Radio legend Johnnie Walker struggled with lung disease before his death aged 79. The BBC radio star was forced to step down from the broadcaster after 58 years in October due to his ill health. He was known for his decades-long work on BBC Radio 2 and for his Sounds Of The 70s and the Rock Show programmes. Johnnie had been previously diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).
His death was announced on air by his friend and colleague, BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris, who took over presenting Sounds of the 70s in November. Just a few months ago, Johnnie shared the news of his exit. Announcing his decision, he said: "Now, that leads me to be making a very sad announcement.
"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.".
Johnnie had worked for the BBC since 1969. His first health scare came in 2003 when he was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma of the colon. The radio star suffered a heart attack in 2019 and had to undergo a triple heart bypass. A year later, he was diagnosed with IPF - a condition where inflation of the lungs means breathing becomes difficult.
His health meant he presented his radio shows from his home in Dorset. Johnnie's wife Tiggy provided round-the-clock care for him and opened up about how the diagnosis had impacted them earlier this year. Speaking during Carers Week, Tiggy heartbreakingly said: "I’m so tired. Sometimes I find it hard to go on.".
