The BBC radio presenter Johnnie Walker has announced he’s hanging up his headphones after a 58-year career because of ill health.
He will step down from presenting Sounds of the 70s and The Rock Show on BBC Radio 2 at the end of this month.
The 79-year-old made the announcement live on air on Sunday, telling listeners that he would make his final shows “as good as I possibly can”.
He will be replaced on Sounds of the 70s by Bob Harris, while Shaun Keaveny will be the new presenter of The Rock Show.
Walker has pulmonary fibrosis, which is scarring of the lungs. The condition makes breathing difficult.
During his show on Sunday, he read out a letter from a listener whose dad had loved the show, but had passed away in 2022 due to pulmonary fibrosis.
“Now, that leads me to be making a very sad announcement,” he said.
“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 began his radio career in 1966 on Swinging Radio England, an offshore pirate station, before moving to Radio Caroline.
He joined BBC Radio 1 in 1969, and joined Radio 2 in 1997 where he has remained ever since.
Among those paying tribute to him was Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, who called him a “broadcasting legend”.
“Everyone at Radio 2, and I’m sure his millions of listeners, would like to thank Johnnie for entertaining us for so many decades with his brilliantly crafted shows.” she said.
“He will be much missed on the airwaves and by his listeners, who have adored listening to his shows over the years.”
Harris, who will continue to host Radio 2’s The Country Show, said he was “proud and honoured” to be taking over the helm of Sound of the 70s from Walker.
He added: “I will do everything I can to maintain his legacy and curate the programme with the very best music from that incredible decade.”
Keaveny, who has hosted various shows on BBC Radio 6 Music and has sat in for Walker on The Rock Show before, called him one of his “ultimate radio heroes”.
“I am not sure how I am going to get through the week without hearing him, and his place in radio legend is assured,” he said.
Walker’s last episode of The Rock Show will air on 25 October, and his final episode of Sounds of the 70s will air two days later.
