Andy Kershaw, the BBC Radio 1 DJ known for his eclectic music taste and world music advocacy, has died aged 66. His family confirmed the news to the BBC.
Kershaw's career at the BBC spanned nearly three decades, beginning in 1984 on the rock music show Whistle Test. He co-presented the corporation's television coverage of Live Aid and hosted a weekly Radio 1 show from 1985 to 2000.
In January, he revealed he was undergoing treatment for cancer after tumours were discovered in his spine last August. He said he was in 'good spirits' and joked about his determination to outlive several public figures.
Born in Rochdale, Kershaw studied at the University of Leeds and started in radio at Radio Aire. He was spotted while working as a roadie for Billy Bragg and later joined BBC Two's The Old Grey Whistle Test. His sister, Liz Kershaw, also a BBC DJ, paid tribute on X, saying: 'I've lost my best friend.'
Kershaw won multiple Sony Radio Academy awards and was celebrated for bringing world music to mainstream audiences. After leaving Radio 1, he reported for Radio 4 from conflict zones including Rwanda and Sierra Leone, and recorded radio diaries from North Korea.
He continued broadcasting in later years with a podcast and autobiography. He is survived by his two children from a 17-year relationship with Juliette Banner.
