Steve Wright, 68, tells listeners he ‘doesn’t want to go to bits’ as he starts final afternoon show
BBC Radio 2 host Steve Wright said there is ‘no tension, just fun, celebration and thanks’ when he kicked off his final afternoon show as it comes to an end after 23 years.
The veteran DJ, 68, started with OMC’s 90s classic How Bizarre as he kicked off the three-hour stint of his last ever afternoon show, before telling listeners he ‘doesn’t want to go to bits’.
Earlier this year it was revealed that his show – Steve Wright in the Afternoon – had been axed in what was believed to be part of BBC moves to cut the age of the main presenters on the station.
Ahead of his final appearance, he wrote on Radio 2’s social media accounts: ‘I wanted to express my heartfelt thanks to everyone who has taken the trouble to listen over the past 23 years.
‘I would like to say what a privilege it’s been bringing you great choons [sic], conversation, information, entertainment, high humour and of course great guests.’
But he added: ‘I’m not retiring! Steve Wright’s Sunday Love Songs continues on Radio 2 every weekend.’
The presenter, pictured, revealed in July that his show – Steve Wright in the Afternoon – had been axed
Steve Wright released this statement on BBC Radio 2 ahead of his final afternoon show on Friday
Scott Mills is to take over the afternoon slot, after departing Radio 1 last month.
In a reference to his future, Wright added: ‘I am taking a break from daytime radio and will continue at Radio 2.
‘I’ll be going a tad digital with a podcast, Serious Jockin’ will still be there on BBC Sounds, and Steve Wright’s Sunday Love Songs continues on Radio 2 every weekend.’
Wright has presented Steve Wright in the Afternoon on the 2pm slot since 1999 and also presents Steve Wright’s Sunday Love Songs on the network.
He added that he would also be presenting a special programme on Radio 2 on National Album Day and will be returning to the network to present a number of festival specials over Christmas.
After joining the BBC in 1998, Mills, 49, presented the BBC Radio 1 breakfast show until 2004 after which he moved to a weekend afternoon slot for six months.
Until his departure in August, he presented the Scott Mills show on Radio 1 between 1pm and 4pm, along with co-presenter Chris Stark, as well as The Official Chart Show on a Friday since 2018.
Mills will join Radio 2 to present a new weekday show, while Stark, who also departed Radio 1 last month, is joining the Capital Breakfast Show.
It comes amid a mass exodus of ‘old guard’ Radio 2 hosts in recent months.
Experts have claimed that BBC bosses are sidelining older ‘baby-boomer’ DJs in favour of faces like Scott Mills and RuPaul Drag Race’s Michelle Visage so they can woo ‘Gen Z’ and attract younger listeners.
Earlier this year, furious fans accused the BBC of ageism after Paul O’Grady, 67, announced he was quitting Radio 2 following a shake-up that saw him split his Sunday evening show with comic Rob Beckett.
Meanwhile in June, 79-year-old DJ Tony Blackburn attacked the BBC for its ‘strange’ decision to move his Radio 2 show, appearing to blame the decision on ageism, saying in a post on social media ‘there’s a lot of it about’.
Blackburn learned that from mid-July his Golden Hour show would be moved from 7pm on Fridays to the same time on Sunday.
Blackburn criticised the ‘wacky’ decision on Twitter, and fans of the show flocked to support the former Radio 1 DJ. One commented that the BBC was ‘making a lot of mistakes’ by changing up the scheduling.
Older DJs have stepped back, including Steve Wright, Graham Norton and Simon Mayo. The ‘changing of the guard’ brings with it younger talent, including ex-Radio 1 DJ Scott Mills, RuPaul’s Michelle Visage, Waterloo Road’s Angela Griffin, and DJ Spoony
The Golden Hour move is part of wider changes to Radio 2 scheduling that sees Craig Charles’ Saturday House Party axed.
The channel will host new shows from RuPaul’s Drag Race UK judge Michelle Visage, Waterloo Road actress Angela Griffin and DJ Spoony.
An insider said there were ‘a lot of unhappy DJs at the moment as a result’.
A BBC spokesperson said: ‘Radio 2 remains committed to its multi-generational appeal that serves a 35+ audience, a target which hasn’t changed in decades, and we’re thrilled over 14.5 million listeners are tuning in each week to our brilliant range of programmes, hosted by some of the UK’s best loved presenters.
‘As listeners know, we continue to play a wide variety of the best music from the past seven decades, including from the 60s and 70s.’
Meanwhile, last year Drivetime host Nick Grimshaw departed from Radio 1 after 14 years at the station in the latest ‘diverse’ line-up reshuffle.
The presenter, 37, who joined BBC Radio 1 in September 2007, hung up his microphone, with Jordan North and Vick Hope taking over.
The news came just weeks after Annie Mac announced in April that she was leaving after 17 years to be replaced by Clara Amfo.
Out with the old…? BBC big-hitters Paul O’Grady, Steve Wright and Tony Blackburn step back as Scott Mills and RuPaul’s Drag Race star Michelle Visage take the helm
THE RADIO 2 BIG-HITTERS STEPPING BACK
STEVE WRIGHT
Steve Wright announced he would stop hosting his daily afternoon programme in July
Radio 2 fans deplored the BBC’s decision to replace popular DJ Steve Wright with Radio 1’s Scott Mills as the corporation seeks to ‘try something different’.
As he exited Wogan House in July, donning a purple shirt, red striped tie and suit jacket, Wright told reporters it was ‘nice of you to come over’, adding: ‘That’s the way it goes… You know, sometimes people want you, sometimes they don’t.
‘Sometimes they want to make changes, give you another offer, and that’s okay, I understand that, I really understand that.’
TONY BLACKBURN
Tony Blackburn has also taken a step back
In June, Tony Blackburn attacked the BBC for its ‘strange’ decision to move his Radio 2 show.
The 79-year-old DJ appeared to blame the decision on ageism, saying in a post on social media ‘there’s a lot of it about’.
Blackburn criticised the ‘wacky’ decision on Twitter, and fans of the show flocked to support the former Radio 1 DJ. One commented that the BBC was ‘making a lot of mistakes’ by changing up the scheduling.
CRAIG CHARLES
Craig Charles also lost his Saturday night slot in the ongoing BBC shake-up
Craig Charles’ Radio 2 show on a Saturday night was axed as part of a major shake up of the BBC channel, sparking uproar from fans.
The star, 57, has presented his show Craig Charles’ House Party on Saturdays from 10pm to midnight since 2014.
In a series of other changes Drag Race star Michelle Visage will permanently join the station with a Friday slot from 7-9pm.
VANESSA FELTZ
In July, Vanessa Feltz quit her early morning breakfast show after nearly 20 years on air
Also in July, Vanessa Feltz quit her early morning breakfast show after nearly 20 years on air.
Feltz said she had to step down ‘to catch up on a much-needed decade’s deficit of beauty sleep’ and use her ‘energy-boosting shut-eye’ to ‘frolic with her fiancé Ben Ofoedu ‘who irritatingly remains 10 years younger than me.’
Breaking down on her show as she announced the news to her listeners, the star said she would ‘try not to cry’.
… AND THEIR REPLACEMENTS?
SCOTT MILLS
Scott Mills is stepping down from his Radio 1 weekday afternoon slot in order to succeed radio legend Steve Wright as the host of his programme.
It comes after the broadcaster said goodbye to Radio 1 breakfast host Nick Grimshaw and Future Sounds star Annie Mac last year.
MICHELLE VISAGE
Michelle Visage hosts a permanent Friday night slot from 7-9pm on Radio 2
Michelle Visage hosts a permanent Friday night slot from 7-9pm on Radio 2.
The Drag Race judge, who stepped into the limelight in the late 1980s in the States as a member of the girl band Seduction, endeared herself to the wider public in the 2010s as a judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race.
But after crossing the pond to the UK in 2019, Visage, who’s joked that she was ‘a gay British man’ in a former life, found a new fan base, taking part in Channel 5’s Celebrity Big Brother UK and remaining in the house for 30 days.
Four years later, she became an instant favourite when she strutted down the Strictly stage with Giovanni Pernice in 2019.
ANGELA GRIFFIN
Waterloo Road actress Angela Griffin hosts Radio 2 Unwinds
Waterloo Road actress Angela Griffin hosts Radio 2 Unwinds, a Sunday night show (10pm-midnight) to take listeners on a ‘mood-boosting musical journey across genres and decades, to help them relax and switch off’.
She said: ‘I’m over the moon to be given my very own BBC Radio 2 programme. I loved presenting my series last year as I was already a huge fan of the station, so I’m proud to be given my first proper weekly show.
‘I’ll be bringing two hours of chilled out tunes curated by myself and the listeners, to help unwind and relax before the week ahead.’
DJ SPOONY
DJ Spoony hosts a Friday night slot from 9-11pm on Radio 2
DJ Spoony hosts a Friday night slot from 9-11pm on Radio 2.
The BBC website describes the show as: ‘Non-stop two happy hour of joyful floor fillers, soulful house and lyrical garage tunes to make you feel good!’
WHO ELSE HAS RECENTLY LEFT THE BBC AND RADIO 2?
ANDREW MARR
Andrew Marr quit the Corporation last winter to front shows on LBC and Classic FM
Andrew Marr quit the Corporation last winter to front shows on LBC and Classic FM, and is thought to have significantly increased his pay of up to £339,999 in the move.
Marr’s new weekday show will see him become the newest member of LBC’s line-up, which includes Nick Ferrari, James O’Brien, Eddie Mair, Shelagh Fogarty, Iain Dale, Tom Swarbrick, David Lammy, Camilla Tominey and Matt Frei.
EMILY MAITLIS and JON SOPEL
Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel followed Andrew Marr and jumped ship for LBC in February
Emily Maitlis and Jon Sopel followed Andrew Marr and jumped ship for LBC in February this year.
The veteran journalists caused disarray at Broadcasting House after deciding to join Leicester Square-based Global, which is also home to Nick Ferrari, Eddie Mair, Shelagh Fogarty and James O’Brien.
Maitlis, who hosted Newsnight, has had a series of impartiality complaints against her because of her tweets and on-air comments about the pandemic, the Tory Government and Boris Johnson’s former chief aide Dominic Cummings.
DAN WALKER
Dan Walker also jumped ship and ditched the BBC, joining Channel 5 to be lead anchor on its revamped 5News team
Dan Walker also jumped ship and ditched the BBC, joining Channel 5 to be lead anchor on its revamped 5News team.
He walked away from his £295,000 a year role at the Beeb.
The BBC dismissed the ‘brain drain’ of top talent ditching the broadcaster as ‘people come, people go’.
GRAHAM NORTON
Graham Norton quit Radio 2 before Christmas 2020
Graham Norton quit Radio 2 before Christmas 2020, but his hugely popular talk show is still broadcast on BBC television.
He said in a statement at the time: ‘Obviously I’m sad to be stepping away from my Radio 2 show. I’ll miss being a part of the Wogan House family, as well as the listeners and their lives.’
SIMON MAYO
Simon Mayo left BBC Radio 2 for Scala Radio in 2019
Simon Mayo left BBC Radio 2 for Scala Radio in 2019.
In May this year, he branded the broadcaster ‘soul destroying’ for the ‘hoops’ it makes people jump through to get a show greenlit – adding that his podcast fronted by two men would have ‘no chance’ in today’s woke era.