Tag: Riders

Bikers have honored the BBC radio personality Johnnie Walker by joining his funeral procession as he was laid to rest.

Among the attendees at St Peter’s Church in Shaftesbury, Dorset, on Friday were Led Zeppelin’s lead singer Robert Plant and Walker’s former colleagues from BBC Radio 2.

After the memorial service concluded, friends and family, including Walker’s wife Tiggy—dressed in pink—convened to observe a procession of Harley Davidson riders accompanying the DJ’s hearse.

Walker was a passionate rider of American motorcycles, and the biking community organizes a “ride of honour” to pay tribute to deceased bikers.

His passing at the age of 79 was announced on Radio 2 on New Year’s Eve by Bob Harris, who succeeded the veteran DJ on the Sounds Of The 70s show back in November.

Post-service, Radio 2 hosts Tony Blackburn and Jeremy Vine conversed with their former colleague Ken Bruce, who transitioned from the BBC to Bauer’s Greatest Hits Radio in 2023.

Plant, dressed in black and dark blue attire, previously honored Walker in December, describing him as “a defender and gatekeeper of great musical taste, a cool, kind man who set the bar high for all of us who cherished him”.

Other notable attendees included BBC and ITV sports presenter John Inverdale, former BBC radio personality Simon Mayo, Bob Harris, radio host Paul Gambaccini, BBC Radio 2 presenter Jo Whiley, and Green Wing actress Pippa Haywood.

Walker stepped back from his career due to health issues, leaving his Radio 2 show The Rock Show last October after being diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Before the memorial began, Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman expressed on X that he felt “very proud” that Tiggy invited him to perform his song Gone But Not Forgotten at the funeral.

Wakeman had previously performed this song at the memorial for former Countdown host Richard Whiteley.

On December 31, Tiggy honored him, noting he remained his “charming, humorous self to the end” and remarked, “bless that extraordinary husband of mine, who is now in a place of peace.”

Tiggy provided him care during his struggle with lung disease and assisted in producing his radio show from home.

Walker’s IPF condition is characterized by lung scarring, making breathing progressively challenging, with no available treatment to halt or reverse it, according to the NHS.