Andrews was born in Synge Street, Dublin, Ireland, the same street in which playwright George Bernard Shaw was born. He began his career as an amateur boxer and went on to be a sports commentator on Radio Éireann. In 1950, he began presenting programmes for the BBC and soon moved on to become one of television's most popular presenters. Series with which he was associated included:
Eamonn Andrews is also the name of a linking composition by the 1970s British avant-rock band Soft Machine. It was named after Eamonn because it was an off-the-cuff link between unrelated pieces in their live sets. Over time, it came into its own as a major part of the live Soft Machine repetoire.