A RADIO producer who rubbed shoulders with musical greats like the Beatles and Stevie Wonder before moving to Dorset has died aged 76.

Bernie Andrews was born in August 1933 and grew up in South London, serving in the RAF during his national service.

He later worked as a telephone engineer for the Post Office before joining the BBC as a technical operator in 1957.

He later became a producer and had the Beatles on the Saturday Club on the Light Programme several times.

Mr Andrews often entertained the band at his flat in London and is credited by many as helping the group to reach their superstar status.

He also helped launch the career of late BBC DJ John Peel and current Radio One DJ Annie Nightingale.

Mr Andrews was a champion of John Peel’s Top Gear broadcasts and helped convince the BBC’s top brass to keep him on when they wanted to drop him.

Mr Andrews got himself into hot water with BBC bigwigs after broadcasting the Rolling Stones’ 1973 hit Star Star – complete with offensive lyrics.

He later got himself out of the situation by taking a straw poll of people, asking if they could hear the offensive language contained in the record and proving that most of them couldn’t.

Mr Andrews took early retirement in 1984 and split his retirement years between his home in Dorset and another in Spain.