Andy Kershaw, the influential British broadcaster known for his eclectic musical taste and longtime affiliation with the BBC, has died at the age of 66 following a battle with cancer, his family announced. Diagnosed last August with tumors affecting his spine, Kershaw revealed earlier this year that his condition had severely limited his mobility, though he maintained a positive spirit.

Born in Rochdale, Lancashire, in 1959, Kershaw’s career began in 1984 when he joined the BBC as the host of the rock music television programme The Old Grey Whistle Test. He quickly made his mark and went on to co-present the BBC’s coverage of the 1985 Live Aid concert. In the summer of 1985, he succeeded John Peel at BBC Radio 1, where he hosted a weekly late-night show for nearly 15 years. His programme was celebrated for its broad, often unconventional mix of music, introducing audiences to global sounds including African, Cajun, folk, and alternative rock artists. He was a vocal advocate for world music and was credited with bringing underrepresented genres to mainstream radio.

In 2000, Kershaw’s Radio 1 show was discontinued amid a station revamp geared toward younger listeners, prompting his move to BBC Radio 3 in 2001. There, he continued to promote eclectic music choices until his departure in 2007. His broadcasting style—marked by a distinctive northern accent and outspoken personality—sometimes clashed with BBC management, but he maintained a dedicated following. Throughout his career, he received multiple Sony Radio Academy Awards in recognition of his work.

Beyond music, Kershaw was also a respected journalist and correspondent. He traveled extensively, reporting from conflict zones and cultural hotspots worldwide. Notable assignments included coverage of the 1994 Rwandan genocide and the civil war in Sierra Leone in 2001. He contributed to BBC Radio 4 programmes such as From Our Own Correspondent, Today, and The World Tonight. His radio diaries from North Korea were among the first recorded broadcasts from the isolated country.

Kershaw’s personal life was marked by difficulties. He was in a 17-year relationship with Juliette Banner, with whom he had two children. The couple lived on the Isle of Man before separating. Following the breakup, Kershaw was imprisoned in 2008 for breaching a restraining order related to his contact with Banner. Despite these challenges, he returned to broadcasting, hosting BBC’s Music Planet in 2010 and briefly returning to Radio 3 in 2020 with The Kershaw Tapes. In later years, he also created a self-titled podcast featuring musical guests such as Robyn Hitchcock and Martin Carthy.

His sister, Liz Kershaw, also a veteran broadcaster, described him as her "best friend" and expressed gratitude for the outpouring of support following his death. Friends and colleagues remembered him for his enthusiasm, sharp wit, and passionate commitment to music. Prior to his passing, Kershaw maintained a wry sense of humor, telling friends and fans that he was “determined not to die before Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Ant and Dec.” Andy Kershaw’s death marks the loss of a distinctive voice who shaped British music broadcasting and championed global artistic diversity over several decades.