Andy Kershaw, a former DJ on BBC Radio 1 and host of Live Aid, passed away on Thursday night at the age of 66, according to his family.
The presenter, who also hosted his own podcast, was unable to walk due to a cancer diagnosis that was made public in January.
For fifteen years starting in 1985, Kershaw was a well-known voice on Radio 1, renowned for his diverse taste and his role in promoting world music.
He later covered music and international events, such as the Rwandan genocide in 1994 and the Sierra Leonean civil war in 2001, for Radio 4.
Born in Rochdale in 1959, Kershaw attended Leeds University before starting his career as a promotions manager at Radio Aire in Leeds in the early 1980s, when he partnered with seasoned host Martin Kelner.
Kershaw first appeared on The Old Grey Whistle Test, the BBC’s premier rock show, in 1984. He was originally noticed while serving as Billy Bragg’s driver and roadie.
The next year, Bob Geldof and Midge Ure staged Live Aid, a massive, star-studded benefit concert that raised money for the famine in Ethiopia. He was one of the BBC’s TV presenters for this event.
In the summer of 1985, Kershaw also joined BBC Radio 1, where some saw him as a possible replacement for DJ John Peel. From 1987 till 1992, his sister Liz Kershaw was employed at the station.
However, a scheduling change in 2000 resulted in the cancellation of Andy Kershaw’s weekly late-night Radio 1 program. Lou Reed and Willie Nelson performed during his final months on the network.
Following Radio 1, Kershaw worked as a reporter for BBC Radio 4, where he covered stories for the Today Programme. He also traversed the world to investigate both political unrest and worldwide musical influences.
In addition, he finished a musical tour of North Korea, Iran, and Iraq while working on BBC Radio 3, where he “continued to ignore categories and mix it all up.”
Following a string of well-publicized personal issues, the DJ and broadcaster was off the air for a number of years.
As a result, he was imprisoned for three months in 2008 for violating a restraining order that prohibited him from meeting his ex-partner. Later, for violating a restraining order once more, he received a suspended six-month term.
He made a comeback to BBC radio in 2011 with a brand-new music series that was connected to BBC One Human Planet.
Their show, Music Planet, saw Kershaw and co-presenter Lucy Duran travel around the world to record “extraordinary music” in “isolated locations”, Radio 3 noted.
That year Kershaw also released an autobiography entitled No Off Switch, detailing his life and career.
On his broadcasting philosophy, he talked about how his mentor John Walters had influenced him, saying: “We’re not here to give the public what it wants. We’re here to give the public what it didn’t know it wanted”.
Kershaw continued his career as a broadcaster in recent years, having launched his own podcast.
His distinctive take on life and humour could also be seen when he released a statement after learning of his cancer diagnosis.
Saying he was in “good spirits”, he joked: “I am determined not to die before Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Ant and Dec. That should keep me going for a while.”
Radio 3 reported that Kershaw and co-presenter Lucy Duran travelled the globe to capture “extraordinary music” in “isolated locations” for their show, Music Planet.
In the same year, Kershaw published No Off Switch, an autobiography that described his life and career.
He discussed how his mentor John Walters had shaped his broadcasting perspective, stating: “We’re not here to give the public what it wants.” Our goal is to provide the people with what they didn’t realise they desired.
In recent years, Kershaw has carried on with his broadcasting career by starting his own podcast.
His unique outlook on life and sense of humour were also evident when he issued a statement following his cancer diagnosis.
He joked that he was in “good spirits” and said, “I am determined not to die before Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump, and Ant and Dec.” That ought to sustain me for some time.