Entertainment

Radio 2’s Johnnie Walker off air for six weeks for ‘heart upgrade’

The broadcaster will return to his regular programmes after the procedure.
The broadcaster will return to his regular programmes after the procedure. The broadcaster will return to his regular programmes after the procedure.

Radio DJ Johnnie Walker will be off the air for six weeks while he is treated for a heart condition, it has been announced.

The BBC Radio 2 broadcaster will have a “heart upgrade”, so will be absent from his regular shows Sounds Of The 70s and The Rock Show.

A post on the radio station’s Twitter page said: “As you may have heard, Johnnie Walker is having a ‘heart upgrade’ and will not be presenting his show for a number of weeks.”

“On behalf of the audience and everyone in Wogan House, we wish Johnnie well and look forward to welcoming him back to the airwaves in the very near future.

“Huey Morgan (@OfficialHuey) will present The Rock Show and Tom Robinson (@freshnet) will present Sounds of the 70s until Johnnie returns.”

His wife Tiggy added: “I’ve a bit of news about Johnnie @piratejw. It seems his heart needs a bit of an upgrade.

“The bad news is he’ll be off The Rock Show & SOT70’s for 6 weeks. The good news – he’ll be even better when he returns with all that extra oxygen pumping round his body!”

Helen Thomas, head of content commissioning at Radio 2, said: “On behalf of the Radio 2 audience and everyone in Wogan House, we wish Johnnie well and look forward to welcoming him back onto the airwaves in the very near future.”