Jo Whiley has opened up about the late Steve Wright’s behind-the-scenes kindness, which only came to light following the Radio 2 star’s passing. Whiley had always felt she shared a unique bond with her colleague and friend, the broadcasting icon who died at the age of 69 in February.
Wright was known for his generosity, often taking time out to share his extensive radio wisdom, regularly dropping by to discuss Whiley’s show and offer guidance. However, since his passing, Jo has discovered that the altruistic Steve also extended his support to other Radio 2 personalities like Vernon Kay and Zoe Ball.
Reflecting on the impact he had, Whiley said: “I don’t think any of us realise but he was like it with all of us,” adding, “What an amazing man to give so much of himself and his radio knowledge to us. Losing Steve was horrendous. It knocked us all for six because we always felt like he was going to be there. He was a bit like the father figure because he gave us so much advice, he was so caring and nurturing.”
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As Steve was considered the paternal figure of the station, Jo is now coming to terms with her evolving role within the Radio 2 family which will soon include Paddy McGuinness. She remarked: “I used to feel like the young sister but now maybe I’m the big sister. Maybe along with Zoe, Sara Cox and Liza Tarbuck we get to be the best big sisters to our naughty younger brothers, Rylan (Clark) and Scott (Mills)! “.
(Image: Mirrorpix)
At 58, Jo views her age as a badge of honour, stating: “There is no shame in being older that should be celebrated. You’ve got a fair amount of wisdom. There are so many amazing women who are my age and older in the music industry, such as Patti Smith and Courtney Love.”, reports the Mirror.
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Despite this, Jo admits that her outward confidence masks inner fears. She shares: “I will always be at my happiest in my life whenever I am in the studio in front of a mic. Steve Lamacq and I used to say we were so terrified of setting foot onto a stage because all we ever wanted to do was to sit in a darkened room with cider and Doc Martens and speak into a microphone about bands that we really loved. Going on stage, everyone thinks I am very confident, but my knees can be literally knocking. All that’s running through my head is I’m going to walk out there and I won’t know what to say.”
Jo credits her fashion sense and learning from her idols for boosting her self-assurance. The mother-of-two reveals: “I have learned an awful lot from people who work in fashion, stylists who have helped me along the way. I take all the advice and learn. Now I put on the clothes, and it’s like armour. You become somebody and that gives you the confidence to walk out there.”
Jo is currently collaborating with National Rail to highlight Britain’s unique musical heritage. She has developed audio guides that can be downloaded and enjoyed during train journeys.
She shares: “If you pass through Widnes, you’ll hear me talking about Paul Simon and how he wrote Homeward Bound on the platform of the station when he was going back to London to see his girlfriend. Very romantic! Or the Queen video for Breakthrough which was filmed on the platform at Peterborough station. Nuggets like that remind us how much musical history there is”.
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