Johnnie Walker, a former BBC Radio 2 DJ known for hosting the "Sounds of the 70s" show, died Monday. He was 79. The news was announced live on the station by Bob Harris, who took over Johnnie Walker's role on the radio show back in October.

Johnnie Walker, one of the BBC’s longest-serving radio DJs, has died. Walker died earlier today at 79 following a long battle with lung disease, two months after calling time on his radio career. Tributes flooded in from BBC top brass.

The presenter retired in October due to ill-health having worked as a DJ for 58 years.

Johnnie Walker, who has died aged 79, was a rebellious, scandal-prone but immensely popular radio disc jockey for more than half a century, making his name in the 1960s on Radio Caroline, the pirate radio station which broadcast from a ship off the Essex coast,

Legendary BBC radio host Johnnie Walker has died at the age of 79. The radio star was a host on Radio 1 from 1969 until he transferred over to Radio 2 in 1997 where he continued to helm shows until his retirement in October this year.

BBC Radio 1 legend Johnnie Walker has died at the age of 79, it has been announced. His wife Tiggie said: "I couldn’t be more proud of Johnnie - how he kept broadcasting almost to the end and with what dignity and grace he coped with his debilitating lung disease.