Steve Wright, who has died aged 69, helped to redefine the role of a disc jockey when he established his BBC Radio 1 afternoon show in the 1980s. To the usual formula of linking almost back-to-back music, he added gossip, trivia, guests from the world of entertainment such as Paul McCartney and Warren Beatty, and a general feeling of chaos that became known as the “zoo” format. It made him the most popular UK radio presenter of the era, with audiences of more than eight million.
“The show’s a little bit of everything you fancy,” he said. “I invented the format myself. It’s a tabloid newspaper of the airwaves – fast, fun and packed with info. Something for everyone.”
