Radio 2’s Tony Blackburn Reveals Emotional Final Conversation with Johnnie Walker Days Before His Tragic Death

Tony Blackburn has delivered a heartfelt tribute to his dear friend and fellow BBC Radio 2 DJ Johnnie Walker, who has passed away at the age of 79, according to the Daily Mail. The news of Johnnie’s death was announced live on air on December 31 by Radio 2 host Bob Harris, leaving fans and colleagues across the broadcasting world in mourning.

Johnnie, who hosted Sounds of the 70s until late last year, had been battling a severe lung condition, according to The Mirror. Reflecting on his final conversation with Johnnie, Tony shared the poignant moment they spoke just weeks before his passing. “It’s very sad news,” Tony said on BBC Radio 5 Live. “It was expected because he’s been unwell for quite a long time. I spoke to him about three weeks ago, and he was very breathless.”

Though the two didn’t meet during their early days on pirate radio, their friendship blossomed at BBC Radio 1 and deepened further at BBC Radio 2. Tony remembered Johnnie as a brilliant broadcaster and a cherished friend. “I knew him very well,” he said. “Never, funnily enough, knew him on the pirate radio stations… But I got to know him much better on Radio 1 and, of course, more recently on Radio 2.”

Tony, 81, also reflected on their rebellious roots, recalling how both he and Johnnie proudly saw themselves as “real pirates” who helped challenge and ultimately break the BBC’s monopoly on radio broadcasting in the 1960s. “We were both very proud of the fact that in the 60s, we were trying to break the monopoly of the BBC, which of course, we did eventually,” Tony shared. “And then we ended up at the BBC, where we all had a great time.”

In a touching reflection, Tony celebrated Johnnie’s legacy as a trailblazer in the world of broadcasting. “He’ll be sadly missed, one of those great broadcasters,” he said. “He loved his music, he loved radio, and we were great friends.”

As the radio community and fans bid farewell to Johnnie Walker, Tony summed up his profound impact: “He will be sadly missed as a great broadcaster, and there aren’t many great broadcasters left these days.”