DJ Johnnie Walker has kicked off his final Sounds Of The 70s show on BBC Radio 2, saying “the day has come I’ve always dreaded”.

The veteran presenter, 79, announced earlier in the month that he was retiring from radio after 58 years due to ill health, having been previously diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Walker signed off his last episode of BBC Radio 2’s The Rock Show on Friday by playing some of his “favourite rock anthems”.

After opening his last edition of Sounds Of The 70s with George Harrison’s track What Is Life, he told listeners: “Good afternoon, Johnnie Walker here.

“The day has come I’ve always dreaded, really, my last ever radio show, and most certainly, my last Sounds Of The 70s.”

He recalled first presenting the show in April 2009 after taking over from Cockney Rebel frontman Steve Harley, which he said the singer would “rib” him for.

For his final show, his producer Liz Barnes and executive producer Paul Thomas joined him in his home in Dorset to record the show, along with his wife Tiggy.

Walker confirmed he would not be taking any requests this time as all the song choices would be made by himself, adding: “I’m playing all the ones I love”.

However, he dedicated his second song, Sister Sledge’s We Are Family, to the Sounds Of The 70s listeners.

Birmingham-born Walker began in pirate radio with Swinging Radio England in 1966 before moving to the offshore station Radio Caroline.

He departed, after the station closed, for BBC Radio 1 in 1969, continuing until 1976 and later moving to San Francisco, where he recorded a weekly show broadcast on Radio Luxembourg.

In the early 1980s, he returned to the BBC and has remained there ever since. For several years he has regularly broadcast from his home in Dorset.

Reflecting on his favourite time on the radio, Walker told listeners: “They’re all very different, but certainly the pirates was great fun, and also the years on the Drivetime show. We had huge fun on the Drivetime show and one of the reasons was a certain lady by the name of Sally Boazman.

The pair, who worked alongside one another on Drivetime for seven years from 1999 to 2006, reflected on memories with stars including Sir Rod Stewart.

Addressing Boazman, Walker said: “This is my last ever radio show so I just wanted to say hello to you and to thank you for all the fun that we had on Drivetime.”

She replied: “Johnnie, it was my absolute pleasure. I mean, you and me together was the best luck of my life, I think…

“We’re all on a path and I feel that I was on a path towards you which has given me a life, you have given me a life because of that.

“And I just want to say thank you for everything. We had such good fun. And Johnnie, I will never, ever forget you.”

Walker’s condition causes the lungs to become scarred and makes breathing increasingly difficult, according to the NHS.

Former The Old Grey Whistle Test presenter Bob Harris is set to take over presenting duties of Sounds Of The 70s from November 3, while Shaun Keaveny will become the new presenter of The Rock Show on November 1.