No inquest to be held into cause of death of BBC DJ Steve Wright

There will be no inquest into the cause of BBC DJ Steve Wright’s death, a coroner’s court has announced.

The DJ died aged 69 in February, having worked as one of the BBC’s most popular presenters for over four decades. The news was confirmed by his family in a statement, though at the time no cause of death was given.

Now, Westminster Coroner’ Court has announced in a statement that “an inquest will not be required for Mr Wright. The coroner has now discontinued this case.”

Previously, the Metropolitan Police said Wright’s death at a flat in Marylebone “was unexpected, but is not being treated as suspicious”.

Wright began on BBC Radio 1 in 1980, hosting the Steve Wright in the Afternoon show the following year. He would work at the BBC all the way until 2022, recently replacing veteran broadcaster Paul Gambaccini on the station’s Pick of the Pops in late 2022.

Tim Davie, the BBC Director General, has said: “All of us at the BBC are heartbroken to hear this terribly sad news. Steve was a truly wonderful broadcaster who has been a huge part of so many of our lives over many decades. He was the ultimate professional – passionate about the craft of radio and deeply in touch with his listeners.

“This was deservedly recognised in the New Year Honours list with his MBE for services to radio. No-one had more energy to deliver shows that put a smile on audiences’ faces. They loved him deeply. We are thinking of Steve and his family and will miss him terribly.”

Other figures from the BBC have chimed in, with Jo Whiley calling him “one of the kindest, loveliest people I’ve had the pleasure to work with” and Ken Bruce hailing Wright as an “outstanding and innovative broadcaster whose listeners loved him”.

Wright’s son Tom also shared an emotional tribute to him, saying: “It meant the world to me that I was able to get to know my Dad in a way I never had in the months before he died. I will cherish every moment we shared and every memory we made. This made every struggle worthwhile to have had this time with him before we lost him.

“I only hope to make him proud and build on his legacy with kindness and love,” he added. “God rest your soul Dad.”

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