BBC Radio 2 presenter shake-up as DJ 'sad to say goodbye' ahead of last show before exit

Long-serving DJ has emotionally opened up about his departure from the airwaves after a storied 58-year career, saying it will be "sad to say goodbye" to his listeners with whom he shared so much.

The legendary broadcaster, 79, has been battling idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and announced earlier this month his decision to retire due to concerns. Walker delivered his final Rock Show on Radio 2 last Friday and is preparing for his last Sounds Of The 70s episode set for Sunday.

Opening up on Radio 4’s Today programme on Saturday, he expressed having "mixed emotions" at the end of his illustrious tenure yet acknowledged a predominant feeling of sadness. Walker reflected on the deep connections made throughout his career: "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. 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".

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 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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