Johnnie Walker (DJ)

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Johnnie Walker (DJ) : biography

30 March 1945 –

BBC GLR and BBC Radio 5

In October 1988, Walker was one of the original presenters on the new BBC local station in London BBC GLR, in a lineup which included Nick Abbot, Emma Freud, Tommy Vance and Dave Pearce and was run by future Radio 1 controller Matthew Bannister. Walker presented the weekday slot from 12-3 pm. Then after a few months, he took over from Emma Freud from 10am-1pm.

In 1991 Walker joined the new BBC Radio 5, presenting the weekday mid-morning slot, ‘The AM Alternative’. He originally presented the show on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 9.30 am-noon. As a result, he took over the weekday show on BBC GLR from 7-9 pm, where he remained until later that year, when he was dismissed from the station after comments about the resignation of Margaret Thatcher as Prime Minister.

Following his dismissal from BBC GLR he took the BBC Radio 5 show five days a week. He broadcast from 9.30 am-noon Mondays-Fridays and remained with Radio 5 until March 1994 when the station re-launched as BBC Radio Five Live.

Radio 2

In 1997, in addition to his Classic Gold shows, Walker was on BBC Radio 2 presenting documentaries and filling in for presenters.

In April 1998, Walker was offered his own weekly show on Radio 2, Saturday 3.30-5.30 pm, then six months later, as well as Saturday afternoons, Walker took over from John Dunn from 5-7 pm Monday to Thursday. Des Lynam presented Friday’s edition.

In early 1999, Walker came off his show having been the subject of a tabloid exposé over his cocaine problem. BBC Radio 2 bosses gave Walker back his drivetime show after he was fined £2,000 for possession of cocaine. He was suspended by the BBC when the drug allegations were published in the News of the World in April 1999. Bosses later reinstated him after the court case. During Walker’s absence Richard Allinson filled in for him on Drivetime while Billy Bragg took over Saturday afternoon. Walker returned to his Drivetime Show, now presenting from Monday to Friday, towards the end of 1999. Janice Long then took over Saturday afternoons.

Illness announced

Walker told listeners in June 2003 that he was suffering from cancer. He ended his show by stating he was beginning treatment and would be taking time off to recover, after which he played "Bridge over Troubled Water" by Simon and Garfunkel. Stuart Maconie filled in for him, then on Thursday 24 July 2003, the BBC announced that Noel Edmonds would join Radio 2, to present Drivetime for 8 weeks. Edmonds took over from Monday 4 August until Friday 3 October.

Walker’s recovery continued, but there was to be no return after Edmonds. Stuart Maconie continued as stand-in, and at the beginning of Monday 6 October’s Drivetime show, he played Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run for Walker, remarked that he was doing well, and that he was due to return at the end of the year.

On 12 February 2004, Radio 2 announced Walker would return on 1 March. This was followed by his own message. "Well, it’s taken a lot longer than I originally thought, but I reckon I’m fit enough now to come back to the Drive Time Show on Monday 1 March. I’d like to thank Jim Moir and Lesley Douglas for keeping the door open for me all this time, and also to Stuart Maconie for doing such a great job on the show while I’ve been away. And a huge thank you to Radio 2 listeners for all their wonderful support since I left the show in June 2003. I’ve been very lucky to have had so many good wishes and kindness sent in my direction, it helped enormously with my recovery – thank you so much. It will be great for us to be re-united again from 1 March."

On Monday 1 March, Walker returned. His first record was Eric Clapton’s Hello Old Friend, which includes the lyrics ‘…it’s so good to have you back’. Walker and Clapton were born on the same day. Walker later to celebrate the fact that they were both turning 60.

Johnnie Walker was made an MBE in the 2006 New Year’s Honours List.