BBC Radio 2 DJ Johnnie Walker makes 'very sad announcement' during show

BBC Radio 2 DJ Johnnie Walker has made the "very sad announcement" that he is retiring from radio after a 58-year career as a broadcaster.

While hosting today's edition of Sounds Of The 70s on the BBC station, the 79-year-old informed his listeners that he would be stepping down from the Sunday afternoon show, as well as The Rock Show.

Johnnie started his announcement by reading out a letter from a listener whose father had been a fan of the show but had passed away in 2022 due to pulmonary fibrosis, a condition the DJ himself was diagnosed with earlier this year. He then told listeners: "Now, that leads me to be making a very sad announcement."

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He continued: "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 after 58 years."

He told his fans he would be presenting his last Sounds Of The 70s show on October 27, promising to "make the last three shows as good as I possibly can".

He then played the Rolling Stones's 1978 single Miss You, before announcing that former Old Grey Whistle Test presenter Bob Harris would be his replacement on the show.

Announcing the news, Johnnie said: "By the way, I can also reveal not only my last Sounds Of The 70s, but the person taking over the show will be the one and only Bob Harris, so Bob Harris will be in charge of Sounds Of The 70s from November 3."

The DJ previously revealed that his condition, which causes scarring on the lungs and breathing difficulties, is "terminal" and getting "progressively worse". He credited his radio shows with prolonging his life, saying he would "probably die a lot sooner" without them.

On taking over from Johnnie, Bob said: "I am proud and honoured to be taking over a BBC Radio 2 institution from a true broadcasting great." The pair have been friends since their time on Old Grey Whistle Test and the original Sounds Of The 70s, and Bob vowed to "maintain his legacy and curate the programme with the very best music from that incredible decade".

It has also been announced that Shaun Keaveny will present The Rock Show from November 1, with Johnnie presenting his final show on October 25.

Johnnie began his radio career in 1966 on pirate station Swinging Radio England, before moving to Radio Caroline and hosting a popular night-time show that made him a household name. After the station's closure, he joined BBC Radio 1 in 1969 and continued until 1976.

He then relocated to San Francisco to record a weekly show that aired on Radio Luxembourg. In the early 1980s, he made his return to the BBC where he has stayed ever since.