BBC Radio 2’s Johnnie Walker dead at 79
BBC Radio 2 DJ Johnnie Walker has died aged 79 following a battle with pulmonary fibrosis.
Walker’s death was confirmed by his friend and fellow broadcaster Bob Harris on-air on BBC Radio 2 on December 31st. Harris recently took over from Walker on his weekly Sounds of the 70s programme after the DJ stepped down due to health problems. Walker’s final broadcast on the station was on October 27th.
In his final broadcast, Walker read out a letter from a listener whose father had passed away from pulmonary fibrosis, the same lung condition that has now taken his life. “Now, that leads me to be making a very sad announcement,” Walker told listeners. “The struggles I’ve had with doing the show and trying to sort of keep up a professional standard suitable for Radio 2 has been getting more and more difficult, hence my little jokes about Puffing Billy, so I’ve had to make the decision that I need to bring my career to an end.”
Walker’s 58-year radio career began in 1966 on the offshore radio station Swinging Radio England, before leaving to become part of Radio Caroline. The broadcaster then moved to BBC Radio 1 in 1969, where he remained for six years before moving to the United States following a disagreement with management regarding the station’s music choices.
While in the States, he worked for a variety of stations before returning to the United Kingdom in the 1980s, and eventually rejoining BBC Radio 1 in 1987. He also worked for BBC London and BBC Radio 5 ahead of another stint on BBC Radio 1 between 1991 and 1995. Walker then joined BBC Radio 2 in 1997, where he remained until October 2024.
Helen Thomas, head of BBC Radio 2, said in a tribute to Walker: “Everyone at Radio 2 is heartbroken about the passing of Johnnie, a much loved broadcasting legend. He made Sounds of the 70s and The Rock Show appointments to listen to, sharing his personal memories and tales each week.”
Thomas continued: “He loved radio and inspired a generation of presenters, passionately promoting the artists and music he cared about so deeply.Johnnie’s wry sense of humour and his warm, open style of presenting ensured he was adored by his audience. The airwaves simply won’t be the same again. He will be very much missed by Radio 2 presenters, staff and listeners alike, and our thoughts are with his wife Tiggy and his children.”
Meanwhile, his wife, Tiggy Walker, said she was “proud” of her late husband and his commitment to his craft, stating, “he kept broadcasting almost to the end and with what dignity and grace he coped with his debilitating lung disease”.
On a positive note, she shared: “And if I may say – what a day to go. He’ll be celebrating New Year’s Eve with a stash of great musicians in heaven. One year on from his last live show. God bless that extraordinary husband of mine who is now in a place of peace.”
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