Who is Johnnie Walker married to? BBC DJ's personal life explored as he retires after 58 years

Johnnie Walker — the veteran DJ with a career longer than half a century — finally announced his retirement from BBC on the channel's Radio 2 show, Sounds Of The 70s, on Sunday, October 27.

In the spirit of his final broadcast, Johnnie told his listeners that he'd be closing out the show "playing all the ones" he loved rather than taking requests. Walker joined Sounds Of The 70s as a presenter in 2009 but has worked with British radio for over 58 years.

Johnnie Walker has been suffering from Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, an inflammation of the lungs, since 2020, which is also the reason behind his retirement.

Earlier in 2024, he started presenting the show from his home due to health-related reasons, with his wife, Tiggy Walker, being his round-the-clock carer. Tiggy is a broadcaster and long-time ad producer in the entertainment business. Currently a columnist for Dorset Magazine, Tiggy is also an agent and manager for her husband. Surprisingly, the couple has shared caring arrangements in the past as well.

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Tiggy isn't Johnnie Walker's first wife

Tiggy and Johnnie Walker got married in 2002 after the DJ's first marriage to Frances Kum — which lasted for 30 years — ended. The couple got divorced in 2000. At the time of their wedding, Walker suffered from non-Hodgkin lymphoma, which was treated in 2003.

A decade after that, when Tiggy was diagnosed with breast cancer, it was Johnnie's turn to play the role of a carer. Mrs Walker had to undergo chemotherapy, radiotherapy, and two operations for the cancer treatment.

Between their health problems and the constant caring needs, their marriage hasn't been easy, but the couple has made it work for over two decades.

Opening up about the challenges of being a long-time carer in a Dorset Magazine article, Mrs. Walker opened up about feeling "exhausted at the thought of caring again." She also admitted to suffering a form of PTSD since her first experience of caring.

Tiggy also talked about Walker's health falling "off a cliff" since his Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis diagnosis in January 2024.

"The weeks that followed were a blur of nurses, doctors, oxygen machines and wheelchairs. In 24 hours, our lives had changed out of all recognition. That was in January, and The Pirate has not left home since then, I am a carer 24/7."

The 64-year-old also described feeling "overwhelmed" by how much support her husband needed, how little she had, and the fact that their home had started to resemble a hospital.

On Sunday, Tiggy gave an emotional speech on the final episode of her husband's show on the weekend, saying:

"I’m the one person who knows how hard it’s been for you, and I just want to say well done for keeping going as long as you have, because you make a lot of people very happy. I know there will be a lot of tears out there today, including mine."

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Johnnie Walker started his career as a DJ in the 1906s, with his first gig being on pirate station's Radio Caroline. It was in 1970 that Walker landed his first slot at BBC Radio 1. A few years later, DJ Pirate left both BBC and the UK behind to move to San Francisco for nearly a decade.

In 1987, Walker returned to the UK and rejoined the British radio channel as a presenter on The Stereo Sequence show. Over the years, he has worked at multiple BBC radio shows, including The Rock Show and Drivetime.

From November 3, Bob Harris - former The Old Grey Whistle Test present - will replace Johnnie Walker on Sounds Of The 70s.