Steve Wright's BBC Radio 2 replacement confirmed as Escape to the Country host
BBC Radio 2 has announced a new host for Sunday Love Songs after Steve Wright's death. It comes after Liza Tarbuck's tribute to the DJ last week.
Vernon Kay chokes up during tribute to Steve Wright
The BBC has shared some big news about Steve Wright's Sunday Love Songs and confirmed who would be replacing him. It comes after the popular BBC Radio 2 DJ died at the age of 69.
Now, they've picked BBC Radio 2 star, Nicki Chapman, to host the show for a while. She'll be doing this until Easter, and then they'll decide who should do it permanently.
Last Sunday, Liza Tarbuck did a special show to remember Steve Wright. Starting this Sunday, Nicki will take over and will play songs that people ask for and talk about their lovely messages. Nicki, who feels very sad about Steve not being here anymore, said: "It will be a privilege to present Sunday Love Songs in the coming weeks, so please do tune in and keep me company as I share the listeners' favourite songs alongside their heart-warming stories and memories of loved ones."
Nicki, who became famous on Pop Idol and Escape to the Country, will be on the radio from 9-11am every Sunday from February 25 to March 31. She got very emotional last week when she was reading messages from people who were remembering Steve just after we found out he had died.
Nicki was helping out Zoe Ball that day and asked everyone to send in their special thoughts. One message was so touching that it made her cry.
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Nicki's voice wobbled as she read a message from a fan who had once been a guest presenter on Steve's show in 2016, thanks to a Children In Need competition.
She read: "It was around the time of my 50th birthday celebrations and it was all my birthdays and Christmases at once. In person, he was the kind, funny, humble and lovable person I had listened to...
Trying not to cry, Nicki paused before bravely continuing: "...over the airways all my life. I am heartbroken says Fran in Cumbria."
After a tribute song for Steve, the presenter admitted: "I said to myself I wasn't going to cry and I have done it once. The tears are there but hopefully they are not going to keep falling." Today we are looking at the great, great man himself."
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Earlier in the show, Nicki said: "It is so difficult to sum up what Steve meant to all of us. The devastatingly sad news has come as a complete shock."
"Everyone seems to have such fond memories of our Wrighty because that's how we viewed and that's how we listened to him. He was ours.
"He was our mate, talking to us in our kitchens as we made a brew, in our bedrooms, in the shower, in our cars, taxis, lorries, in our form rooms at school, in our gardens, at work - he was always in our hearts."