DJ Steve Wright’s cause of death has been confirmed by the death certificate

Radio 2 DJ Steve Wright died of a ruptured stomach ulcer, according to his death certificate. Veteran BBC broadcaster Wright, one of the most recognizable voices on UK airwaves, died aged 69 in February.

The causes of death were acute peritonitis and a perforated gastric ulcer, according to the certificate obtained by the BBC. Peritonitis is an infection of the stomach lining, according to the NHS.

A perforated ulcer is a rarer complication when the lining of the stomach breaks open. The Metropolitan Police previously said Wright’s death in a flat in the Marylebone area of ​​central London “was unexpected but is not being treated as suspicious”.

Wright first joined BBC Radio 1 in 1980 to host a Saturday night show and has held various positions including an afternoon show and a breakfast show at the station. He had a spell in commercial radio before returning to BBC Radio 2 in 1996 to host Steve Wright’s Saturday Show and Sunday Love Songs and three years later presenting Steve Wright In The Afternoon every weekday on Radio 2.

Wright resigned in September 2022, replaced by Scott Mills in a program shake-up, but Wright continued to present Sunday Love Songs on BBC Radio 2. Since then, Michael Ball has replaced Wright as host of a Sunday love songs show love, which was retitled Love Songs with Michael Ball.

It was previously confirmed that no inquest would be held into Wright’s death. Westminster Coroner’s Court said in a statement in May: “There will be no need for an inquest into Mr Wright.

“The Coroner has now discontinued this case.”

Wright was made an MBE in the 2024 New Year Honors for services to radio.

Police and paramedics had been called to a flat in the Marylebone area of ​​central London. At the time, a spokesman for the Metropolitan Police told the PA news agency: “A man in his 60s was pronounced dead at the scene. His next of kin have been informed.

“The death was unexpected but is not being treated as suspicious. A report will be drawn up for the coroner.”

A spokesman for the London Ambulance Service said paramedics were called to the address following “reports of an incident”.

The spokesman added: “We have sent a number of resources to the scene. Very sadly, one person was pronounced dead at the scene.”

Wright’s colleagues hailed the veteran broadcaster as “one of the greatest exponents of the art of radio” following news of his death. The radio DJ, best known for presenting Steve Wright In The Afternoon, was a fixture on BBC Radio 1 and then Radio 2 for more than four decades, attracting millions of listeners.

Appearing on ITV’s This Morning, radio presenter Paul Gambaccini recalled how Wright would come into the studio hours before the show to make sure he was ready. He said: “He knew what he was going to do (and) when and then the greats like Noel (Edmonds) and Chris Evans shone.

“They made it sound like it was off the cuff, but it was very well planned. And Steve stayed after that, that was his life. He gave us his life for 44 years, five days a week and then six with Love Songs.”