Steve Wright was found dead at his flat on Monday morning after paramedics were called to an ‘incident’, can reveal.
Emergency services rushed to the star’s home in Marylebone, central London, just after 10am on February 12, but he was pronounced dead at the scene.
His ‘unexpected’ death is not being treated as suspicious with a report being prepared for the coroner, police said.
The radio personality presented programmes for BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 for more than four decades before his death aged 69.
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson told : ‘We were called at 10.07am on Monday 12 February to reports of an incident.
‘We sent a number of resources to the scene. Very sadly, a person was pronounced dead at the scene.’
It comes as the last picture of the legendary broadcaster shows him larking around and taking ‘ironic selfies’ with a friend in New York just weeks before his death.
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Radio personality Steve Wright presented programmes for BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 for more than four decades before his death aged 69.
This is one of the last pictures of Steve Wright before his ‘very sudden’ death as he takes an ‘ironic selfie’ with a friend in New York
Steve Wright was found dead at his flat in Marylebone on Monday morning after paramedics were called to an ‘incident’
Friends have revealed that Steve was ‘struggling with his health’ before his death, but added the news was ‘a complete shock’
Steve Wright pictured in 1980
Composer Anthony James shared the snap of himself sat next to the adored BBC presenter, as he paid tribute to his ‘dear friend’ who ‘had such a love of life and radio’.
James said the photo was taken four weeks ago and is possibly the last picture taken of Steve before his death was announced by his heartbroken family on Tuesday.
His death has prompted an outpouring of heartfelt messages from stars such as Ken Bruce, Simon Mayo, Zoe Ball and Vernon Kay.
James posted the picture of him and Steve to X, formerly Twitter, earlier today.
He wrote: ‘I can’t sleep. I’m thinking of my dear friend Steve. We took this picture 4 weeks ago in New York.
‘We were trying to do, as he put it “ironic selfies”. He had such a love of Life and radio..He told me “AJ the blond hair has to go!” I miss him #RIPSteveWright’
Following the announcement of his death, other stars have also taken to social media to pay tribute to the legendary DJ.
At the start of her show yesterday evening, fellow BBC Radio 2 DJ Jo Whiley said: ‘(This is) a very strange show to be doing.
‘It’s extremely hard to know what to say and to be talking about someone that you saw only days ago in this very studio where I am right now – doing a tribute show to that person just does not feel right.
‘It’s very hard to find the words to say and to talk about someone in the past tense when it’s someone that you wish was very much still here. So it’s tough. The Radio 2 family are devastated.
‘There have been many tears… we’ve all worked with Steve Wright for years and years and years, and it’s just very difficult to take in that he’s no longer here.’
Ken Bruce said he was ‘totally shocked to hear the news’.
He added: ‘We were planning lunch to celebrate the award of his richly deserved MBE.
‘An outstanding and innovative broadcaster whose listeners loved him. What a loss to the world of radio.’
The DJ, seen in 2003, was made an MBE for services to radio
Wright, who has died at the age of 69, in a photo taken in 1995
Steve Wright, who has died at the age of 69, pictured in his recording studio in 1994
The DJ was married to Cyndi Robinson until they divorced in 1999. They are pictured on their wedding day
Steve Wright pictured with fellow radio DJ’s Tony Blackburn (left), and Paul Gambaccini (right)
Superstar George Michael pictured with BBC Radio 1 DJ Steve Wright.
Presenter Sara Cox said: ‘It’s really hard to know what to say about the news of Steve Wright’s passing, except we are all shocked and devastated and blindsided by this news.
‘Steve was an extraordinary broadcaster, a really kind person, he was witty, he was warm, and he was a huge, huge part of the Radio 2 family, and I know my fellow DJs will all be absolutely shattered too.’
BBC’s Russia editor Steve Rosenberg paid a heartfelt tribute to late Radio 2 DJ with a a touching piano rendition of the presenter’s afternoon theme tune.
Rosenberg took to X to praise Wright’s unparalleled talent as a DJ.
He wrote: ‘ He was, quite simply, brilliant…a broadcaster in a class of his own. As a tribute to Steve Wright, I play the Steve Wright in the Afternoon theme.’
Meanwhile, speaking on Greatest Hits radio, a choked up Simon Mayo said: ‘He was one of the true originals of music radio, I think.
‘I loved his shows. I know a lot of you did as well. It was a thrill to be on the same radio stations as him. He’ll be much missed.’
Zoe Ball has told Wright to ‘rest well you wonderful magic man’ following his death at the age of 69.
In a post to X, the broadcaster wrote: ‘Wrighty. Our radio friend, our inspiration, master of broadcasting, the Godfather, always there for us all with support, advice, love & most importantly laughter rest well you wonderful magic man.
‘Life won’t be the same without you here, love you my friend, my hero.’
The legendary broadcaster presented Steve Wright in the Afternoon for 12 years on Radio 1 and a further 23 years on Radio 2. He is pictured in 1980
Wright with Bunny Campione at an event at Hamleys Toy Store in London on October 24, 2004
Legendary radio DJ Steve Wright pictured in 1991
Steve Wright and Ben Elton during the BBC radio One Roadshow in Great Yarmouth in 1991
Dame Esther Rantzen, who was interviewed by Wright on many occasions, said he was a unique broadcaster.
‘He created a kind of club which whether he was interviewing you or whether you were enjoying it as a listener, you looked forward to joining every day,’ she said.
‘It is a very rare quality, and he made it sound easy. It was frequently very funny, and when he left his daily afternoon show he really knocked a hole in the day for many of us who relied on his company. He will be a real loss.’
Matt Lucas has referred to Wright as ‘the most brilliant radio broadcaster of them all’ following the latter’s death at the age of 69.
In a post to X, the comedian wrote: ‘Steve Wright was the most brilliant radio broadcaster of them all.
‘So gifted and natural and engaging. It was always a pleasure and an honour to appear on his show. What a huge loss.’
Steve joined BBC Radio 1 in 1980 to host a Saturday evening show before moving on to host Steve Wright In The Afternoon a year later until 1993.
Wright then fronted the Radio 1 Breakfast show for a year until 1995, and completed a stint at commercial radio stations before returning to BBC Radio 2 in 1996 to host Steve Wright’s Saturday Show and Sunday Love Songs.
In 1999, he recreated Steve Wright In The Afternoon every weekday on Radio 2, with celebrity interviews and entertaining trivia featured in his Factoids segment, before stepping down in September 2022.
Steve Wright pictured with Roger Daltrey, Alice Cooper and Paul Gambechinni after winning the Lifetime Acievement Award at the Sony Radio Academy Awards in 2005
Tributes poured in from the world of radio as they shared touching stories about Wright
Former BBC Radio 1 host Scott Mills took over the afternoon slot as part of the station’s schedule shake-up.
Wright continued to present Sunday Love Songs on BBC Radio 2 and since October last year, he presented the long-running show Pick Of The Pops, which had previously been fronted by Paul Gambaccini.
His last show was a pre-recorded Valentine’s Day edition of the programme two days ago. Wright told listeners in his final sign-off: ‘I’ll be back for more love songs next Sunday, ta-da then.’
A statement shared by Wright’s family on Tuesday said: ‘It is with deep sorrow and profound regret that we announce the passing of our beloved Steve Wright.
‘In addition to his son, Tom, and daughter, Lucy, Steve leaves behind his brother, Laurence and his father Richard.
‘Also, much-loved close friends and colleagues, and millions of devoted radio listeners who had the good fortune and great pleasure of allowing Steve into their daily lives as one of the UK’s most enduring and popular radio personalities.
‘As we all grieve, the family requests privacy at this immensely difficult time.’