his health got worse.’
