The cause of death for beloved BBC Radio 2 DJ Steve Wright has been revealed.
According to his death certificate, Wright died from a ruptured stomach ulcer.
The veteran broadcaster, who was one of the most familiar voices on British airwaves for over four decades, died suddenly aged 69 in February.
His longtime employer, the BBC, confirmed the news on Tuesday, revealing that the stated causes of death were acute peritonitis and a perforated peptic gastric ulcer.
Peritonitis is an infection of the lining of the abdomen and can become life threatening if left untreated, according to the NHS.
A perforated ulcer is a rarer complication when the lining of the stomach splits open.
Wright’s death had been registered by a family member at the Westminster Register Office on July 3.
He died at home in his Marylebone flat on February 12.
Emergency services sped to Wright’s home in central London around 10am, but he was found dead at the scene.
Police said at the time that his death ‘was unexpected, but is not being treated as suspicious’.
It was confirmed in May that his death would not be investigated by the coroner, who is tasked with investigating sudden, violent or unnatural deaths.
What is peritonitis and how does it kill?
DJ Steve Wright died from acute peritonitis and a perforated gastric peptic ulcer, according to his death certificate.
What is a peptic ulcer?
Peptic ulcers are sores that develop on the inside lining of the stomach or upper portion of the small intestine.
If they occur on the inside of the stomach, they are known as gastric ulcers.
The most common causes of peptic ulcers are infection with the bacteria Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) and long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), which are widely used to relieve pain or reduce inflammation.
Stomach ulcers can affect anyone but are more common in people aged 60 or over. Men are more affected than women.
What are the symptoms?
Some people with these ulcers experience no symptoms, while others suffer burning stomach pain, a feeling of fullness or bloating, burping, heartburn and nausea.
A rare complication of stomach ulcers is when the lining of the stomach splits open, known as perforation.
Contact your GP or call 111 immediately if:
- you are passing dark, sticky, tar-like stools
- you have a sudden, sharp pain in your tummy that gets steadily worse
Go to your nearest A&E or call 999 if:
- you are vomiting blood – the blood can appear bright red or have a dark brown, grainy appearance, similar to coffee grounds
What is peritonitis?
Peritonitis is an infection of the lining of the abdomen. It can occur if an ulcer perforates.
This can be very dangerous because the perforation enables bacteria in the stomach to escape, where it then infects the lining of the abdomen.
Symptoms of peritonitis include pain in the stomach, a very high temperature, rapid heartbeat and being unable to pee or peeing much less than normal.
You might also have a lack of appetite and feel or be sick, and/or a swollen tummy.
Can peritonitis be treated?
Peritonitis can range from mild to severe but it is usually always regarded as a medical emergency owing to the fact it is often caused by infection.
If the infection is not treated quickly, it can spread around the body and become life-threatening.
Treatment usually involves intravenous antibiotics for any bacterial infection, plus medication for pain.
Depending on the source of infection, people may also need surgery to remove infected organs or tissue.
The radio DJ began his broadcasting career back in 1976 at local station Reading 210 before joining BBC Radio 1 in 1980 to host a Saturday evening show.
He held various positions including an afternoon show and a breakfast show at the station before launching Steve Wright in the Afternoon on Radio 1 in the early 1980s.
Wright then had a stint at commercial radio before returning to BBC Radio 2 in 1996 to host Steve Wright’s Saturday Show and Sunday Love Songs. Three years later he re-started Steve Wright in the Afternoon every weekday on Radio 2.
The popular DJ had stepped down in September 2022 and was replaced by Scott Mills in a schedule shake-up, but he continued to present Sunday Love Songs on BBC Radio 2 as well as a series of specials and podcasts.
Celebrity PR Gary Farrow, who had been friends with Wright for 40 years, suggested the radio star had died from a ‘broken heart’ when Mills replaced him after 23 years on air with the show.
He told Metro.co.uk: ‘Steve lived for that show, he absolutely loved it – and the listeners loved him.
‘My view is that he died from a broken heart. I’ll never understand the decision to let him go.’
However, his brother Lawrence Wright denied this, claiming the legend was ‘thankful’ for the rest and said poor diet was to blame for his death.
His colleagues had reportedly been aware of his ill health, but his death still came as a huge shock.
Wright had presented his final Sunday Love Songs on February 11, just a day before his sudden death.
Michael Ball has since been announced as the host of a Sunday love songs show, which has been retitled Love Songs With Michael Ball.
Wright was made an MBE in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to radio.
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