Radio 2 DJ Joe Whyley has opened up about how the recent deaths of close friends, including BBC colleagues Steve Wright and Simon Willis, have caused him to reevaluate his lifestyle.
The 58-year-old veteran announcer revealed that he is cutting out sugar, drinking less alcohol, and increasing his exercise in order to maintain his health in preparation for his serious work.
Ms Whyley, who has been a constant voice on BBC broadcasts since 1993, admits she doesn't get enough sleep, but has made a series of lifestyle changes.
Tragically, it was the death of several close friends within a short period of time that triggered the deterioration of her health. “All the big players we used to hang out with have all passed away,” she told the Telegraph.
“So all the children of those who died are coming to our house, so we have to be the hosts of the party. It's a really depressing story, but that's the real truth. is.”
In 2021, BBC Radio 1 producer Mr Willis died from brain cancer, a second friend lost his life to coronavirus and a third friend died after a battle with cancer.
“They were people who used to go out together and do really fun things, and then all of a sudden you're like, 'Okay, what do we do?'” she added.
Ms Whyley said it had been extremely difficult to grieve her friends and her daily life had completely changed.
She talked about waiting for her friends to arrive on Friday night, adding: “And you're just waiting, looking at the door and thinking, 'Oh, he's not coming, no, he's dead, he's not coming anymore.'”
Whyley said she still misses her friends very much and is struggling to fill the “gaping hole” they left behind.
Another recent death was Radio 2 DJ colleague Steve Wright, who passed away last month aged 69. After his shocking death, she wrote: What a legend! This is the broadcast station of the broadcast station.
“One of the kindest, nicest people I've ever had the pleasure of working with. Thank you for your support and music chats over the years.
“I can’t believe we can’t meet in the depths of the music video for weekly status updates. I love Lighty.
Whyley believes her friend's death made her decide to take care of herself as well.
The former Radio 1 DJ employs a personal trainer to help her prepare for festivals, while also swimming three to four times a week and running twice a week with her music executive husband Steve Morton. doing.
Even though Whyley admits she's not a natural runner and actually hates running, she believes staying healthy will help your mind and body feel better and make you feel stronger. .
The DJ, who has fronted the BBC's Glastonbury broadcasts since 1997, has been suffering from neck and shoulder pain after gigs, so he prepares for shows by stretching and swimming whenever possible. That's what it means.
Whyley has also noticed that his alcohol tolerance is decreasing as he gets older, and has noticed that after three shots of vodka he feels “terrible” the next day.
The broadcaster said that when she and her husband host parties at their Northamptonshire home – a converted 18th-century barn surrounded by fields – she cleans up while the party is in full swing. admitted to doing so.
Whyley, who is a vegetarian, has also made some changes to her diet, especially cutting out sugar, taking vitamins and watching what she eats.
Since January, she has been trying to eat more vegetables, nuts and legumes and cut back on sweet foods, but she is finding this difficult. But it wasn't until after Christmas in Thailand, where her father-in-law lives, that she realized how much sugar she was consuming.
Whyley, who has arthritis in her fingers and hands, said she woke up with swollen fingers. The host and her husband also underwent medical tests, which revealed that Morton had high cholesterol levels.
When DJ isn't running, swimming, or eating, he enjoys gardening in his spare time.
A typical weekend might see her swimming, going to breakfast, seeing her kids, gardening, or taking her dog for a walk. She then waits until around 6:30pm or 7pm before having a drink.
In a wide-ranging interview, Whyley also said she regrets not using sun care. She now gets regular facials, and she uses exfoliants, serums, hyaluronic acid, and moisturizers to make up for her previous lack of sun care.
Whyley concluded by confessing that although the work can be very tiring, there is nothing she wants to do and she doesn't want to quit anytime soon.
