Steve Wright
Encyclopedia
Stephen Richard "Steve" Wright (born 26 August 1954 in Greenwich) is an English
radio presenter. He presents the afternoon show on BBC Radio 2
. He rose to prominence in the early 1980s while working with Peter Dickson on BBC Radio 1
.
High School, near Southend-on-Sea
, Essex
. In the early 1970s he worked behind the scenes at Radio 2, as a Gramophone Librarian. He started broadcasting in 1976 at Thames Valley Radio Radio 210 in Reading
, Berkshire
alongside Mike Read
. In 1979 he joined Radio Luxembourg
, and then BBC Radio 1
in 1980, presenting a Saturday evening show, then Saturday morning before moving to Steve Wright in the Afternoon from 1981.
In 1984, Wright took over a Sunday morning show entitled Steve Wright on Sunday, which meant he presented weekday afternoons Mondays–Thursdays only, with Mark Page and Paul Jordan
presenting Friday afternoon's show. In 1986 his Sunday morning show ended and he returned to five afternoons a week.
and Phil Cornwell
. The show went out of its way to be irreverent, including stories taken from the Weekly World News
. The success led to a hit single, "I'll Be Back", released under the name "Arnee
& The Terminators". In later years the style changed, dumping most of the characters and instead having a "zoo
" format, with spoof guests and comedy sketches. A "posse" of producers and radio staff joined in. This format was new to British radio and marked the beginning of the marginalisation (and eventual departure) of several established Radio 1 DJs over the years that followed.
management after the station was restructured by new controller Matthew Bannister
, which led to many of the more established DJs leaving, or being sacked, around this time. He was picked up by the new commercial station Talk Radio
, where he presented a Saturday morning show & also presented a syndicated show on Sunday mornings on various commercial stations in the UK.
He returned to the BBC in 1996, when he joined BBC Radio 2
, presenting Steve Wright's Saturday Show on Saturdays 10 am-1 pm and Steve Wright's Sunday Love Songs on Sundays 9–11 am. In 1999, Steve took over Radio 2's weekday afternoon show (from Ed Stewart
) and he was also the voice of and writer for the retro pop show on BBC television, Top of the Pops 2
between 1997 and 2009. The last episode of TOTP2 he presented was the Michael Jackson special broadcast on 27 June 2009, Mark Radcliffe presented the next episode which was the 2009 Christmas special broadcast on 23 December 2009.
weekday afternoons in Steve Wright in the Afternoon
from 2 pm until 5 pm, and on Sunday mornings 9–11 am presenting Sunday Love Songs. He presents the former with several sidekicks; Tim Smith
and Janey Lee Grace
(both radio DJs in their own right, and often heard as solo holiday relief presenters on Radio 2), plus traffic reporter Sally Boazman
(who Wright calls 'Sally Traffic') and "The Old Woman", whose identity has never been revealed, though it is apparent that she is genuinely a senior citizen and not a younger actress (despite her vocal similarity to the late Wendy Richard
). It has been rumoured that she is actress Edna Doré
. During the 14 May 2007 edition of Steve Wright in the Afternoon, guest Shane Ritchie referred to Old Woman as Nana Moon: a character from the soap
EastEnders
played by Hilda Braid
. The Old Woman was mistakenly described in this article as having appeared on Channel 4's Paul O'Grady Show, credited as "Joyce from Dagenham"; in fact, Joyce from Dagenham was a caterer at Channel 4 whereas the Old Woman's showbusiness career had been launched years before the O'Grady Show began in 2006.
Wright allegedly earns an annual salary of £440,000 for his work on Radio 2.
Current afternoon show features include:
A popular feature that disappeared in the summer of 2007 with the start of the BBC investigation into 'rigged' contests (although there was no suggestion of Steve's show being involved) was "The Big Quiz", a general knowledge quiz in which a challenger took on the current champion (referred to as the 'champnio' or 'champine') in order to win prizes. Each contestant had a time limit to answer questions, then the round ended following the first incorrect answer from that contestant. Winners were given a selection of prizes, building up if they remained 'champnio', whilst the loser gained a coveted 'Sustificate of Muppetry' if they did particularly poorly.
Sunday Love Songs, which Wright presents on his own, on Sunday mornings between 9 and 11, features a number of standard items including Contact, I Just Met, Getting Hitched and Chocolate and Flowers. The selection of music played usually has a romantic feel. Wright occasionally features dedications and requests for partners in same-sex relationships.
. It means "Love the show". Other Radio 2 presenters have parodied it: Terry Wogan
bemoans the lack of such encouragement in his correspondence, occasionally reading listeners' letters which say "Love Steve Wright's show", while listeners of Chris Evans once added "Love the snow
" to messages. During a stint sitting in for Wright, Mark Radcliffe
jokingly told off listeners who started messages by saying how much they loved the show, supposedly screwing up their letters. Overnight presenter Alex Lester
's listeners now end their correspondence with "Love the shoe". Listeners to Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo's film reviews on Radio Five Live frequently end their correspondence with "Love the show, Steve".
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
radio presenter. He presents the afternoon show on BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
. He rose to prominence in the early 1980s while working with Peter Dickson on BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
.
Early career
The son of a company director, Wright was educated at EastwoodEastwood, Essex
Eastwood is a town four miles west of Southend-on-Sea in Essex, England. It is a suburb of Southend and part of the Southend-on-Sea unitary district. Eastwood is sometimes called Eastwood Park, such as for local elections....
High School, near Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea
Southend-on-Sea is a unitary authority area, town, and seaside resort in Essex, England. The district has Borough status, and comprises the towns of Chalkwell, Eastwood, Leigh-on-Sea, North Shoebury, Prittlewell, Shoeburyness, Southchurch, Thorpe Bay, and Westcliff-on-Sea. The district is situated...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. In the early 1970s he worked behind the scenes at Radio 2, as a Gramophone Librarian. He started broadcasting in 1976 at Thames Valley Radio Radio 210 in Reading
Reading, Berkshire
Reading is a large town and unitary authority area in England. It is located in the Thames Valley at the confluence of the River Thames and River Kennet, and on both the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway, some west of London....
, Berkshire
Berkshire
Berkshire is a historic county in the South of England. It is also often referred to as the Royal County of Berkshire because of the presence of the royal residence of Windsor Castle in the county; this usage, which dates to the 19th century at least, was recognised by the Queen in 1957, and...
alongside Mike Read
Mike Read
Michael David Kenneth Read is an English radio disc jockey, writer, journalist and television presenter.-Early life:...
. In 1979 he joined Radio Luxembourg
Radio Luxembourg (English)
Radio Luxembourg is a commercial broadcaster in many languages from the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. It is nowadays known in most non-English languages as RTL ....
, and then BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
in 1980, presenting a Saturday evening show, then Saturday morning before moving to Steve Wright in the Afternoon from 1981.
In 1984, Wright took over a Sunday morning show entitled Steve Wright on Sunday, which meant he presented weekday afternoons Mondays–Thursdays only, with Mark Page and Paul Jordan
Paul Jordan
Paul Jordan may refer to:*Paul Jordan , Polish-American artist*Paul T. Jordan , U.S. politician*Paul Jordan...
presenting Friday afternoon's show. In 1986 his Sunday morning show ended and he returned to five afternoons a week.
Steve Wright in the Afternoon on BBC Radio 1
The show became known in its Radio 1 incarnation for its cast of telephone characters created and performed by Gavin McCoy, Peter Dickson, Richard EasterRichard Easter
Richard Easter is a British writer who has written scripts for many mainstream TV shows, including Top of the Pops 2, You've Been Framed, EastEnders, Coronation Street and Who Wants to be a Millionaire?...
and Phil Cornwell
Phil Cornwell
Phil Cornwell is an English comedian, actor, impressionist and writer. He is probably best known as being part of the Dead Ringers television and radio series...
. The show went out of its way to be irreverent, including stories taken from the Weekly World News
Weekly World News
The Weekly World News was a supermarket tabloid published in the United States from 1979 to 2007, renowned for its outlandish cover stories often based on supernatural or paranormal themes and an approach to news that verged on the satirical. Its characteristic black-and-white covers have become...
. The success led to a hit single, "I'll Be Back", released under the name "Arnee
Arnold Schwarzenegger
Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger is an Austrian-American former professional bodybuilder, actor, businessman, investor, and politician. Schwarzenegger served as the 38th Governor of California from 2003 until 2011....
& The Terminators". In later years the style changed, dumping most of the characters and instead having a "zoo
Morning zoo
Morning zoo is a format of morning radio show common to English-language radio broadcasting. The name is derived from the "wackiness and zaniness" of the activities, bits, and overall personality of the show and its hosts...
" format, with spoof guests and comedy sketches. A "posse" of producers and radio staff joined in. This format was new to British radio and marked the beginning of the marginalisation (and eventual departure) of several established Radio 1 DJs over the years that followed.
Characters and sketches
Characters and sketches created for the show included:- Mr Angry (from Purley): usually ranting down the phone line, ending with "...it makes me so angry... I could throw the phone down!" followed by the receiver crashing down.
- Diamond GeezerGeezerGeezer is a term for a man. It can carry either the connotation of age and eccentricity or, in the UK, that of self-education such as craftiness or stylishness.Geezer may also refer to:* Geezer Butler, the founding bassist for Black Sabbath...
: supposed DJ/mixer, and voice for the track "Mr Spoons" (David Spurr) - The "Down-the-Pan" Daleks: two 'retired' Daleks in improbable domestic situations
- 'Easy Life'
- Dr Fish-Filleter: source of much innuendoInnuendoAn innuendo is a baseless invention of thoughts or ideas. It can also be a remark or question, typically disparaging , that works obliquely by allusion...
about fishy fingers, etc. Had his own 'jingle' sung by Steve and his Posse when the interview had ended ("Fillet of Fish, Fillet of Fish. O' Give me Fish to Fillet!"). - Edward the Garrulous Fencing Champion: his catchphrase is "I epee you"
- Mr Food ("...and that's before my tea!")
- Gervais the Hairdresser ("Keep your tongue out!")
- Useless Weather Girl: a parody of the brand of 'bimbo'-esque weather girls seen on British television in the late-1980s. She does'nt know much about meteorology.
- Maggot - an odd character with a high pitched voice.
- 'Mick and Keef': not the real Mick JaggerMick JaggerSir Michael Philip "Mick" Jagger is an English musician, singer and songwriter, best known as the lead vocalist and a founding member of The Rolling Stones....
and Keith RichardsKeith RichardsKeith Richards is an English musician, songwriter, and founding member of the Rolling Stones. Rolling Stone magazine said Richards had created "rock's greatest single body of riffs", and placed him as the "10th greatest guitarist of all time." Fourteen songs written by Richards and songwriting...
, but impersonations (played by Phil CornwellPhil CornwellPhil Cornwell is an English comedian, actor, impressionist and writer. He is probably best known as being part of the Dead Ringers television and radio series...
, who later did the characters in Stella StreetStella StreetStella Street is a British television comedy programme, originally screened on BBC Two between 1997 and 2001. It focuses on the antics of a group of British and American celebrities who all happen to live on Stella Street in Surbiton ....
). Bill Wyman also made occasional appearances. - David Bowie: again, not the real David BowieDavid BowieDavid Bowie is an English musician, actor, record producer and arranger. A major figure for over four decades in the world of popular music, Bowie is widely regarded as an innovator, particularly for his work in the 1970s...
but an impersonation; "Bowie" frequently asked "tell us what the time is" (adjusted slightly at Christmas to "tell us what the Christmas time is"). - Linda Lust: her catchphrase is "Spatula" in a sultry, sensual voice.
- Llama Man: Spoof signature tune: "Llama man, Llama man, does everything a llama can. He can bleat! He can trot! He's got everything a llama's got."
- Motorcycle Courier - who left his motorbike running and would scream "SIGN 'ERE PLEASE!" from his motorcycle helmet regardless of what was asked of him.
- Mr Mad: , would phone in, refer to Steve as "Pal" and would ask "Guess where I'm livin' today?" then proceed to name improbable locations (like inside the mace of the House of Commons or inside Paul McCartney's guitar). Then would end the call withvocal whistles and beeps and his catchphrases were "Ravin' mad, pal!" and "Check up from the neck up".
- Mr Paranoid
- The Parking Man - constantly shouting two instructions 'You're Alright, You're Alright' and 'Left Hand Down' to someone trying to reverse their van into a parking space outside the 'window' of the studio. Would sometimes end in a calamitous crashing followed by silence and then 'You're Alright!'
- The Car Cleaner - would phone, but would be impossible to understand anything he (Wright) was saying as he would be cleaning his car. The noise of the vacuum would drown out the majority of the conversation, leaving only innuendo-based snippets.
- Pretentious Music Journalist: supposedly based on a number of 1980s rock/pop reviewers (perhaps especially Simon ReynoldsSimon ReynoldsSimon Reynolds is an English music critic who is well-known for his writings on electronic dance music and for coining the term "post-rock". Besides electronic dance music, Reynolds has written about a wide range of artists and musical genres, and has written books on post-punk and rock...
, David StubbsDavid StubbsDavid Stubbs is a British journalist. He was born on 13 September 1962 in London, but grew up in Leeds. As a student at Oxford University he was a close friend of Simon Reynolds; together they worked on an influential fanzine called Monitor before joining Melody Maker in 1986...
and Paul Oldfield of Melody MakerMelody MakerMelody Maker, published in the United Kingdom, was, according to its publisher IPC Media, the world's oldest weekly music newspaper. It was founded in 1926 as a magazine targeted at musicians; in 2000 it was merged into "long-standing rival" New Musical Express.-1950s–1960s:Originally the Melody...
), he reads a little too much into a band's songs with over-complex and artistically pretentious monologues where a simple explanation would suffice, e.g., "They generate a sonic cathedral of sound" means "loud". - Sid the Manager: supposedly Steve Wright's agent, a genial but often confused dufferDufferDuffer may refer to:* Duffer , invisible dwarves in the Chronicles of Narnia* "Duffer", in Australian English, a person occupied in cattle raiding* Glossary of chess#D#Duffer, a weak player in the game of chessIn biology:...
- Voiceover Man - converses with Steve and 'the posse' about everyday events in then style of an MFI/DFS television advert voiceover.
- The Perv: heard tapping at the window calling "Yoohoo! Hello Stevie! I'm in the corridor..." and describing his startling attire.
- Damien the Social Worker
- Ruth McCrum from Northern Ireland who told Wright "you've got the perfect face for Radio"
- Fred Crosswell, the cinema manager
- The Geese, out-of-control Canada geese loose in the studio; "can we get the geese out of here please".
- John Bowl, based on the journalist John Cole, who would often lose his temper with Steve, addressing him as a "dough head", and would also always say "Listen, young man, I'll have a little bit less of your lip".
- Boutros Boutros Boutros Boutros, a stuntman who attempted remarkable feats with a staggering lack of success.
- Malcolm from the Arts Council, a well spoken Arts Council official, who would address Wright as "Stephen" and threaten to pull the show's funding when the DJ teased him.
- Mr Contestant, a hopeless call-in quiz-show contestant who would always blow the final part of the answer under time pressure and end with the same nonsensical answer, like "Name the 4 Mutant Ninja Turtles"... "Donatello... Michelangelo... Rafael and, erm, ahhhh" "Got to hurry you" "...eerrmmm, ohhhhhh Hartley Hare!"
- Dave Double Decks. An over-enthusiastic local radio DJ "Haha, yess indeeedy !" was his catchphrase
The Breakfast Show and beyond
Wright and his Posse moved to the breakfast show in 1994. He also presented a BBC TV series, The Steve Wright People Show, from 1994-95. He resigned from the Breakfast Show in 1995 due to differences with the BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation which also broadcasts internationally, specialising in current popular music and chart hits throughout the day. Radio 1 provides alternative genres after 7:00pm including electronic dance, hip hop, rock...
management after the station was restructured by new controller Matthew Bannister
Matthew Bannister
Richard Matthew Bannister is a British media executive and broadcaster. After attending King Edward VII School , he graduated in law at the University of Nottingham in 1978, and joined BBC Radio Nottingham as a trainee reporter and subsequently the presenter of its speech-based breakfast show,...
, which led to many of the more established DJs leaving, or being sacked, around this time. He was picked up by the new commercial station Talk Radio
TalkSPORT
Talksport , owned by UTV radio, is one of the United Kingdom's three terrestrial analogue Independent National Radio broadcasters, offering a sports and talk radio service broadcast from London to the United Kingdom....
, where he presented a Saturday morning show & also presented a syndicated show on Sunday mornings on various commercial stations in the UK.
He returned to the BBC in 1996, when he joined BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
, presenting Steve Wright's Saturday Show on Saturdays 10 am-1 pm and Steve Wright's Sunday Love Songs on Sundays 9–11 am. In 1999, Steve took over Radio 2's weekday afternoon show (from Ed Stewart
Ed Stewart
Ed Stewart is a radio broadcaster from England. His real name is Edward Mainwaring but he is known by the nickname Ed Stewpot Stewart.-Early life and career:...
) and he was also the voice of and writer for the retro pop show on BBC television, Top of the Pops 2
TOTP2
Top of the Pops 2 is a British television music show broadcast on BBC Two, showing archive footage from the long-running Top of the Pops show, some dating back to the 1960s when the programme first aired on British television....
between 1997 and 2009. The last episode of TOTP2 he presented was the Michael Jackson special broadcast on 27 June 2009, Mark Radcliffe presented the next episode which was the 2009 Christmas special broadcast on 23 December 2009.
Current work
Wright can currently be heard on BBC Radio 2BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 2 is one of the BBC's national radio stations and the most popular station in the United Kingdom. Much of its daytime playlist-based programming is best described as Adult Contemporary or AOR, although the station is also noted for its specialist broadcasting of other musical genres...
weekday afternoons in Steve Wright in the Afternoon
Steve Wright In The Afternoon
Steve Wright in the Afternoon is the name of the current afternoon show on BBC Radio 2, hosted by Steve Wright. The show is one of the most popular on the station, and is often referred to as The Big Show...
from 2 pm until 5 pm, and on Sunday mornings 9–11 am presenting Sunday Love Songs. He presents the former with several sidekicks; Tim Smith
Tim Smith (DJ)
Tim Smith is an English broadcaster and radio personality in the U.K. He started out on university radio whilst studying in York. In 1984 he worked for several stations including BBC Radio York and BBC Radio Shropshire...
and Janey Lee Grace
Janey Lee Grace
Janey Lee Grace, is a British based singer , author, television presenter and radio disc jockey, firstly with Virgin Radio as a travel reporter and then graduating to her own late night show for the station.- Career :She began her career singing backing...
(both radio DJs in their own right, and often heard as solo holiday relief presenters on Radio 2), plus traffic reporter Sally Boazman
Sally Boazman
Sally Boazman, known to many of her listeners as "Sally Traffic", is a British radio traffic reporter, best known for her work in the afternoons on the national BBC Radio 2, with more than eight million listeners. Her reporting "revolutionised" United Kingdom traffic news with the addition of live...
(who Wright calls 'Sally Traffic') and "The Old Woman", whose identity has never been revealed, though it is apparent that she is genuinely a senior citizen and not a younger actress (despite her vocal similarity to the late Wendy Richard
Wendy Richard
Wendy Richard, MBE was an English actress best known for playing Miss Brahms in Are You Being Served? and Pauline Fowler in EastEnders...
). It has been rumoured that she is actress Edna Doré
Edna Doré
Edna Doré is a British actress. Doré is one of Britain's best known senior citizen actresses. She is known for her bit-part roles in situation comedies and for playing the character of Mo Butcher in the BBC soap opera EastEnders .- Career :She began her career as a chorus girl in ENSA, then spent...
. During the 14 May 2007 edition of Steve Wright in the Afternoon, guest Shane Ritchie referred to Old Woman as Nana Moon: a character from the soap
Soap opera
A soap opera, sometimes called "soap" for short, is an ongoing, episodic work of dramatic fiction presented in serial format on radio or as television programming. The name soap opera stems from the original dramatic serials broadcast on radio that had soap manufacturers, such as Procter & Gamble,...
EastEnders
EastEnders
EastEnders is a British television soap opera, first broadcast in the United Kingdom on BBC One on 19 February 1985 and continuing to today. EastEnders storylines examine the domestic and professional lives of the people who live and work in the fictional London Borough of Walford in the East End...
played by Hilda Braid
Hilda Braid
Hilda Braid was an English actress who had a long career on British television and became well known in her later years for playing Victoria "Nana" Moon in the BBC One soap opera EastEnders....
. The Old Woman was mistakenly described in this article as having appeared on Channel 4's Paul O'Grady Show, credited as "Joyce from Dagenham"; in fact, Joyce from Dagenham was a caterer at Channel 4 whereas the Old Woman's showbusiness career had been launched years before the O'Grady Show began in 2006.
Wright allegedly earns an annual salary of £440,000 for his work on Radio 2.
Current afternoon show features include:
- "Ask Elvis": an Elvis impersonatorElvis impersonatorAn Elvis impersonator is someone who impersonates or copies famed American musician Elvis Presley. Professional Elvis impersonators can work all over the world as entertainers, and such tribute acts are in great demand due to the unique iconic status of Elvis...
(comedian Mitch BennMitch BennMitch Benn is a British musician and stand-up comedian known for his humorous songs performed on BBC radio. He is a regular contributor to BBC Radio 4's satirical programme The Now Show, and has hosted other radio shows.Benn has performed at several music festivals, and at the Edinburgh Festival...
) answers questions from listeners, particularly those of a scientific or technical nature. - Celebrity interviews (usually two in each programme - at 3.30-3.45pm and 4.30-4.45pm)
- 'Factoids' (sic) These are diverse nuggets of (not always reliable) information. (N.B. This is a misuse of the term. A factoid is not a snippet of information but an item of unreliable information that is repeated so often that it becomes accepted as fact).
A popular feature that disappeared in the summer of 2007 with the start of the BBC investigation into 'rigged' contests (although there was no suggestion of Steve's show being involved) was "The Big Quiz", a general knowledge quiz in which a challenger took on the current champion (referred to as the 'champnio' or 'champine') in order to win prizes. Each contestant had a time limit to answer questions, then the round ended following the first incorrect answer from that contestant. Winners were given a selection of prizes, building up if they remained 'champnio', whilst the loser gained a coveted 'Sustificate of Muppetry' if they did particularly poorly.
Sunday Love Songs, which Wright presents on his own, on Sunday mornings between 9 and 11, features a number of standard items including Contact, I Just Met, Getting Hitched and Chocolate and Flowers. The selection of music played usually has a romantic feel. Wright occasionally features dedications and requests for partners in same-sex relationships.
"Love the show"
A feature of Wright's radio shows are letters from listeners. Almost all feature the phrase "Love the show". It is not clear whether listeners include it to ensure Wright will read the letters or if he adds it himself. Wright's initials have been adapted into "SWs to you", an abbreviation used by correspondents of fellow Radio 2 presenter Sarah KennedySarah Kennedy
Sarah Mary Kennedy MBE is a British TV and radio broadcaster. She presented her own daily early morning radio show, The Dawn Patrol, on BBC Radio 2 from 1993, before announcing her decision to leave the show on 3 September, 2010.Kennedy was honoured in the Queen's Birthday Honours in 2005, when...
. It means "Love the show". Other Radio 2 presenters have parodied it: Terry Wogan
Terry Wogan
Sir Michael Terence Wogan, KBE, DL , or also known as Terry Wogan, is a veteran Irish radio and television broadcaster who holds dual Irish and British citizenship. Wogan has worked for the BBC in the United Kingdom for most of his career...
bemoans the lack of such encouragement in his correspondence, occasionally reading listeners' letters which say "Love Steve Wright's show", while listeners of Chris Evans once added "Love the snow
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
" to messages. During a stint sitting in for Wright, Mark Radcliffe
Mark Radcliffe
Mark Radcliffe is an English broadcaster who has worked in various roles for the BBC since the 1980s and remains one of Britain's most recognised DJs. He is currently a presenter on BBC Radio 2 and BBC 6 Music, where he hosts an afternoon show five times a week alongside Stuart Maconie, called...
jokingly told off listeners who started messages by saying how much they loved the show, supposedly screwing up their letters. Overnight presenter Alex Lester
Alex Lester
Alex Lester is a British broadcaster. He presents the weekday overnight/early-morning programme on BBC Radio 2...
's listeners now end their correspondence with "Love the shoe". Listeners to Mark Kermode and Simon Mayo's film reviews on Radio Five Live frequently end their correspondence with "Love the show, Steve".