Broadcaster Andy Kershaw dies aged 66 after cancer diagnosis

Andy Kershaw, a former BBC Radio 1 DJ and presenter known for his eclectic music taste and global conflict reporting, has died at the age of 66.

His family confirmed he passed away around 7:30pm BST on Thursday.

Kershaw had been diagnosed with cancer last August, which affected his spinal column and left him unable to walk.

Kershaw was a familiar voice on BBC Radio 1 for 15 years, from 1985 to 2000, and was also known for presenting the BBC's flagship rock programme The Old Grey Whistle Test.

He co-presented the BBC's television coverage of Live Aid in 1985, a major benefit concert that raised significant funds for Ethiopian famine relief.

During his career, Kershaw reported on major global conflicts for BBC Radio 4, including the 1994 Rwanda genocide and the civil war in Sierra Leone in 2001.

He also produced radio diaries from North Korea, among the first programmes recorded inside the country.

His work earned him multiple Sony Radio Academy Awards.

Kershaw's death is notable as he was a respected figure in British broadcasting, known for championing world music and bringing specialised genres to mainstream radio.

His career spanned nearly three decades at the BBC, where he was considered a potential successor to DJ John Peel.

Born in Rochdale in 1959, Kershaw began his career at Radio Aire in Leeds before joining the BBC in 1984.

He initially worked as a promotions manager and later became a roadie for singer Billy Bragg.

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