Afternoon delight: Steve Wright was a friend you only had to switch on your radio to summon

In September 2022, when Steve Wright signed off from his final afternoon show on Radio 2, he did it with good humour and characteristic charm. “Last show,” he said as it opened. “Bit of pressure. Got to make it a good one, everybody.”

It was hard to imagine that Wright, , was really feeling the pressure. After all, he had spent , redefining the medium on before moving to Radio 2 for another 23 years as the nation’s constant and beloved companion, a wild, joyful friend you only had to switch on your radio