Veteran DJ Johnnie Walker said "the time has travel I've ever dreaded" arsenic helium presented his last Sounds Of The 70s amusement connected BBC Radio 2.
The presenter, 79, announced earlier successful the period helium was retiring from vigor aft 58 years owed to sick health.
For his last broadcast connected Sunday, Walker confirmed helium would not beryllium taking immoderate requests this clip arsenic each the opus choices would beryllium made by himself, adding: "I'm playing each the ones I love."
An affectional last amusement featured messages from his woman Tiggy and Sir Rod Stewart, earlier Walker ended by telling listeners "may we locomotion into the aboriginal with our heads held precocious and happiness successful our hearts".
Walker became the presenter of Sounds of the 70s successful 2009, but his vocation successful British vigor has spanned astir six decades.
After opening his past amusement with George Harrison's way What Is Life, Walker past dedicated his 2nd song, Sister Sledge's We Are Family, to his listeners.
Walker was joined connected aerial by his erstwhile co-presenter Sally Boazman, who said being partnered with him was the "best luck" of her life.
The brace worked unneurotic connected BBC Radio 2 Drivetime for 7 years from 1999.
In a pre-recorded message, Sir Rod Stewart praised Walker for helping the careers of galore stone bands.
Sir Rod told Walker helium had "propelled the careers of a clump of chartless layabouts to the apical of the charts, and overnight fame and everything that goes with it".
The stone prima ended the connection by making Walker an offer: "So if I bash negociate to get done the pearly gates, I'll person a pint of Guinness, delight mate, and conjecture what? I'll prime up the tab. See you later, Johnny. Rock connected mate, stone on."
Walker joined BBC Radio 1 successful 1969 having been a DJ connected the pirate presumption Radio Caroline successful the 1960s.
He near the BBC successful 1976 and aboriginal moved to San Francisco, wherever helium recorded a play amusement broadcast connected Radio Luxembourg.
He returned to the BBC successful the 1980s and connected 17 January 1987, Walker re-joined Radio 1, presenting the Saturday day amusement The Stereo Sequence.
He has remained astatine the BBC ever since, and hosted his past occurrence of The Rock Show connected Friday by playing immoderate of his "favourite stone anthems".
Walker's woman Tiggy, who sat successful connected the amusement arsenic it aired from their location successful Dorset, praised her hubby for continuing to broadcast aft helium became "very ill" successful January.
The vigor fable was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a terrible respiratory unwellness that tin marque breathing precise difficult.
"I'm the 1 idiosyncratic who knows however hard it's been for you, and I conscionable privation to accidental good done for keeping going arsenic agelong arsenic you have, due to the fact that you marque a batch of radical precise happy," Tiggy added.
"And I cognize determination volition beryllium a batch of tears retired determination today, including mine."
Walker admitted helium mightiness shed a teardrop oregon 2 arsenic good arsenic helium thanked her for each her "wonderful care", adding: "I surely couldn't person done the amusement without that truthful convey you for that."
After announcing his retirement, Walker told the BBC: “I get cards from radical saying: ‘You’re the person I’ve ne'er met’ and things similar that. So it volition beryllium bittersweet to accidental goodbye.”
Bob Harris volition taking implicit from Walker arsenic the presenter of Sounds of the 70s successful November.