Andy Kane was transformed into television’s best known DIY man by sheer chance. He was busy using his years of training and skills as a carpenter and joiner on a job at the home of a BBC designer when she invited him to take part in a new series. Her producer was looking for a general handyman, to appear alongside Carol Smillie and a team of interior designers. Andy thought she wanted him to build the scenery!
The programme was BBC2’s top rated CHANGING ROOMS series, which later moved to BBC1 and was one of the channels most popular programmes, winning awards and always on the top of the viewing charts with Andy as a permanent member of the team.
The name “Handy Andy” was his wife’s idea.
View Andy’s fun filled video shot in Blackpool, and we hope that you will enjoy it as much as he enjoyed making it
His down to earth approach and South London banter has led to him providing advice on basic tasks around the home in ONE TO THREE on Sky One. He also recorded two series of the popular BBC1 daytime show, CHANGE THAT, where he turned designers’ ideas into reality in a round the country DIY roadshow.
He also turned his talents to helping out the residents of Liverpool ’s most famous close, Brookside . In A CLOSE GUIDE TO… on Discovery Home and Leisure, Andy dropped into the “homes” of the residents and showed them how to do typical DIY tasks, along with hints and tips.
Andy became the main presenter on the popular UK Style channel series of programmes ROOM RIVALS, where he encouraged top designers to compete with each other transforming peoples homes, and GARDEN RIVALS, doing exactly the same but this time with gardens.
Following a successful maths series on BBC2 for CBBC Education, Andy was chosen to present a new series of programmes called WEATHER,PLACE and PEOPLE, which involved Andy visiting Worldwide destinations with extreme weather conditions.
More recently Andy presented a series of programmes for LIVING TV called HOW TO INCREASE YOUR HOUSE PRICE BY £10K. The series was so successful that it was commissioned for second series and has also been shown on BBC America.
In the Corporate Market Andy is very much in demand for Personal Appearances, Award Ceremonies and Training Events .
Very much in demand, Andy has also guested on the following programmes: –
BBC1 – WATCHDOG VALUE FOR MONEY, HOLIDAY, ALL OVER THE SHOP, THE NATIONAL LOTTERY BIG TICKET, THE GENERATION GAME, FULLY BOOKED, NOEL’S CHRISTMAS PRESENTS, THE WEIGHT OF THE NATION, CHILDREN IN NEED, SUBZERO, IT’S ONLY TV BUT I LIKE IT, CELEBRITY THE OTHER HALF, CELEBRITY FRIENDS LIKE THESE, A QUESTION OF TV, CELEBRITY DOG EAT DOG, ROLF’S CHRISTMAS PRESENTS, BLUE PETER, REMOTELY FUNNY, THE JOY OF HOME.
BBC2 – AWASH WITH COLOUR
ITV – THE BRIAN CONLEY SHOW, MAD 4 IT, WIN LOSE OR DRAW, ESTHER.
Channel 4 – THE VIBE
Channel 5 – NIGHT FEVER, OPEN HOUSE, FORT BOYARD , LIGHT LUNCH.
GMTV – HANDY ANDY’S DIY TIPS
Andy is always pushing himself to extremes and really likes a challenge, this was recently borne out when he appeared as one of the celebrity contestants learning death defying stunts on Sky One’s Cirque De Celebrite series.