Radio 3 recruits Kershaw

Kershaw (left) is credited with boosting world music's profile

Former Radio 1 DJ Andy Kershaw is joining Radio 3 as it expands its coverage of world music.

Kershaw was dropped by Radio 1 in May after 14 years with the station, and he had been tipped to join Radio 2.

But Radio 3's controller Roger Wright has recruited him to contribute to a new show, World Routes.

Kershaw said: "I imagine I'll be coming in once a month with a bunch of popular records, just as I've always done."

Andy Kershaw was with Radio 1 for 14 years

He will be providing regular updates on world music during the show, which starts on 24 September and is hosted by Lucy Duran.

Kershaw - credited with single-handedly raising the profile of world music through his Radio 1 shows - was persuaded to join after having lunch with Mr Wright.

"What convinced me is when he said, 'I want Radio 3 to be more than a classical music station,'" he explained.

'Natural part' of Radio 3

"But the main thing that drew me was when he said, 'What I like about your Radio 1 show is that I never know what's coming next.'

"I thought, this man thinks the same way as I do about music radio. That idea, that you don't know what's coming next, was exactly what the Radio 1 controller hated about my programme."

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Mr Wright said world music was "a perfectly natural part" of Radio 3, which has won acclaim for the eclectic music programme Late Junction.

The station will broadcast the Womad world music festival from Reading next Friday, while music from around the globe is also part of this year's Proms.

Mr Wright also announced that controversial playwright Mark Ravenhill has been commissioned to write a production for Radio 3.

The as-yet-untitled work will form part of a season of new pieces called The Wire.

His best known works have included portrayals and explicit references to sexual acts, as well as characters like drug addicts and prostututes.

Mr Wright said his work would not be bleeped out, but there would be warnings about the content if there was a large number of expletives.

"If you commission writers you want them to be themselves, not tell them how to write," he said.

A show aimed at children is also part of Radio 3's new line-up, hosted by Blue Peter presenters Matt Baker and Simon Thomas.

The new programmes come as Radio 3 promotes itself as a champion of all forms of arts and culture, rather than just classical music.