Johnnie Walker BBC Radio 2

ford fiesta

not unexpected news due to his health issues, Johnnie Walker is retiring from the BBC:

Johnnie Walker to step down from presenting Sounds of the 70s and The Rock Show and announces his final shows on Radio 2 (bbc.co.uk)

ZaK23-54

So sorry to hear about Johnny Walker.

I never miss him on Sunday afternoons..

Wonder who is left now to do 70’s show with credentials?

gipi

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122691324#Comment_122691324

"Whispering" Bob Harris is taking over the 70s show

Ger Roe

While not a total shock, this is sad news to hear. There had been hopes that Johnny might make a trip to The Ross Revenge for a Caroline North weekend broadcast, but that is obviously not physically possible now. I am sure he will get a great sign off reaction from Radio 2 and Caroline listeners, during his remaining programmes. It would be great if Caroline could talk to Auntie and relay his sign off programme. Just like when he got in trouble in the 60's for relaying BBC output on Caroline.

yiddo59

Very sad news. Johnny on Sounds of the 70s has been essential listening for me for many years.

DublinKev

Very sad to hear Johnnie is hanging up the headphones. A legend of a DJ, onshore and off, with a right bit of divilry about him. I’ll miss him on Sounds of the Seventies. Must be 40 years I’ve been listening to Johnnie now, on different shows and stations.

https://youtu.be/Cklf5k10yLU?si=fqcrk05FYYG33xg0

ford fiesta

When Johnnie sadly departs, will this make Tony Blackburn to be the only 60s Pirate Ship radio DJ on the BBC today ?

ford fiesta

Johnnie's final show on the BBC at 3pm today, BBC Radio 2

ZaK23-54

So which Irish DJ’s in Ireland are still on the radio since the 70’s?

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122774791#Comment_122774791

Today FM: *Ian Dempsey

RTE Radio 1: John Bowman and *John Kenny

Raidio na Gaeltachta: Aine Hensey and Peadar Ó Riada

RTE Gold: Ronan Collins, Dave Fanning and Michael McNamara

Lyric FM: Marty Whelan

Classic Hits: *Gareth O'Callaghan

Q102: *Martin King and *Aidan Cooney (Possibly *Scott Williams - was definitely on the pirate scene in 1980)

Newstalk: Pat Kenny

East Coast FM: Jim O'Neill and Declan Meehan

Sunshine 106.8: *Carol Dooley

*People that started with pirates in the late 1970s but had no licensed radio experience in that decade.

Some of this was covered before in the following thread in relation to those who were with RTE in the 1970s and currently are there, although some of the other current non-RTE names here were mentioned too.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058367026/rte-1970s-presenters-currently-on-rte

yiddo59

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122775004#Comment_122775004

John Creedon was on Cork pirate ABC in 78/79. As Eric Hansen IIRC

Declan A Walsh

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122775004#Comment_122775004

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122776339#Comment_122776339

Also: Aidan Leonard of RTE Gold - yet another person who started in the pirates in the late 1970s.

bureau2009

John Bowman is not a DJ. However he absolutely deserves a mention as the country's longest serving broadcaster.

ford fiesta

I had started a similar thread about presenters that were on RTE in the 1970s, that are there today - whether they left in the interim or not. Bowman, Fanning, Collins, Hensey, McNamara and possibly O'Riada were the names.