Elton John says Steve Wright helped him get first solo UK number one single

Sir Elton John has revealed late radio DJ Steve Wright helped him get his first solo UK number one single, during a special tribute show.

The Rocket Man singer, 78, said Wright, who died in February last year aged 69, had campaigned for Sacrifice to be the A-side of his single Healing Hands, during a BBC Radio 2 special called Steve Wright – A Celebration.

Sir Elton said: “I had a single from an album called Sleeping With The Past, and the A-side was Healing Hands and the B-side was Sacrifice, and Steve couldn’t believe Sacrifice was not the A-side, it was the B-side.

“So in the end he campaigned, and the record company went with it, to flip it over, and Sacrifice became the single, the A-side, and it was my first solo number one record in England.

“I’d had one with Kiki Dee in Don’t Go Breaking My Heart, but this was the first one for me, and he supported me all throughout my career.

“He had such a knowledge of music and a love of music, like Johnnie Walker too, it was, for me, a terrible loss for radio. Johnnie Walker (who died in December last year) was exactly the same.”

Take That singer Gary Barlow was also among the stars paying tribute on the show, and said Wright “became more important to us (Take That) over time” and he would “be looking forward all day to going in and seeing him”.

He added: “I can probably count on one hand the people that were there, the real, true supporters, the people who stuck by us across the years, and gave me that chance at the beginning where everybody’s trying to become successful, everybody’s trying to get noticed.

“I really can list maybe five names, and Steve’s is right up there at the top. He was always a big supporter of what we were trying to do, he saw it.”

The programme was recorded at the BBC Radio Theatre in London on April 28, where host Vernon Kay was joined by stars including singer Jessie J and comedian Jack Dee.

Speaking about Wright, Jessie J, whose real name is Jessica Cornish, said: “He celebrated me through many roles I’ve played in my life, and the musician being the one that he championed the most, and how he celebrated my voice and cared so much, just his attention to detail, that was my favourite thing.”

The show included performances from Joan Armatrading and Michael Kiwanuka.

Wright joined BBC Radio 1 in 1980 to host a Saturday evening show and held various positions including an afternoon show and a breakfast show.

He 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, and three years later presented Steve Wright In The Afternoon every weekday on Radio 2.

After stepping down in September 2022, replaced by Scott Mills in a schedule shake-up, Wright continued to present Sunday Love Songs on BBC Radio 2.

Michael Ball has replaced Wright as the host of a Sunday love songs show, retitled Love Songs With Michael Ball.

Steve Wright – A Celebration, which was released just before what would have been the DJ’s 71st birthday on Tuesday, is available to stream on BBC Sounds.