22 Facts About Andy Kershaw

Andrew J G Kershaw was born on 9 November 1959 and is an English broadcaster and disc jockey, predominantly on radio, and known for his interest in world music.

Andy Kershaw was born in Littleborough, Lancashire, on 9 November 1959.

Andy Kershaw left the Economics examination halfway into the allotted time to attend a Bob Dylan concert but still achieved a Grade A pass in the subject.

Andy Kershaw then studied politics at the University of Leeds from which he failed to graduate, his decision to apply for a place there being solely with an eye on the position of Entertainments Secretary for Leeds University Union.

Andy Kershaw was elected Entertainments Secretary in 1980, midway through his second year.

Andy Kershaw began work for Radio Aire as Promotions Manager, a position he used - with station presenter Martin Kelner - to ruthlessly promote the UK's third-largest town without city status, Northampton.

Andy Kershaw subsequently recorded a television interview with his hero Bob Dylan, and a loud session from the Ramones.

Andy Kershaw co-presented BBC television coverage of Live Aid in 1985.

In July 1985, Andy Kershaw began life as a BBC Radio 1 DJ, ear-marked by the station as a possible successor to John Peel.

Peel and Andy Kershaw discovered Zimbabwe's Bhundu Boys simultaneously; the band began to feature heavily on their playlists.

Andy Kershaw was the first to play Ali Farka Toure on mainstream national radio, and the documentary they made together in Mali was the first ever to be broadcast simultaneously on Radios 1 and 4.

Andy Kershaw then worked at BBC Radio 3 the following year, where he soon completed a musical tour of the so-called Axis of Evil: Iraq, North Korea and Iran.

From July 2007 Andy Kershaw was absent from his BBC Radio 3 show for an extended period, returning in 2011 with Music Planet, co-hosted with Lucy Duran.

In September 2020 Andy Kershaw returned on air on BBC Radio 3 presenting a two episode sunday feature, The Andy Kershaw Tapes.

Andy Kershaw has worked as a journalist for BBC Radio 4's From Our Own Correspondent, the Today programme and The World Tonight.

Andy Kershaw reported from the 1994 Rwanda's genocide, Angola's civil war in 1996, Sierra Leone in 2001 and repeatedly from Haiti.

Andy Kershaw covered the 2010 Red Shirt Revolution in Bangkok for The Independent.

In June 2005 Andy Kershaw criticised Bob Geldof over the choice of artists due to play at Live 8, which included few black performers and even fewer Africans.

Andy Kershaw has put together two compilations, Great Moments of Vinyl History and More Great Moments of Vinyl History, which document his wide musical taste.

Andy Kershaw had a 17-year relationship with Juliette Banner, with whom he has two children.

Andy Kershaw was arrested a few days after his release, and at the end of that year he was given a six-month suspended sentence.

In July 2003, Andy Kershaw was awarded an honorary doctorate of music by the University of East Anglia, and in 2005 he was similarly honoured by his old university, the University of Leeds.