Beloved rock star 'speaks from beyond grave' amid heartbreaking final wish
The guitarist, one of the forefathers of punk, died aged 75 in 2022. He once joked he would love to have made opening night of a play about him that was in the works.
Sadly, that was not to be, but he would be thrilled Wilko: Love and Death and Rock 'n' Roll is heading to the Leicester Square Theatre. He once told the play's writer Jonathan Maitland: "I dunno if I will make opening night? I might be brown bread but there is nothing I can do about that - but otherwise I would be there applauding like mad. I just hope you enjoy the show."
The play has had two well received runs already at the Queen's Theatre in Hornchurch, East London, last year, and South London's Southwark Playhouse this spring. It went down a storm with audiences and was snapped up for the West End by theatre bosses.
Unseen footage: Wilko Johnson opens up about his excitement over a play about his life shortly before his death (Image: Daily Mirror)
Producers say the play, which stars Johnson Willis as Wilko, "explores the extraordinary events when [he] was told he had one year to live in 2012" after being diagnosed with late-stage pancreatic cancer.
It adds: "Refusing all treatment, he decided to spend his last months living meaningfully. Seeing the people, places and things which meant most to him during his life until a miracle happened."
That miracle came when, against the odds, tests showed the cancer was not as aggressive first thought.
The legendary punk artist died in 2022 (Image: Getty Images)
He had the tumour removed and was declared cancer-free. By then he had already gone on a farewell tour and bagged a role as the executioner in Game of Thrones.
Wilko, born John Wilkinson in Canvey Island, Essex, formed pub rock band Dr Feelgood with singer Lee Brilleaux in 1971. Early singles included She Does It Right, Back in the Night and Roxette. Their 1976 live album Stupidity topped the charts.
But in 1977 Johnson left the band after a bustup.
In 1980 he joined Ian Dury's band The Blockheads and had a lengthy career touring with the Wilko Johnson Band. His wife Irene died of cancer in 2004. They had two sons. ?
Wilko: Love and Death and Rock 'n' Roll runs from July 3-27 . Tickets at www.leicestersquaretheatre.com
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