Steve Wright In The Afternoon, The Big Show, Radio 2 Years, 1999 – 2022
After a falling out with BBC Radio 1 controller Mathew Bannister Steve Wright left the station for pastures new.
He returned to the BBC in 1996 presenting a Saturday morning show before returning in 1999 to his famous afternoon slot.
The show gained a huge following that continued until; on 1st July 2022, Wright announced on air that the show would end in September 2022, as Radio 2 boss Helen Thomas “wanted to do something different in the afternoons”. The final show was broadcast on 30th September 2022, almost certainly one of the BBC’s biggest mistakes.
Summary
Steve Wright In The Afternoon continued it’s zoo format with co-hosts, slightly less zany characters, Alan Bennett (voiced by Jon Culshaw) was one and then alongside big name interviews there was presenting by the hugely popular Old Woman, comedy from Ask Elvis and Barry from Watford.
Between 1999 and 2008 there was a feature slot called Website of the Week, where Miles Mendoza would present the latest novel website he had discovered.
Clips
Presenters
Steve Wright
Tim Smith
Janey Lee Grace
Old Woman
Details
Channel: BBC Radio 2
Originally Transmitted: 5th July 1999 – 30th September 2022