BBC Radio 2 reshuffle as veteran presenter Johnnie Walker says it's 'sad to say goodbye' ahead of final show
(Image: PA)

Johnnie Walker 'sad to say goodbye' after 58 years amid BBC Radio 2 reshuffle

26 Oct 2024, 20:59 by Shawna Healey · Manchester Evening News

Veteran BBC Radio 2 DJ Johnnie Walker has opened up in an emotional speech ahead of his final Sounds of the 70s show after 58 years on the radio.

The 79-year-old said it will be "sad to say goodbye" to his dedicated listeners. He announced his decision to retire due to health concerns earlier this month after revealing he has been battling idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

The DJ delivered his final Rock Show on BBC Radio 2 last Friday (October 25) and is preparing for his last Sounds Of The 70s episode set for Sunday (October 27).

Discussing on Radio 4's Today programme on Saturday (October 26), Walker mentioned he has "mixed emotions" about hanging up his headphones at the end of his distinguished career. Reflecting on the deep connections made throughout his career, he said: "Myself and the radio listeners over the years, we’ve done an awful lot of living together and we’ve been through a lot of experiences, so we’ve developed a very close bond."

His farewell shows stand as a testament to these bonds, with numerous fans describing him as 'the friend I’ve never met' in heartfelt messages, as the Mirror reports. Defying tradition, he plans to make his final show uniquely personal by playing his own selection of favourite tunes instead of the usual listener requests.

The Birmingham-born icon took to pirate airwaves in 1966 with Swinging Radio England and continued on the renowned offshore station Radio Caroline before earning his stripes at BBC Radio 1 in 1969. Following Radio Caroline's closure, he later emigrated to San Francisco and broadcast a weekly show on Radio Luxembourg, adding international acclaim to his impressive broadcasting legacy.

In the early '80s, he made his way back to the BBC and has called it home since. Broadcasting from his Dorset retreat for years, Walker shared his thoughts on the evolution of radio. He's clearly not enthused by celebs switching from TV to radio, saying: "It always used to be you learned your radio craft".

Johnnie Walker is leaving BBC Radio 2 with his final show on Sunday
(Image: PA Archive/PA Images)

He added: "A lot of people started off on local stations and gradually work their way up and I think, nowadays, it seems to be the way to get a radio show is to get a television one first. Because you’re good on TV doesn’t automatically mean you’re going to be good on the radio, but that’s the way it is. We’re in the age of celebrity."

For his Rock Show's final encore in 2018, Walker pumped out choice rock hits, kicking off with Steve Hunter, Dick Wagner and Lou Reed's Sweet Jane. The NHS describes Walker’s illness as scarring the lungs, complicating breathing. The radio torch will be passed to Bob Harris who'll steer Sounds Of The 70s starting November 3, while Shaun Keaveny rocks The Rock Show from November 1.

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