Andy Kershaw, influential Radio 1 DJ and reporter, dies aged 66

Andy Kershaw has died at the age of 66, his family has confirmed.

The former BBC Radio 1 DJ and Live Aid presenter died on Thursday evening, following a cancer diagnosis announced in January.

Andy was a voice on Radio 1 for 15 years from 1985, earning a reputation for eclectic playlists and championing world music long before it reached mainstream audiences.

He later moved into journalism with BBC Radio 4, reporting on global conflicts including the Rwandan Genocide, as well as continuing his work in music broadcasting.

Born in Rochdale in 1959, he began his career at Radio Aire before gaining wider attention as a presenter on The Old Grey Whistle Test.

He also played a key role in the BBC’s coverage of Live Aid, the landmark fundraising concert organised by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure.

Andy’s Radio 1 show came to an end in 2000 as part of a schedule overhaul, but he continued to work across BBC radio, including BBC Radio 3, where he explored music from around the world.

In later years, he returned to broadcasting with projects including Music Planet, travelling to record music in remote locations.

His career was also marked by well-documented personal challenges, which led to time away from radio before his eventual return.

Andy remained committed to his belief in introducing audiences to new and unexpected music, once saying broadcasters should give listeners “what it didn’t know it wanted”.