Steve Wright ‘turned extraordinarily withdrawn and stopped going out’

Steve Wright turned extraordinarily withdrawn and stopped going out after his ex-wife died throughout Covid, it has been claimed. 

Locals residing close to the DJ’s £2million flat, the place he was discovered lifeless aged 69 on Monday morning, say he ‘fully shut down’ after the pandemic.

Neighbours advised The Sun he stopped ingesting within the space and imagine the sudden loss of life of his ex-wife Cyndi Robinson on the age of 65 in July 2020 had hit Wright onerous. 

The couple divorced ‘out of the blue’ in 1999 after 27 years of marriage by which they’d two kids collectively – Lucy and Tom.  

Wright’s son, Tom, had been residing in Los Angeles however revealed he returned to the UK to take care of his father earlier than his loss of life.

One neighbour stated Wright stopped going out in recent times after the nation got here out of the Covid pandemic. 

‘He was a special particular person. even earlier than his radio present ended,’ they stated.

‘He was extraordinarily withdrawn.’  

It has been claimed Wright was in talks to host his personal TV present, 18-months after being changed on the radio by Scott Mills.

His good friend of 40 years, publicist Gary Farrow, stated he believes Wright ‘died from a damaged coronary heart’ after he was ‘devastated’ to lose his fashionable Radio 2 afternoon slot in 2022.

But Tom has now spoken out about his gratitude over getting the chance to bond together with his father in his last days.

In a touching publish on social media, the grieving son stated: ‘It meant the world to me that I used to be capable of get to know my Dad in a means I by no means had within the months earlier than he died.

‘I’ll cherish each second we shared and each reminiscence we made.

‘I solely hope to make him proud and construct on his legacy with kindness and love.’

He added: ‘This made each battle worthwhile to have had this time with him earlier than we misplaced him.’

Just two days earlier than his father handed away, Tom posted that he had returned to Britain to spend per week with him earlier than he acquired his MBE awarded within the New Year Honours checklist.

He stated he hopes to search out consolation in recordings of his father’s radio broadcasts at some point. 

Tom wrote about shedding each of his mother and father: ‘Thank the Gods I’m sober, as this may have straight up killed me even a pair years in the past after shedding Mum over the pandemic in the identical means with out attending to see him earlier than he handed after flying again to maintain the outdated blighter.’

Wright was discovered lifeless at his £2million flat on Monday morning after paramedics have been referred to as to an ‘incident’, MailOnline revealed.

Emergency providers rushed to the star’s dwelling in Marylebone, central London, simply after 10am on February 12, however he was pronounced lifeless on the scene.

His ‘sudden’ loss of life just isn’t being handled as suspicious with a report being ready for the coroner, police stated.

The radio persona offered programmes for BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 for greater than 4 a long time.

A London Ambulance Service spokesperson advised MailOnline: ‘We have been referred to as at 10.07am on Monday 12 February to experiences of an incident.

‘We despatched quite a lot of sources to the scene. Very sadly, an individual was pronounced lifeless on the scene.’

It comes because the final image of the legendary broadcaster exhibits him larking round and taking ‘ironic selfies’ with a good friend in New York simply weeks earlier than his loss of life.

Wright’s heartbroken brother blamed the BBC star’s loss of life on his poor eating regimen and claimed that he hid his well being issues from his household, MailOnline revealed.

Laurence Wright, 65, additionally shut down claims that the Corporation’s resolution to axe him from his long-running Radio 2 Afternoon Show contributed to his loss of life, revealing the veteran star was ‘grateful’ for the remaining.

Speaking completely to MailOnline, Laurence stated: ‘He was conscious that he might have sorted himself higher, in his life-style decisions. Obviously all of us want he had.

‘It’s like anybody who does not take care of themselves over an prolonged interval. The regular stuff – eating regimen, vitamin, train, sleep, stress – he was a really stoic form of man as effectively so if he had one thing incorrect with him and he needed to go to have some therapy or go to the docs, he would not speak about it.

‘He was the form of man who would simply keep on, maintain it, not speak about it, not make a giant factor, that form of stoic kind of perspective.

‘That’s simply how he was – that in all probability did not assist actually, as a result of he would not have assist or take recommendation essentially.’

He stated Wright did not really feel he ought to have been sacked from his fashionable present – however wanted a break. 

Laurence, a director of an organization within the well being business, says his older brother’s tendency for consuming out at eating places mixed together with his reluctance to speak about numerous ‘well being points’, holding his household at nighttime, have been the primary components behind his shock loss of life.

On Wednesday morning BBC Radio 2 was ‘inundated’ with messages paying tribute to Wright within the first morning present since his loss of life.

The channel was overwhelmed with calls from ‘devastated’ listeners who revealed how the ‘form, humorous, humble and loveable’ star put a smile on their faces every week.

Fans shared their heartfelt recollections with a teary Nicki Chapman whereas she sat in for Zoe Ball, who was absent for unknown causes, in a particular BBC breakfast present devoted to the beloved broadcaster.

The ‘one in 1,000,000’ radio presenter was adored by generations of households throughout the UK, with some saying he ‘was like a good friend’ and others expressing how they’re struggling to return to phrases together with his loss of life.

Nicki began the present by saying: ‘It is so tough to sum up what Steve meant to all of us. The devastatingly unhappy information has come as a whole shock.

‘Everyone appears to have such fond recollections of our Wrighty as a result of that is how we considered and that is how we listened to him.

‘He was ours. He was our mate, speaking to us in our kitchens as we made a brew, in our bedrooms, within the bathe, in our vehicles, taxis, lorries, in our kind rooms in school, in our gardens, at work – he was all the time in our hearts.’

She added: ‘It is a tough day, it’s a tough day for all of us however we’re doing him justice.’

Meanwhile, followers have criticised BBC Breakfast after it mistakenly confirmed a photograph of DJ Simon Bates whereas trailing a tribute to the late DJ.

On the information programme this morning, presenter Luxmy Gopal launched a forthcoming tribute to Wright utilizing a photograph of former BBC Radio DJ Bates.

Gopal advised viewers: ‘Tributes proceed to pour in from the world of radio for the legendary DJ Steve Wright. We will converse to his co-host Janey Lee Grace in a while within the programme.’

Spotting the error, co-host Roger Johnson shortly interjected, saying: ‘That’s not Steve Wright by the best way in case you have been questioning, that is Simon Bates.’

Viewers have been essential of the embarrassing gaffe although, with many taking to X to remark.

One wrote: ‘Should be ashamed! Showing an image of Simon Bates if you end up telling us you’re going to pay tribute to Steve Wright.

‘Not like he gave his complete profession to the BBC or something! Try and get the fitting materials prepared for the piece eh!’

Another added: ‘What went incorrect with the prog this morning? Trying to make a tribute about Steve Wright and wrongly exhibiting a pic of Simon Bates? Come on! He labored in the identical organisation for heavens sake. Unforgivable.’

Veteran DJ Simon Bates, 77, labored on the BBC from 1971 till 1993 and now presents exhibits on rival station Boom radio.

MailOnline has contacted the BBC for remark.