Johnnie Walker retiring from. Radio 2.

[Elderflower14]

Here.
I'm very sad about this. I started listening to him when he did the early evening show on Radio 2. It was just after my DH died and I never felt lonely when I was listening. It was like having a friend in the house. From listening to him I've become very keen on James Taylor and particularly Bruce Springsteen.
When he moved to his Sunday afternoon show I applied to go on the show and talk to him.
About a week later just as I was going out of the door to work the phone rang. I sort of recognised the man's voice. It was Mark Goodier who's company produced JWs show. He asked if I would go on the show that Sunday. I realised that JW was on holiday and I would be speaking to Simon Mayo. I told Mark that if I couldn't speak to JW I didn't want to go on. He was somewhat surprised and understood.
Two weeks later a runner on the show rang and I recorded my chat with JW that Thursday to go on air on the Sunday. He was so lovely.. We talked about losing my husband and Wilf.being deaf. He told me about doing gigs at the San Francisco deaf club.
I had to choose three songs, I chose Life On Mars for my best friend. What A Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong for my family and Shiny Happy People for Wilf as it was the first song he felt the beat of and danced to. JW said he would think of Wilf when he heard that song.
The Sunday night it was broadcast I was in Wilfs school taxi going back for a meeting. So I listened with the taxi driver. The next morning the funniest thing happened. I was crossing the school reception when a voice boomed. "WILFREDS MOTHER COME HERE I HAVE A BONE TO PICK WITH YOU!!!"
It was the school PE teacher who had been driving home from the other side of the country and was so busy listening to me that he missed his turning on the motorway and was very late home!!
I can recommend JWs autobiography. His lovely wife Tiggy Stardust nursed him when he had cancer and then he nursed her when she had cancer and she's now looking after him again.
I shall miss him on Sunday Afternoons very much... 💔 💔

Bump.

No way. I often listen to Sounds of the 70s, but I didn't realise he was leaving.

That's a really lovely story about your interaction with Johnny Walker. I shall miss JW, but he has earned his retirement and his health is priority.

It feels like the end of an era with Ken Bruce gone, Phil The Collector Swern's passing and now Johnnie Walker.

I shall catch up with the latest show.

I heard him announce it yesterday. It made me very sad. But I wasn’t surprised. He sounded strained poor fella. Very sad that is he is ill again. I will miss his programmes.

What a total radio legend. He was there at the beginning. I’d love to read his book. How lovely that you went on his show OP. Radio show hosts can be really important at difficult times. I still miss the old Sounds of the Sixties presenter (can’t remember his name) because he kept me company on lonely Saturday mornings as a new mum.

Johnny will be much missed. He had such an understated presenting style - safe and comforting.
I understand he has pulmonary lung disease and is becoming too breathless to work.
I hope he is comfortable and peaceful until the end.

I love your story. Thank you for sharing it

Here...

That is so interesting! Do you have a link to the episode? I would love to hear it.

He got me through a very dark time. I would leave work at five, actually I would race to my car, and listen to him all the way home. The journey was an hour and I would carry on listening to it when I got home but the best time was when I was on my own in the car And he would make me laugh until I cried. I always felt the light went out of Sally traffic when he left the 5 pm slot.

Sadly not... They are only on line for a month.

He and Sally were so funny together. She went and see him when he was very ill the first time.
In his book Tiggy wrote a chapter. Apparently Stuart Maconie kept the show very much the same when he was covering.. Noel Edmonds on the other hand completely changed everything and JW was worried he would lose his show to Edmonds.
Tiggy was going out with Gordon Haskell the singer when she met JW.

Bump.

Bumping before bed x

Now listening to Johnnie and Tiggy Stardust on his last show.. 💔 💔
My letter to our local paper attached.

So sad! He’s been a constant for me throughout the years. I’m listening now and will save the show later. He will be so missed 😟

I love that all his requests are from Mr J Walker from Dorset!

We've got a thread going on Radio Addicts too. I linked over there a few months ago when he did a couple of special programmes reminiscing about his life and the pirate ships. Brilliant stuff. I will miss JW a lot, but thank goodness (as I keep saying) it's Whispering Bob Harris taking over Sound of the 70s.

Very best wishes to JW and Tiggy. Love the fact that the production team were in the house with him as they recorded this.

That made me smile as well.

I was first aware of him on the early evening show as well.