In a move that will disappoint millions of Radio 2 listeners in the UK and beyond, extremely popular broadcaster and DJ Steve Wright has announced he is leaving the station and hanging up his microphone for good, choosing instead to pursue the life of a Buddhist monk.
Members of the public are set to march in London next week in a bid to persuade Wright to reverse his decision, after a Facebook group was created to rally fans immediately after the story broke. The news has come as a shock to many, as Wright is held in high regard in broadcasting circles for his immaculate wit, frequently hilarious impressions and notoriously harsh but probing and revealing interviewing technique.
Radio 2 colleague Ken Bruce, host of the morning slot, said he was stunned and saddened by the news. "Steve is irreplaceable. I'll miss the times he had us rolling around on the floor at the Radio 2 Christmas parties, with his pant-wettingly funny mispronunciations of words, such as "champeen" instead of champion, and "skellington" instead of skeleton. Oh, the times we laughed so hard we cried."
Jeremy Vine, another co-worker, was also quick to pay tribute to the legendary DJ: "It's a terrible loss to the station. The thing I shall miss the most is the way he sang over almost every record he played, always improving them immeasurably. And his jokes - for me he's up there with Dave Allen, Dylan Moran, Bill Hicks and many other great comedians."
Wright himself issued a statement, simply saying that he had "carefully considered the meaning of existence, and the impact our egos and ways of life have on our fellow human beings, and planet Earth."
He will join a Buddhist group in the mountains of Nepal, living a silent and modest life. Surely a fitting way to go for a modest, quiet and thoroughly pleasant giant of British broadcasting. Bye Steve, loved the show.
