Former BBC Radio 1 DJ and presenter Andy Peebles has died, aged 76.
Peebles, who was one of the last people to interview John Lennon before the late Beatle‘s murder in 1980, hosted a number of shows on Top Of The Pops in the 1970s and 80s.
He was also one of the presenters to appear at Wembley Stadium for the legendary Live Aid concert in 1985, introducing artists including David Bowie and Spandau Ballet.
Former Radio 1 presenter Mike Read was one of the first to pay tribute to the late DJ and presenter.
He wrote: “Devastated to hear the news about our chum Andy Peebles. We joined Radio One together. Knew his music & cricket inside out. Raise your bat & enjoy a long rest in the pavilion.”
Tony Blackburn, the first DJ to be heard on Radio 1 when it launched in 1967, also 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.”
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. pic.twitter.com/I9IumRIrP4
— Mike Read (@MikeReadUK) March 23, 2025
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.
— Tony Blackburn OBE. (@tonyblackburn) March 23, 2025
Peebles began his broadcasting career at BBC Radio Manchester in 1973, before he moved to Radio 1 in 1978 where he spent the next 14 years.
It was during this tenure that Peebles interviewed John Lennon, two days before he was shot dead by Mark Chapman.
The interview lasted three hours and 22 minutes, with Peebles later recalling via The Guardian. “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. The late Beatle 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”.
Speaking on CBS about the interview with Lennon (via BBC News), Peebles also said: “I don’t think I’ve ever been so nervous in my life. I’d grown-up not just idolising him but the group [The Beatles] and everything they’d done.”
In 2020 a documentary focusing on Peebles’ interview called Lennon’s Last Weekend, was released on the 40th anniversary of his murder.