LONDON, May 28 — The 50th anniversary edition of the Glastonbury festival was set to take place June 24-28 at its usual home of Worthy Farm in Somerset.
Although the renowned festival has since been cancelled as a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the BBC has announced extensive broadcast plans to bring the spirit of Glastonbury to viewers at home.
This special programming will include full-length performances and interviews as well as a bonus-filled airing of Julien Temple’s 2006 documentary, Glastonbury, in which the English filmmaker celebrates the history of the British festival through concert footage, archive and home video collected from attendees.
While Paul McCartney, Kendrick Lamar and Taylor Swift will not headline this year’s festival, fans will have the opportunity to discover full sets from the likes of Beyoncé, Adele, Amy Winehouse, Jay-Z, Billie Eilish, REM and Coldplay.
David Bowie’s headlining performance from the year 2000 will also air in its entirety for the very first time on television, along with memorable appearances from Lady Gaga, Dizzee Rascal, Toots and the Maytals, Arctic Monkeys and the Rolling Stones.
The full-length sets will be broadcast across three 90-minute television specials, which will air on BBC Two throughout the weekend of June 26.
BBC Two will also dedicate a special programme to Glastonbury’s famous Sunday afternoon Legends slot, which will air on June 28 in lieu of Diana Ross’s now-cancelled performance on the Pyramid Stage.
Meanwhile, BBC Four will broadcast three additional programmes dedicated to some of the best acoustic performances that have been filmed during the broadcaster’s 23-year partnership with Glastonbury.
Among them are sets by Ed Sheeran, Dua Lipa, Kano, Leon Bridges, Patti Smith, Richie Havens and Youssou N’Dour.
Additionally, BBC iPlayer will offer access to over 60 on-demand sets from past editions of Glastonbury, including those by Florence and the Machine, Christine and the Queens, Lana Del Rey, Lewis Capaldi and Radiohead.
“There are so many memorable sets being played across the BBC over what would have been our 50th anniversary weekend. Personally, I’m looking forward to a weekend of reflecting on the history of our festival and going back to some classic performances from David Bowie, Adele, REM, Beyoncé, the Rolling Stones, Jay-Z, Billie Eilish and lots more. Me and my dad will definitely be watching,” Emily Eavis, who is the daughter of Glastonbury founder Michael Eavis, said in a statement. — AFP-Relaxnews
