Johnnie Walker (born 30th March, 1945 in Birmingham) is a radio disc jockey. Walker's broadcasting career began in 1965 on Pirate Radio Station, Radio Caroline. When the Government closed the Pirate Stations down in 1967, three presenters were still broadcasting, including Johnnie, along with Robbie Dale and Ross Brown. At Midnight on August 15th 1967, addressing an estimated 20 million listeners, they said that the station belonged to them, that it would continue and that the new Act had actually officially acknowledged the station's legality.
Walker then joined BBC Radio 1 in 1969, presenting a 2 hour Saturday afternoon show from 1-3 pm. Six months later, in 1970, Johnnie then presented a 1 hour weekday morning slot from 9-10 am, moving to the weekday early afternoon show in 1971, from 1-3pm, which then went out from 12-2 pm in 1973. The show featured the music quiz 'Pop the Question' & the Tuesday chart rundown.
In 1976, Station bosses fell out with Walker over what music he played and about how it was seen not to fit in with the station's daytime music line up. As a result of that, he left Radio 1 & moved to California, there he recorded a weekly show for Radio Luxembourg.
Walker returned to the UK in the early 1980's & in 1982, presented Radio West's evening show "The Modern World". In September 1983, he joined Wiltshire Radio, presenting the 11am-2 pm slot.
In January 1987, Johnnie re-joined Radio 1 presenting the Saturday afternoon show 'The Stereo Sequence', before Roger Scott took over the show in mid 1988. In July 1988, he was briefly heard on Richard Branson's syndicated service The Superstation.
In October 1988, Johnnie 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 & Dave Pearce & was run by future Radio 1 controller Matthew Bannister. Here, Johnnie presented the weekday Lunchtime slot from 12-3pm
In August 1990 Johnnie joined the newly launched BBC Radio 5, presenting the weekday mid-morning slot, The AM Alternative, which was broadcast Mondays - Fridays from 9.30am - 12noon. He remained with Radio 5 until April 1994, when the station was re-launched as BBC Radio Five Live.
In addition to Radio 5, in August 1991, Johnnie returned again to Radio 1, taking over from Richard Skinner on the Saturday Sequence, every Saturday afternoon from 3-7pm. He went out from 3-6pm in March 1992
He remained on this show until October 1993, moving to a Saturday evening show, which went out from 7-11pm, before moving back to Saturday afternoons in November 1994 from 2-5pm, where he remained until he left Radio 1 for good in October 1995.
In early 1996, Johnnie was heard on Various Classic Gold stations around the UK on Saturday Lunchtimes from 12-2pm.
In addition to his Classic Gold show, In 1997 Johnnie was heard on BBC Radio 2, presenting documentaries & filling in for presenters.
In April 1998, Johnnie was offered his own weekly show on BBC Radio 2, presenting a 2 hour Saturday afternoon show 3.30-5.30pm, then 6 months later, as well as Saturday afternoons, Johnnie took over from John Dunn on the Drivetime show from 5-7pm Monday - Thursdays. Des Lynam presented Friday's edition.
In early 1999, Walker came off his show while some personal problems were sorted out. Richard Allinson filled for him on Drivetime & Janice Long took over the Saturday afternoon show. Other presenters looked after Richard's weekday Monday to Thursday 10:30-Midnight slot. However, with a highly public sorting out of these problems, Walker returned to his Drivetime Show, Monday - Friday; Janice remained on Saturday afternoons.
Walker shocked a lot of listeners in June 2003, when he annouced that he was suffering from cancer. He ended his show by stating he was beginning a course of treatment and would be taking some time off to recover. Stuart Maconie filled in for him, then on Thursday 24th July 2003, the BBC announced that Noel Edmonds would be joining Radio 2, to present the Drivetime show for 8 weeks. Noel took over the slot on Monday 4th August, untill Friday 3rd October.
Walker's recovery continued, but there was to be no return after Noel's run. Stuart Maconie continued as a stand-in, and at the beginning of Monday 6th October's Drivetime show, Stuart played Bruce Springsteen's 'Born To Run' especially for Walker, remarked that he was doing well, and that he was due to return at the end of the year.
As 2003 became 2004 attention returned to Radio 2's Drivetime Show for news of Walker's return, and it was not long into the new year before the BBC announced he was set to return in the Spring of 2004.
On 12th February 2004, Radio 2 announced that Walker would be returning on March 1st. This was then followed by his's own personal 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 1st 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 grreat for us to be re-united again from 1st March.
And on Monday 1st March, Walker returned to the national airwaves. His first record was Eric Clapton's "Hello Friend" which included the lyrics '..it's so good to have you back'.