Steve Wright was 'more ill than he let on' and had 'secret heart bypass' friend claims

Steve Wright underwent a heart bypass just months before his death, according to Mark Wells, the former controller of ITV Entertainment. The radio presenter was found dead at his London home on February 12 aged 69, with his sudden death leaving many fans and colleagues shocked and saddened.

Now, a friend of the BBC presenter has claimed he was "more ill than he let on" and had undergone private surgery. Speaking on Colin Edmonds' podcast Behind The Scenes, Mark shared: "Steve had a heart operation about 15 months ago. He had a bypass operation that had gone well… and I think he was more ill than he was letting on.

"The recovery had gone pretty well but the events of the last couple of days was probably what in the end came for him." Express.co.uk has contacted a representative for Steve for comment.

The cause of Steve's death is yet to be determined by the coroner, but a Metropolitan Police spokesperson told Express.co.uk it was "unexpected" and "not being treated as suspicious". Following the shock news, celebrity publicist Gary Farrow claimed that the presenter may have died "from a broken heart" after his show was axed.

Insisting this was not the case however, Steve's brother Laurence said the BBC veteran was "aware that he could've looked after himself better". He added to Mail Online: "It's like anyone who doesn't look after themselves over an extended period.

"The normal stuff - diet, nutrition, exercise, sleep, stress - he was a very stoic kind of guy as well so if he had something wrong with him and he had to go to have some treatment or go to the doctors, he wouldn't talk about it."

Laurence went on to say that his brother wouldn't have made a big thing of any health issues and would've taken care of it in private.

"That's just how he was - that probably didn't help really, because he wouldn't have help or take advice necessarily," he added.

Steve's son has also broken his silence about his death on social media, telling fans he will "cherish every moment and memory" that they made.

Tom Wright went on to say he had flew back to the UK from Los Angeles to take care of his dad and got to know him "in a way I never had in the months before he died".

He is one of two children from Steve and his ex-wife Cyndi Robinson who also died suddenly in 2020.

At the time, a coroner ruled her death as not suspicious but said there was not enough evidence to “establish the cause”.

On losing both his parents, Tom continued: "Thank the Gods I’m sober, as this would have straight up killed me even a couple years ago after losing Mum over the in the same way without getting to see him before he passed after flying back to take care of the old blighter."

Steve has been remembered by many of his co-stars since the sad news was announced this week.

Vanessa Feltz said: "Devastated. Steve was an incomparable broadcaster, friend, mentor and all round genius."

Rylan Clark added that the broadcaster was "amazing" and always made him feel welcome when he joined BBC Radio 2.

"He will be so missed, none more so than by Linda [his mum] who always reminded me that he was, is and always will be her favourite. RIP Steve. We will miss you so much," he continued.

Ken Bruce also wrote: "Totally shocked to hear the news about the great Steve Wright. We were planning lunch to celebrate the award of his richly deserved MBE. An outstanding and innovative broadcaster whose listeners loved him. What a loss to the world of radio."