John Walker, the acclaimed cameraman and cinematographer who worked on some of the UK's most beloved shows such as Only Fools and Horses and Bergerac, has died at the age of 83. No cause of death was revealed, but the news was confirmed by the British Society of Cinematographers in a moving Instagram post.
Alongside a black and white image of John on set looking through a camera, they penned: "It is with great sadness that we learn that our friend and colleague, John Walker BSC, has died."
Career Highlights
They continued by listing his career accomplishments, writing: "John began his career as a trainee at the BBC, working his way through the ranks to become a highly respected cinematographer. Over a long and varied career, he worked across some of British television's best-loved productions, including The Onedin Line, Doctor Who, Miss Marple, and Only Fools and Horses, as well as Bergerac, Juliet Bravo, Lovejoy, Wycliffe and Hamish Macbeth.
"His work brought him into collaboration with many distinguished directors, including Martin Campbell, Michael Winterbottom and John Glenister.
"John was invited to join the British Society of Cinematographers in 1991, becoming part of a community to which he remained a valued colleague and friend...John will be greatly missed."
Notable Work
Among his extensive CV, John worked on seven episodes of Only Fools and Horses in its early days in 1982. He also worked on 20 episodes of Bergerac over a decade between 1981 and 1991.
Tributes Flood In
Tributes flooded in for the star as news of his death became public, with friends and colleagues taking to social media to share their memories.
One user commented on X: "Very sad to hear about the death of BBC film cameraman, John Walker. "I'd known John for many years and he was always so willing to help out on the Doctor Who DVD/BR range with information, identifying people in photos or helping to track down others in the film unit. Top bloke."
Another added on Instagram: "I'm, really sorry to hear this. I worked on some of John's shoots and really enjoyed working with him. My thoughts are with his friends and family. x"
A third chimed in on Facebook: "I got to know John pretty well over the years and was his gaffer on a number of productions , he was always a pleasure to work with and a talented cinematographer. God bless you John."
A fourth shared: "So loved working with John on Bergerac...lovely man and composite professional...RIP J."
Meanwhile a fifth reflected: "I worked with John on a few different things when he was at the BBC, and I always found him very friendly and a pleasure working for him, sleep well Sir xx."
