Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Andy Kershaw has confirmed he is battling cancer that has affected his spine and left him unable to walk.
The broadcaster, 66, was diagnosed last August and is currently undergoing treatment, including chemotherapy, radiotherapy and physiotherapy.
His friend and podcast producer, Peter Everett, shared the update on Facebook this week, explaining why no new episodes of The Andy Kershaw Podcast have been released in recent months.
“Although we’ve not been able to put together any podcasts in the last six months, we are very grateful to all the patrons and supporters who have stuck with us,” Everett wrote, adding that Kershaw has faced “a lot of scans and painkillers”.
Despite his condition, Kershaw said he remains positive and hopes to return to broadcasting.
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“I am in good spirits, feeling very positive and planning another podcast,” he said.
“I am determined not to die before Benjamin Netanyahu, Vladimir Putin, Donald Trump and Ant’n’Dec. That should keep me going for a while.”
Everett said the many messages of support sent to the veteran broadcaster have been “hugely appreciated”.
Kershaw rose to fame in the 1980s after joining BBC Two’s The Old Grey Whistle Test before landing his own show on BBC Radio 1, which he presented for 15 years. He also co-presented the BBC’s television coverage of Live Aid in 1985.
In later years, he worked for BBC Radio 3 and Radio 4, reporting on major global events, and went on to launch The Andy Kershaw Podcast in 2021.
The last episode of the podcast was released in June 2025, with a new edition planned but no release date yet announced.