Broadcaster Andy Kershaw, champion of world music and former Radio 1 DJ, dies at 66
Andy Kershaw, a former DJ for BBC Radio 1 and presenter of Live Aid, passed away on Thursday at the age of 66, as confirmed by his family. He had been diagnosed with cancer in January and was unable to walk. Kershaw's broadcasting journey began in the early 1980s at Radio Aire in Leeds. He hosted BBC's The Old Grey Whistle Test in 1984 and presented Live Aid in 1985. That summer, he joined Radio 1, gaining recognition for promoting world music. His late-night program concluded in 2000, after which he reported for BBC Radio 4 on music and global issues. Following personal challenges, he returned to BBC Radio 3 in 2011 with Music Planet. Born in Rochdale in 1959, he attended Leeds University.
Key facts
- Andy Kershaw died at age 66 on Thursday evening
- He was diagnosed with cancer in January and unable to walk
- He worked at BBC Radio 1 from 1985 to 2000
- He championed world music and had an eclectic taste
- He presented BBC TV coverage of Live Aid in 1985
- He reported for BBC Radio 4 on music and global conflicts
- He was jailed in 2008 for breaking a restraining order
- He returned to BBC radio in 2011 with Music Planet
Entities
Artists
- Andy Kershaw
- Martin Kelner
- Billy Bragg
- Bob Geldof
- Midge Ure
- John Peel
- Liz Kershaw
- Willie Nelson
- Lou Reed
- Lucy Duran
- John Walters
- Benjamin Netanyahu
- Vladimir Putin
- Donald Trump
- Ant and Dec
Institutions
- BBC Radio 1
- BBC Radio 4
- BBC Radio 3
- BBC
- Radio Aire
- Leeds University
- BBC One Human Planet
Locations
- Rochdale
- Leeds
- United Kingdom
- Ethiopia
- Rwanda
- Sierra Leone
- Iraq
- Iran
- North Korea