Andy Kershaw: my heroes and heroines Fisk has the courage to stand up to the tyranny of presumed consensus, usually in his reporting of the conduct of Israel. Fisk really lives it, and he didn't move out of Beirut, even when the civil war was at its worst. Peter has organised Scarborough's twice-yearly motorcycle races since 1972. He also gave me one of my earliest breaks when I was 16: putting a photo I had taken on the cover of a race programme. Jim Redman Not only was he a six-time world motorcycle champion, but he had an amazing life pre-racing. Orphaned at the end of the Second World War, aged 16, he got on a cargo ship to South Africa with £5, found work and sent money back to his siblings. He's now a surrogate grandfather to my children and, at the age of 80, still throws his leg over racing bikes. Silly old bugger. John Walters The Radio 1 producer I shared with John Peel was the true genius behind our shows. He was also the funniest man I have ever met. "No Off Switch" by Andy Kershaw is out now (Virgin Books, £8.99)