In his "Vibrazone" shows on Kiss FM he played acts as diverse as Josh Wink, Gang Starr and Horace Silver in the space of a single programme.

From 1998 to 2012, through his BBC show Worldwide – which was originally produced by longtime collaborator Benji B, Karen P (Folded Wing), Ben Cave, Beccy Grierson, Alex Kenning, and Dave O'Donnell – Peterson continued to present a wide range of music that may be new to its young audiences.

A new global music-radio platform named Worldwide FM was launched by Gilles Peterson in 2016 with Boiler Room co-founder Thristian Richards[7] in September 2016.

Following the success of the Grand Theft Auto V in-game radio station of the same name, WorldWide FM has expanded into the real world with Peterson and Richards hosting shows alongside a hand-picked roster of the finest DJs and selectors from five continents.

In autumn of 2022, the station went "in transit" powered by Peterson continuing to broadcast his regular Thursday morning Basement show augmented by guest slots, takeovers along the way.

[13] Playing alongside fellow London DJ Patrick Forge, the night, dubbed Talkin' Loud And Sayin' Something, ran for five years.

[14] In 1988, Peterson and Eddie Piller founded Acid Jazz Records, a label whose roster included the Brand New Heavies, Jamiroquai, Corduroy, the James Taylor Quartet and Snowboy.

The first release from Talkin' Loud was a self-titled compilation in 1990 featuring artists Galliano, Jalal of the Last Poets, Incognito, Young Disciples, Wild & Peaceful, and Ace of Clubs.

Travelling to Cuba in 2009, Peterson teamed up with the award-winning Cuban jazz pianist Roberto Fonseca to find the best up-and-coming musical talent in Havana.

The double CD album was a celebration of Cuba's musical forces spanning Latin, Afro jazz and fusion to hip-hop, funk, reggaeton and soul.

In support of this project, Peterson began a European tour in June/July 2010, accompanied by Fonseca, his band and vocalists Danay Suarez, Ogguere and Obsesión.

The Gilles Peterson Havana Cultura Band has now travelled through Europe and beyond with shows in London (Barbican), Paris, Amsterdam, Istanbul, Berlin and Madrid, as well as many festivals.

Travelling with the rest of the 2011 crew, Mala (Digital Mystikz) was also invited to Cuba with Peterson to record and collaborate with local musicians as part of the ongoing Havana Cultura project.

The film was also distributed in Tokyo, Japan by Sha-la-la Company and raised money for Fight For Peace (Luta Pela Paz), organisation founded in Complexo da Maré, Rio de Janeiro, as a direct response to youth-involvement in drug-related crime and violence.

In 2018, in partnership with Ed Wilson of Brawn and Mercati Generali - Peterson launched the Ricci Weekender in Catania, Sicily bringing together a unique mixture of music, DJs, food and wine which celebrated its 6th edition in 2024.

The event has been held at London venues including Cargo and KoKo with full broadcast coverage by Radio 1, and has expanded to include sections such as "Best Clubnight", "Best Record Shop", "Best Compilation Album", and a special award called "The John Peel 'Play More Jazz' Award" given to an artist, often a newcomer, who has displayed special noteworthy work over the year.

Peterson has made many regular appearances at music festivals across the world including Cross The Tracks, Lovebox in east London, The Big Chill in Hereford and the Southport Weekender[21][22] in the northwest of England.

He is a regular at New York's WinterJazz Festival where he fronted the BBC Introducing stage for a number of years and most recently curated a celebration of Jazz Dance at Brooklyn's Xanadu featuring Marshall Allen, Makaya McCraven, Emma-Jean Thackray, Kieran Hebden and many more.

Peterson was born in Caen, Normandy, France to a French mother and Swiss father and moved with his family to South London during childhood.