Tributes paid to Piccadilly Radio legend Andy Peebles after death aged 76

Yahoo

23-03-2025

Tributes have been paid to Piccadilly Radio legend Andy Peebles who has died at the age of 76.
Andy began his career in 1973 at BBC Radio Manchester. He then went on to help found Piccadilly Radio, before joining Radio 1 in 1978.
He later hosted 15 editions of Top of the Pops. Andy, a keen Manchester City fan who was once the PA announcer at Maine Road, was also an acclaimed cricket commentator.
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Fellow radio presenter Mike Read shared the sad news on X this morning, the Mirror reports, writing: "Devastated to hear the news about our chum Andy Peebles. He was about to join us at Heritage. We joined Radio One together. Knew his music & cricket inside out. Raise your bat & enjoy a long rest in the pavilion. We lunched recently with DLT & Adrian Juste. Great innings."
Meanwhile, friend and radio executive John Simons wrote: "So sad to hear the news about Andy Peebles passing. I'll miss our long conversations about football and soul music, of which he was far more knowledgeable. There's going to be a Quiet Storm in heaven tonight. RIP Andy."
Fellow DJ Tony Blackburn said on X: "So sorry to hear that fellow DJ from radio1 when I was there Andy Peebles has passed away. He was a lovely man and a great broadcaster , very sad news. R.I.P. Andy."
Andy spoke to the Manchester Evening News in 2014 as part of celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of Piccadilly Radio. He recalled a controversial moment during the station's first day.
He said: 'I was asked who would be a good local celebrity to have on the station on opening day and I suggested Bernard Manning. He was on at lunchtime and I asked on air what he thought of the station so far.
'He leaned into the microphone and said: 'let me tell you son, it's ****ing ****. And yes, it made headlines.'
Andy added: 'I'm in my 42nd year of broadcasting, but being part of what came to be at Piccadilly was really one of the biggest thrills of my career. I owe Piccadilly a huge amount.'
Emotional tributes from fans began to flood in on social media after the announcement, with one writing: "Very sad news indeed."
Another said: "So, farewell Andy Peebles. Piccadilly Radio & BBC Radio 1. From those golden days when mainstream radio stations knew who their audience were."
A third wrote: "I've just heard the sad passing of Former Radio 1 DJ Andy Peebles. He famously was the last person to interview John Lennon hours before he was shot in New York and was also an Avid Lover of Soul Music! RIP Andy!"
One of Andy's career highlights was his interview with Beatles star John Lennon and Yoko Ono, which aired 6 December 1980 on BBC Radio 1. The chat proved to be John's last-ever radio interview before he was murdered two days later by Mark David Chapman in the doorway of his New York residence.
Speaking to CBS in 2020, Andy said of the interview: "I don't think I've ever been so nervous in my life and I'd grown-up not just idolising him but the group and everything they'd done.
"I felt like he was on top of everything. They seemed very, very happy."
Andy's last TV appearance was on CBS back in 2020, however he is due to appear in an upcoming documentary about John Lennon's last decade. Borrowed Time: Lennon's Last Decade is set to hit cinemas later this year. Aside from his career as a radio DJ, Andy was also a renowned cricket commentator, having regularly commentated fixtures for the BBC.