The death of Steve Wright is a tragedy. British radio would not be the same without him.

Some TV and radio presenters are show-offs, inviting us to revel in their wit and glamour. Others are different – they take a back seat and instead put their audience at the centre.

BBC radio hero Steve Wright, who has died aged 69, was clearly in the latter group. Wright's afternoon show, which he hosted on Radio 1 and 2 for 36 years, was popular with listeners who felt as if they were friends with their presenter.

Wright's colleagues also adored him, as their effusive tributes today showed, and guests looked forward to appearing on his shows – because the host was genuinely interested in the books, films and television shows they discussed.

Wright is considered the inventor of the 'zoo' radio format in Britain – he was the master of jingles, 'factoids' and characters like Mr Angry. Morrissey and The Smiths didn't like it – they wrote Panic after hearing Wright play a happy song shortly after a discussion about Chernobyl – but many of us liked it.

Although his work might seem frivolous and frivolous, Wright was obsessed. In the days before digital radio, he would go on holiday to the USA to sit in his hotel room and listen to the stations of his US competitors.

Wright was born in Greenwich and was a Londoner. During his youth his father ran Burton's in Trafalgar Square. He later moved to a flat near BBC Broadcasting House to be close to his studio.

Little is known about his private life. Wright said he didn't have much time for romance after his divorce in 1999, as he spent all his time working. He is believed to have been one of the BBC's few quiet Tories, although he kept politics out of his broadcasts.

It seems particularly appropriate to honour him on Valentine's Day, as perhaps Wright's most important work was his Sunday Love Songs, an unabashed two-hour sentimental kitschfest in which listeners from across Britain sent loving tributes to their partners and friends, which were then read out on the radio.

People celebrated engagements, wedding anniversaries, and the other ups and downs of life with their letters to his show, and it was a sign of their feelings for Wright that they trusted him to read them. I love the show, Steve.