Latest news with #MyTopTwelve
The Guardian
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Andy Peebles, former Radio 1 DJ and presenter, dies aged 76
Andy Peebles, the former Radio 1 DJ and presenter who was one of the last people to interview John Lennon, has died aged 76, his family has confirmed. Peebles began his radio career in Manchester in 1973 and joined Radio 1 in 1978, where he was a familiar voice for 14 years. His friend and former colleague Mike Read said on X that he was 'devastated' to hear the news. 'We joined Radio 1 together. Knew his music and cricket inside out. 'Raise your bat and enjoy a long rest in the pavilion.' Read posted a recent picture of him having lunch with Peebles and fellow former Radio 1 DJs Dave Lee Travis and Adrian Juste. Tony Blackburn, the first DJ to be heard on Radio 1 when it launched in 1967, posted: 'So sorry to hear that fellow DJ from Radio 1 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.' Peebles said the highlight of his career was interviewing Lennon in 1980, although it was bittersweet because, two days later, the former Beatle was dead after being shot by Mark Chapman. The interview lasted three hours and 22 minutes, Peebles later recalled. 'It is a staggeringly long time to actually talk to somebody and that was all down to him.' Peebles' final question was about how safe Lennon felt living in New York. Lennon suggested he felt very safe as he could easily walk down the street and go to movies and restaurants, whereas in London he 'couldn't walk round the block'. Peebles, in an interview with RTÉ to mark the 40th anniversary of Lennon's death, recalled going for dinner with him at Mr Chow's in Manhattan after the interview. The whole restaurant turned their heads. Lennon put his arm around Peebles' shoulder and said: 'They're all saying who the bleep is that with Andy Peebles?' Born in 1948, he began working as a club DJ in the 1960s before joining BBC Radio Manchester in 1973 and then helping to found Manchester's Piccadilly Radio, where he presented his weekly Soul Train programme. He joined BBC Radio 1 in 1978 and presented a variety of programmes including a soul show and My Top Twelve, in which music stars would choose their favourite records and talk about their life and career. Peebles also presented 15 episodes of Top of the Pops and a number of Radio 1 roadshows. After Radio 1, Peebles had stints at Manchester's Smooth FM and London's 102.2 Jazz FM, and was inducted into the Radio Academy's hall of fame in 2011.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former Radio 1 DJ Andy Peebles who first spun records in Bournemouth dies aged 76
Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Andy Peebles who first spun records when he was a catering student in Bournemouth has died aged 76, his family have confirmed. Peebles interviewed John Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono in New York for a radio series, two days before The Beatles star was shot dead aged 40 in 1980. Peebles was studying hotel management at Bournemouth College when another former student of the college, Tony Blackburn, played the first record on Radio 1. Speaking to the Echo in 2017, he said he had enjoyed a 'massive love affair' with Bournemouth since 1955. He said: 'When I came to Bournemouth in 1967 to go to college, it was my intention to do a four-year higher national diploma in hotel management. I suppose in the back of my mind I had dreams of managing a hotel like the Carlton on the East Cliff, or better still the Savoy or the Dorchester in London. 'I then got side-tracked as a DJ.' He played records at Samantha's in Poole Hill and left college after one year to focus on DJing. He then earned a job on BBC Radio 1 in the 1970s hosting daytime programmes and hosted the station's shows such as My Top Twelve and Soul Train along with Top Of The Pops. He began his broadcasting career in Manchester and joined Radio 1 in 1978, interviewing Sir Paul McCartney multiple times, Sir Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel. He also deputised as presenter of the Top 40 show at a time when it commanded almost 25million listeners. Peebles left the BBC in the 1990s and went on to Global's classic station Gold Radio. Fellow veteran DJ Tony Blackburn, a BBC Radio 2 presenter, wrote 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.' Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Mike Read, who says he had lunch with Peebles recently, wrote on X that he was 'devastated' by the news. He added: 'He was about to join us at Heritage (Radio). 'We joined Radio 1 together. Knew his music and cricket inside out. 'Raise your bat and enjoy a long rest in the pavilion.' Peebles also had stints at Manchester's Smooth FM and London's 102.2 Jazz FM, and was inducted into the Radio Academy's Hall of Fame in 2011. His wife Ann confirmed Peebles died on Saturday.
Telegraph
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Andy Peebles dies
Andy Peebles, the former BBC Radio 1 DJ, has died aged 76. His wife Ann confirmed he died on Saturday. The presenter was John Lennon's final interviewer, speaking to The Beatles star and Yoko Ono, his wife, in New York for a radio series just two days before the singer was shot dead in 1980 at the age of 40. Peebles began working as a club DJ in the 1960s before joining regional station Piccadilly Radio in Manchester. He went on to join BBC Radio 1 in 1978, where he presented the station's Monday to Thursday evening show. The presenter later hosted shows including My Top Twelve, Soul Train and Top of the Pops. Peebles left the BBC in the 1990s and joined Gold Radio, an 'oldie' classic radio station. His last television appearance was on CBS, the US network, in 2020. Fellow DJs pay tribute Tony Blackburn, the veteran BBC Radio 2 presenter, wrote on social media: 'So sorry to hear that fellow DJ from Radio 1 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.' Mike Read, another former BBC Radio 1 DJ, said he had lunch with Peebles recently and had been left 'devastated' by the news. He added: 'He was about to join us at Heritage [Radio]. We joined Radio 1 together. Knew his music and cricket inside out. Raise your bat and enjoy a long rest in the pavilion.' John Simons, a radio executive, said he was 'so sad'. He added: '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.' Peebles, who also had stints at Manchester's Smooth FM and London's 102.2 Jazz FM, was inducted into The Radio Academy's Hall of Fame in 2011. A new documentary about John Lennon's final years, called Borrowed Time: Lennon's Last Decade, will feature Peebles when it is released in cinemas later this year.
The Independent
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Former Radio 1 DJ Andy Peebles, last interviewer of John Lennon, dies aged 76
Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Andy Peebles, the final interviewer of John Lennon, has died aged 76, his family have confirmed. He interviewed Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono in New York for a radio series, two days before The Beatles star was shot dead aged 40 in 1980. Peebles began working as a club DJ in the 1960s before joining local station Piccadilly Radio in Manchester. He then earned a job on BBC Radio 1 in the 1970s hosting daytime programmes and hosted the station's shows such as My Top Twelve and Soul Train along with Top Of The Pops. Peebles left the BBC in the 1990s and went on to Global's classic station Gold Radio. Fellow veteran DJ Tony Blackburn, a BBC Radio 2 presenter, wrote 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.' Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Mike Read, who says he had lunch with Peebles recently, wrote on X that he was 'devastated' by the news. He added: 'He was about to join us at Heritage (Radio). 'We joined Radio 1 together. Knew his music and cricket inside out. 'Raise your bat and enjoy a long rest in the pavilion.' Peebles also had stints at Manchester's Smooth FM and London's 102.2 Jazz FM, and was inducted into the Radio Academy's Hall of Fame in 2011. His wife Ann confirmed Peebles died on Saturday.
Yahoo
23-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Former Radio 1 DJ Andy Peebles, last interviewer of John Lennon, dies aged 76
Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Andy Peebles, the final interviewer of John Lennon, has died aged 76, his family have confirmed. He interviewed Lennon and his wife Yoko Ono in New York for a radio series, two days before The Beatles star was shot dead aged 40 in 1980. Peebles began working as a club DJ in the 1960s before joining local station Piccadilly Radio in Manchester. He then earned a job on BBC Radio 1 in the 1970s hosting daytime programmes and hosted the station's shows such as My Top Twelve and Soul Train along with Top Of The Pops. Peebles left the BBC in the 1990s and went on to Global's classic station Gold Radio. Fellow veteran DJ Tony Blackburn, a BBC Radio 2 presenter, wrote 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.' Former BBC Radio 1 DJ Mike Read, who says he had lunch with Peebles recently, wrote on X that he was 'devastated' by the news. 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. — Mike Read (@MikeReadUK) March 23, 2025 He added: 'He was about to join us at Heritage (Radio). 'We joined Radio 1 together. Knew his music and cricket inside out. 'Raise your bat and enjoy a long rest in the pavilion.' Peebles also had stints at Manchester's Smooth FM and London's 102.2 Jazz FM, and was inducted into the Radio Academy's Hall of Fame in 2011. His wife Ann confirmed Peebles died on Saturday.
