This week, British radio lost one of its icons. Steve Wright, master of the microphone at the BBC for more than three decades, passed away suddenly at the age of 69.
Steve Wright in the Afternoon (SWITA) was a national phenomenon, reaching eight million listeners in its pomp - a popularity emphasised by its tagline "The Big Show". Wright's cheery, feature-filled broadcasts were a daily soundtrack for workplaces, cars, homes and shops across Britain. An opening jingle would announce the show was “now playing everywhere”. It was not much of an exaggeration.
On many radio stations, the afternoon slot is the most dull of the day, a boring bridge between the higher-rating mid-morning and drivetime programmes. But for 23 years on BBC Radio 2, Steve Wright in the Afternoon was an explosion of colour, comedy and camaraderie. Wright's sunny disposition, warm wit, pursuit of perfection and effortless ability to marshal the various elements of his busy programme were what made SWITA a radio juggernaut for decades.
As Danny Baker put it, Wright knew how “to master and elevate radio, play with and extend the possibilities of radio, swoop and soar with the medium”.
Wright's radio voice was energetic, affable, authoritative and instantly recognisable, and never stopped sounding that way, even as he broadcasted into his late sixties. A radio connoisseur, he took his work seriously, making trips to the United States to listen and learn about the freshest innovations on their popular shows. Wright pioneered many new ideas on British airwaves during his career-long crusade to craft captivating radio.
One of the emerging concepts Wright was credited with introducing to this country was the 'zoo format', whereby a crew of on-air contributors chip in to a show helmed by a big name, to create a chattier and more natural feel to the broadcast. Wright brought in a popular 'posse' of co-presenters to his Radio 1 show and maintained the team format in his years at Radio 2. Many other top DJs - Chris Moyles and Christian O'Connell among them - later used the same style on their hit breakfast shows.
Wright embraced other imports from American radio too, like the assortment of upbeat cheesy jingles which became a hallmark of his programme. Though the jingles were enjoyed by some and derided by others, they helped to emphasise the unique brand of Wright's show.
An underrated aspect of his talent was in interviewing celebrity guests, adeptly putting them at ease and getting the best out of each conversation. Here again the zoo format proved advantageous - as co-hosts Tim Smith, Janey Lee Grace and the unnamed 'Old Woman' chipped in with questions, the interviews sounded more casual and authentic.
His show had cross-generational appeal, and it showed in the variety of listener correspondence he received. Usually, messages read out on air were suffixed “love the show, Steve”, to the extent that those words became a catchphrase synonymous with SWITA.
As the tributes poured in for Wright, it was not only the depth of affection for him which resonated, but the breadth of his influence in radio. From Tony Blackburn to Jo Whiley to Greg James, a huge array of industry figures from across the generations had stories of Wright’s friendship to share and plaudits for his professionalism.
Simon Mayo, a legendary broadcaster himself, described Wright as “a real one-off”. He said: “There was no-one else who sounded like Steve Wright. A lot of us tried to be as good as Steve Wright, but no-one, no-one was that good… he made radio magical.”
My own memories of Wright’s show are of listening while walking home from school and on long car journeys. His show was reassuringly reliable – both in format and in how long he occupied the afternoon slot – and had the ability to make you feel like all was well with the world, regardless of how good or bad your day may have been. This was particularly true during the coronavirus pandemic, where he was a reminder of normality for millions. I enjoyed the ‘Factoids’ trivia feature most, and Wright is one of a handful of presenters whom I credit for igniting my love of radio.
Wright remained humble despite his show's soaring success, and stayed loyal to Radio 2 despite the station's boss Helen Thomas bringing SWITA to an end in 2022 in order to "do something different in the afternoons". He continued to present his popular and long-running Sunday Love Songs programme, and had begun hosting Pick of the Pops on Saturdays in the months before his passing.
As broadcast media continues to fragment, with streaming denting radio's reach and podcasts coming to the fore, we may never see a career with such long-lasting highs as Steve Wright's ever again.
A trailblazing titan of the airwaves, and an ever-welcoming radio companion for an appreciative audience. RIP Steve Wright.
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