Coroner issues update on Steve Wright's 'unexpected' death three months after tragic news

An inquest will not be held for Steve Wright's death, a coroner’s court has said in a new update. The BBC Radio 2 host died aged 69 back in February, which sparked an outpour of tributes from many of his fans and co-stars.

West Minster Coroner’s Court has now said that an inquest would not be required. They simply shared: "The coroner has now discontinued this case." Coroners are responsible for investigating violent, unnatural, sudden deaths where the cause is unknown or where the person died while in custody or otherwise in state detention.

The Metropolitan Police previously said Steve's death was "unexpected, but is not being treated as suspicious" after he was found dead at his flat in Marylebone, London.

Emergency services are said to have rushed to his home around 10am on February 12, but he was found dead at the scene. A London ambulance spokesperson said at the time: "We were called at 10.07am on Monday 12 February to reports of an incident.

"We sent a number of resources to the scene. Very sadly, a person was pronounced dead at the scene."

Steve fronted a number of programmes for BBC Radio 1 and Radio 2 for more than four decades after joining the corporation in the 1970s.

He was last heard on the airwaves in a pre-recorded special Valentine's Day edition of his Love Songs programme.

In 2022, the broadcaster was replaced by Scott Mills on his afternoon Radio 2 slot, but he continued to present Sunday Love Songs on the station.

Following his death, celebrity publicist Gary Farrow told The Sun: "Steve lived for that show, he absolutely loved it - and the listeners loved him. My view is that he died from a broken heart."

Steve's brother Lawrence Wright however dismissed these claims and insisted it was his lifestyle choices and diet that contributed to his death.

He told Mail Online: "He was aware that he could have looked after himself better, in his lifestyle choices. Obviously we all wish he had."

Lawrence went on to say that his brother "doesn’t look after [himself] when it came to diet, nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress" and added that even if he "had something wrong with him, he wouldn’t talk about it."

According to Steve's friend Mark Wells, the presenter underwent heart surgery just over a year ago and had been "more ill than he had been letting on".

"The recovery from that had gone pretty well though obviously the events of the last couple of days would suggest that's what in the end came for him," he shared on the Behind The Scenes with Colin Edmonds podcast.

BBC Director General Tim Davie led tributes following the sad news, writing in a statement: "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."