BBC confirms it won’t broadcast Glastonbury Festival headliner’s set live 

The BBC has confirmed it will not show Neil Young’s headline set at Glastonbury Festival live ‘at the artist’s request’.

The 79-year-old is due to perform on the Pyramid Stage at Worthy Farm on Saturday night with his band the Chrome Hearts.

Tongues had been set wagging after Young was absent from the BBC’s initial coverage schedule published on Tuesday, and after previous comments from the artist about the broadcaster.

A BBC spokesperson said: ‘On Saturday on BBC iPlayer, our Glastonbury Channel and five streams for the main stages will bring a range of live performances to audiences.

‘At the artist’s request, we won’t be live streaming Neil Young’s set. Our plans, including those for our TV highlights shows and on-demand coverage, continue to be finalised right up to and during the festival.’

The singer, who began his career in the 1960s with the band Buffalo Springfield, previously said he had initially turned down the offer to perform at the festival, saying it was ‘under corporate control’ of the BBC in a message on his website.

But Young later backtracked and was announced as one of the headliners, saying he had ‘always loved’ the event and he was looking forward to performing.

Young is best known for songs such as Rockin’ In The Free World, Cinnamon Girl and Like A Hurricane, and albums such as Zuma, Harvest and After The Gold Rush.

Elsewhere at Glastonbury Festival, founder Sir Michael Eavis has said people who do not agree with the politics of the event ‘can go somewhere else’.

Sir Michael, 89, and his daughter, organiser Emily Eavis, opened the gates to the festival on Wednesday morning and could be seen counting down and cheering as a brass band played.

The festival has always had a political element to it with stages such as Left Field and Green Fields’ Speakers Forum welcoming politicians, pundits and celebrities to speak on topics ranging from feminism to fascism.

Asked if the event still stands for something, Sir Michael told Glastonbury Free Press, the festival’s resident newspaper: ‘Oh heaven’s above, yes, of course it does.

‘And I think the people that come here are into all those things. People that don’t agree with the politics of the event can go somewhere else!’

Sir Michael, who has used a wheelchair to get around the festival in recent years, said he still gets “really excited” for the five-day celebration of performing arts and music, though he can “no longer run around like I used to”.

He told the paper: “I still take a lot of pleasure from all of it. I’m enjoying every day.

“And Emily is doing so well. I’m just feeling really safe with the show being in her hands.”

This year’s line-up features a number of acts listed as TBA, as well as a mysterious act called Patchwork, who will take to the Pyramid Stage on Saturday.

Among the music stars rumoured to be performing a secret set is New Zealand singer Lorde whose fourth studio album, Virgin, is set for release on Friday.

The pop star, 28, posted a picture of Woodsies stage to her Instagram story on Thursday, fuelling speculation that she could be the act listed as ‘TBA’ slated to perform on the stage at 11.30am on Friday morning.

Festivalgoers have been pouring into the festival since it opened on Wednesday, and those who took the 12.35pm train from London Paddington to Somerset on Thursday were treated to an acoustic set from singer Sam Ryder who got out a guitar to sing What’s Up? by 4 Non Blondes.

Ryder, 36, who came second during the 2022 Eurovision Song Contest when he represented the UK, is playing the Avalon Stage on Sunday at 7.50pm.

This year’s event will also see headline performances from British pop band The 1975 and US pop star Olivia Rodrigo.

Performing in the coveted Sunday teatime legends slot this year is Sir Rod Stewart, who previously said he will be joined by his former Faces band member Ronnie Wood, as well as some other guests.

His performance is to come after the Maggie May singer postponed a string of concerts in the US, due to take place this month, while he recovered from flu.

Among the acts expected to draw large crowds this year is alternative pop star Charli XCX, who will perform songs from her genre-defining sixth studio album Brat.

She is performing on Saturday night on the Other Stage, 15 minutes before the West Holts stage is graced by US rapper Doechii, another artist who has exploded in popularity in the last year.

Other performers include Irish rap trio Kneecap, viral TikTok sensation CMAT, Prada singer Raye, US musician Brandi Carlile, Nile Rodgers and Chic, hip-hop star Loyle Carner, US pop star Gracie Abrams, indie outfit Wet Leg, Mercury Prize-winning jazz quintet Ezra Collective, US rapper Denzel Curry, and rising star Lola Young.

This year, the BBC will provide livestreams of the five main stages – Pyramid, Other, West Holts, Woodsies and The Park.

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