IT’S hard to believe, but at the age of 68, Gloria Estefan, one of the biggest-selling and most-celebrated artists of all time, is marking her 50th year in music.
She has had a stellar career, racking up everything from a slew of Grammy awards to the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
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Gloria has recently released her album RaicesCredit: SuppliedThe star with The Sun’s HowellCredit: Supplied
But after her musician daughter Emily performed with Cyndi Lauper at Glastonbury last year, she now has one more thing she wants to strike off her bucket list – a major slot on the prestigious Pyramid Stage.
In an exclusive chat, she told Bizarre’s Howell: “It’s very exciting, big and complex from what I hear from Emily. Like, it was crazy. But that would be super exciting.
“If I’m still around, I would love to do that. Now, Glastonbury likes all kinds of artists.”
With hits like Rhythm Is Gonna Get You, Dr Beat and, of course, Conga, she would have plenty of songs to entertain Worthy Farm.
And she may soon be wowing even more viewers, with a big-budget biopic on the cards.
For the first time, she has confirmed Rachel Zegler, who shot to fame in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story, Disney’s Snow White and recently in Evita on the West End, is set to play her.
She said: “I think she’s awesome. I think she’s incredible. I know she’s killed it in Evita.
“We’re still working on the green light because we’re figuring out where to do it, how to do it.
“This has been in the works for quite a few years now. And that’s how it is. You work, you work, you work, and then all of a sudden, boom, the trigger’s pulled and you’ve got to do it right away. But she’s lovely.”
But asked if she thinks Rachel will take the part, she continued: “I think she would. I just need to offer her an actual part. So we need to be greenlit completely and we’re almost there.
“I met her by Zoom. She’s got a beautiful singing voice and she’s a great actor. So absolutely.”
It was originally claimed the film will be an adaptation of her 2015 jukebox musical On Your Feet! although that idea has changed.
The star explained: “The movie’s not going to be the show. There’s a lot in there.”
Gloria was born in Cuba but her family fled to the US during the Cuban Revolution and she has now become one of Miami’s most famous residents.
And as one of the city’s stars, she has become pals with David and Victoria Beckham, who have a home there and have become key to the area with Becks’ football team Inter Miami CF.
But it’s clear they all move in the upper echelons when Stateside.
In a major name drop when quizzed on hanging out with them, she said: “I’ve been at their home. It’s lovely. David is such a lovely man – and Victoria.
“We actually went to a dinner at their home and President Obama was there, and the head of Reddit, and Jeff Bezos. It was really cool.
“It was small, but only the most powerful people in that room. It was great.
“They’re very kind people. And he’s done amazing things for soccer or football, as you call it here.”
Gloria pictured in 1989Credit: Alamy
And there have been more Brits in Miami, with Dua Lipa performing there last month, when she covered Gloria’s 1985 hit Conga.
“I was so sad that I wasn’t in town,” Gloria said.
“She had invited me to go and do that with her. And I love her. I’m a big fan of Dua Lipa. And that’s the sexiest conga you’re ever going to see, hands down.”
After such an illustrious career, she recently released her 30th album Raíces, which is largely Spanish-language escapism and the perfect soundtrack for a soiree or relaxing evening in.
And it was her husband of 47 years, producer Emilio, who made it happen.
Gloria, who was writing another musical at the time, explained how the salsa record poured out of him.
She added: “It’s got beautiful, romantic ballads. Emilio said, ‘I wrote you a love song’. I go, ‘Babe, you’re going to sing it?’.
He goes, ‘No, you’re going to sing it for me’.”
Charming.
And as for retirement after five decades in the game? Don’t count on it.
She giggled: “In ten years time, I hope to still be alive. That’s my first plan. Who knows?
“I only choose what I really, really want to give my time to. It’s just that. I had all these amazing opportunities. And they just converged this year.”
The singer has become pals with David and Victoria BeckhamCredit: Getty
Kristen chilled Water
Kristen Stewart showed off a stark fringe and bare legs as she left a screening of her new filmCredit: Splash
KRISTEN STEWART didn’t let the falling temperatures bother her as she headed out in this white mini-dress.
The Twilight actress showed off a stark fringe and bare legs as she left a screening of her new film The Chronology Of Water at the Curzon Mayfair on Thursday night.
It was part of the BFI London Film Festival and the movie, an adaptation of US writer Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir, is her directorial debut.
Lily ‘cheat’ pain
Singing star Lily Allen is about to make a return with her fifth albumCredit: Getty
LILY ALLEN has confirmed my story that she is about to make a return with her fifth album.
And on it, she seemingly accuses ex-husband David Harbour of cheating on her.
But things crumbled last year, with the relationship inspiring the latest record which is expected to be released imminently.
A new interview with Lily came out in Vogue magazine yesterday.
It features lyrics from two tracks that suggest David romanced other women while they were together and the pair then decided to “open” their marriage.
On one song, Sleepwalking, Lily sings: “You let me think it was me in my head, and nothing to do with them girls in your bed.”
On another, called Dallas Major, she reveals: “You know I used to be quite famous, that was way back in the day.
“I probably should explain how my marriage has been open since my husband went astray.”
And Lily didn’t hold back in her interview, either.
She told the magazine: “I’ve had real problems with my food over the past few years.
She added that during their break-up “it got really, really, really bad”.
Lily, who is sober, said: “The feelings of despair that I was experiencing were so strong.
“The last time I felt anything like that, drugs and alcohol were my way out, so it was excruciating to sit with those [feelings] and not use them.”
KYLIE JENNER says being a pop star is her lifelong dream – despite being mocked this week when she sang on Terror JR’s new song Fourth Strike.
Having just started singing under the name King Kylie, she said: “You know this is my dream. I’ve been talking about this since I came out of the womb… that like I wanted to be a pop star.
“I just never had the confidence or… I think turning 28 just does something to you. Like I’m going to be 30 soon and I don’t want to look back on life and have any regrets.
“This is something I’ve always wanted to try.”
JENNIFER LOPEZ is up for returning to the Super Bowl stage in February – six years after her stellar half-time show with Shakira.
The singer, whose parents are from Puerto Rico, waved the country’s flag during her performance and next year will see rapper Bad Bunny, who is from there, playing the show.
Quizzed on US TV whether they could do something together there, she said there had been “no talk” of a collaboration but that she would be open to it.
She said: “There’s no talk. I have not gotten any calls. So I just want to put the expectation down. But of course if he wanted me to do something, I would definitely do it.”
Crouchy Enter the Dragon
Abbey Clancy and Peter Crouch have been filling their home with pets, pictured with their four childrenCredit: instagram
ABBEY CLANCY and Peter Crouch are slowly turning their home into a zoo – and the next animal they are adding is a bearded dragon.
The couple, who live in Surrey with their four children, already own two dogs, cats and a horse but now they are adding reptiles to the menagerie.
Crouchy says they are getting the reptile, which is native to Australia, because their son is desperate for one as a pet.
As well as the lizard, Abbey wants to also get lambs and chickens.
Peter said: “The more animals the better, apparently. Bearded dragons are next on the horizon. My little boy has wanted one for years. They’re actually all right. I thought it would be a nightmare, but I’ve been down the shop and held them.
“We’re actually going to get one. They grow to be quite big but they’re quite chilled.”
Michael makes big money
MICHAEL McINTYRE’s firm raked in more than £3.2million last year – making him one of the biggest earners on TV.
He had another stellar year presenting Saturday-night series Michael McIntyre’s Big Show and quiz The Wheel.
The comedian’s TV production firm Hungry McBear paid £805,000 in corporation tax in its last financial year up to December 31.
The BBC issued a formal apology after broadcasting a controversial performance from the rap-punk group Bob Vylan at England’s Glastonbury festival.
Bob Vylan — outspoken critics of Israel’s war on Gaza — led its crowd at last weekend’s festival in a chant of “Death to the IDF,” or Israel Defense Forces.
The BBC’s director- general Tim Davie wrote to staff in an internal memo on Thursday. “I deeply regret that such offensive and deplorable behavior appeared on the BBC and want to say sorry — to our audience and to all of you, but in particular to Jewish colleagues and the Jewish community,” Davie said. “We are unequivocal that there can be no place for antisemitism at the BBC.”
The broadcaster announced several policy changes for future festival broadcasts, including keeping “high risk” acts off live broadcasts and live streams.
Bob Vylan’s set led to some backlash within the music industry and beyond. The comments prompted local police to open a criminal investigation, and the band’s U.S. visas were revoked for its upcoming performances. The band’s agency, UTA, reportedly dropped them as well.
The band’s singer, who performs as Bobby Vylan, wrote on Instagram after the set that “teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place,” adding, “Let them see us marching in the streets, campaigning on ground level, organising online and shouting about it on any and every stage that we are offered.”
The Northern Irish rap trio Kneecap, a fellow Glastonbury performer, has also come under scrutiny for its outspoken criticism of Israel’s war on Gaza. The band’s Glastonbury set was not broadcast live. The group’s Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, who performs as Mo Chara, had been charged with supporting a proscribed organization for allegedly waving a flag from the terror group Hezbollah at a London concert in 2024 (Chara denied the charge). U.K. prosecutors also recently dropped charges against Kneecap after a 2023 concert where Chara allegedly said, “The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.”
The BBC had deemed Bob Vylan “high risk” before their controversial Glastonbury set, the corporation has said.
The punk duo led a chant of “death, death to the IDF [Israel Defence Forces]” during their set, which was available to watch via a live stream on iPlayer on Saturday.
In a statement, the BBC said the corporation is taking action to “ensure proper accountability” for those found to be responsible for the broadcast.
BBC News understands that a number of staff have been moved off their day-to-day duties from the music and live events team.
BBC chair Samir Shah said the decision not to pull the live feed was “unquestionably an error of judgement”.
The BBC said it would be making “immediate changes to livestreaming music events”.
In future, it said: “Any music performances deemed high risk by the BBC will now not be broadcast live or streamed live.”
After the broadcast, the BBC was criticised by the UK’s chief rabbi Sir Ephraim Mirvis, while media regulator Ofcom said the BBC had “questions to answer”.
In a statement to staff on Thursday, director general Tim Davie said he “deeply regrets that such offensive and deplorable behaviour appeared on the BBC and want to apologise to our viewers and listeners and in particular the Jewish community”.
The BBC said Bob Vylan had been “deemed high risk following a risk assessment process applied to all acts appearing at Glastonbury”.
“Seven acts including Bob Vylan were included in this category and they were all deemed suitable for live streaming with appropriate mitigations.”
The statement continued: “Prior to Glastonbury, a decision was taken that compliance risks could be mitigated in real time on the live stream – through the use of language or content warnings – without the need for a delay. This was clearly not the case.”
The BBC noted the live stream was monitored “in line with the agreed compliance protocols and a number of issues were escalated”.
Warnings appeared on the stream on two occasions, but, he added: “The editorial team took the decision not to cut the feed. This was an error.”
Davie, who was attending Glastonbury himself on the day, was “subsequently made aware of what had happened and instructed the team that none of the performance should feature in further coverage”.
The BBC said the team on duty prioritised stopping the performance from becoming available on demand, meaning that the set would not appear on iPlayer or BBC Sounds.
However, the live feed remained available for several hours, meaning viewers were able to rewind and view the content.
“Given the failings that have been acknowledged, we are taking actions to ensure proper accountability for those found to be responsible for those failings in the live broadcast,” the BBC said. “We will not comment further on those processes at this time.”
In a statement, BBC chair Samir Shah apologised “to all our viewers and listeners and particularly the Jewish community for allowing the ‘artist’ Bob Vylan to express unconscionable anti-semitic views live on the BBC”.
“This was unquestionably an error of judgement. I was very pleased to note that as soon as this came to the notice of Tim Davie – who was on the Glastonbury site at the time visiting BBC staff – he took immediate action and instructed the team to withdraw the performance from on demand coverage.”
Since Glastonbury, Bob Vylan have had several bookings cancelled, including festival appearances in Manchester and France and a slot in Germany.
Avon and Somerset Police have launched a criminal investigation into their Glastonbury comments.
On Wednesday, London’s Metropolitan Police said the band are also under investigation for comments they allegedly made during a concert at Alexandra Palace in May.
During their Glastonbury set, Bob Vylan’s singer Pascal Robinson-Foster, who performs under the name Bobby Vylan, also spoke about a record label boss he used to work for.
That boss would “speak very strongly about his support for Israel”, and had put his name to a letter urging Glastonbury to cancel Irish-language rap trio Kneecap’s performance, the musician said.
“Who do I see on that list of names but that bald-headed [expletive] I used to work for. We’ve done it all, all right? From working in bars to working for [expletive] Zionists.”
In a statement, posted on Instagram on Tuesday, Bob Vylan said: “We are not for the death of Jews, Arabs or any other race or group of people. We are for the dismantling of a violent military machine”.
They added that “we, like those in the spotlight before us, are not the story. We are a distraction from the story, and whatever sanctions we receive will be a distraction”.
British police have announced that the weekend performances by rap-punk duo Bob Vylan and the Irish-language band Kneecap at the Glastonbury Festival are subject to a criminal investigation after they led crowds in chants calling for “death” to the Israeli military and a “free Palestine”.
Police on Monday said the performances at the United Kingdom’s largest summer music festival “have been recorded as a public order incident”.
Rapper Bobby Vylan, who until the weekend was relatively unknown, led crowds in chants of “free, free Palestine” and “death, death” to the Israeli military.
The BBC said it regretted livestreaming the performance and it should have pulled it off the air.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and other UK politicians condemned the chants, saying there was no excuse for such “appalling hate speech”. Starmer added that the BBC must explain “how these scenes came to be broadcast”.
Ofcom, the broadcasting regulator, said it was “very concerned” about the BBC livestream and said the broadcaster “clearly has questions to answer”.
Meanwhile, the United States Department of State said it has revoked the visas for Bob Vylan to perform in the US after its “hateful tirade at Glastonbury”.
“Foreigners who glorify violence and hatred are not welcome visitors to our country,” US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau said in a social media post.
Israel’s genocidal assault in Gaza has inflamed tensions around the world, triggering pro-Palestinian protests in many capitals and on college campuses. Israel and some of its supporters have described the protests as anti-Semitic while critics said Israel uses such descriptions to silence its opponents.
Glastonbury Festivalgoers watch as Kneecap performs in Pilton, Somerset, England [Jaimi Joy/Reuters]
While maintaining a crippling siege on the bombarded enclave, Israeli forces have killed at least 56,531 people and wounded 133,642, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
Bob Vylan, known for mixing grime and punk rock, tackles a range of issues in its lyrics, including racism, homophobia and the class divide, and has previously voiced support for Palestinians.
Its lead vocalist, who goes by the stage name Bobby Vylan, appeared to refer to the weekend performance in a post on Instagram, writing: “I said what I said.”
“Teaching our children to speak up for the change they want and need is the only way that we make this world a better place,” he added.
The duo played Saturday afternoon right before Kneecap, whose set was not livestreamed by the BBC but still found a huge online audience via TikTok. It is another band that has drawn controversy previously over its strongly pro-Palestine stance.
Kneecap led a crowd of tens of thousands in chants of “Free Palestine” at the festival. It also aimed an expletive-laden chant at Starmer, who had said he didn’t think it was “appropriate” for Kneecap to play Glastonbury after one of its members was charged under the Terrorism Act.
Liam Og O hAnnaidh, who is also known as Liam O’Hanna and performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was charged with supporting a proscribed organisation for allegedly waving a Hezbollah flag at a concert in London last year.
Israel has faced sustained international opprobrium for the conduct of its war in Gaza. Weekly protests draw thousands of people around Europe and across the world in support of Palestinians.
Public pressure, in part, seemed to prompt the Israeli allies France, Canada and the UK to issue a sharply worded statement in May calling for Israel to stop its “egregious” military actions in Gaza and criticising Israel’s actions in the occupied West Bank.
Glastonbury Festival will take a break next year – but when it’s back in June 2027, these are the big name music acts who could be taking the headline spots
12:41, 30 Jun 2025Updated 12:42, 30 Jun 2025
The next Glastonbury Festival is set to take place in 2027 – as 2026 is a break year (Image: Redferns)
Glastonbury 2025 has only just finished – but already bookies are placing bets on who will headline the next festival, which will take place in two years time.
Next year the festival will have a break to let the ground at Worthy Farm recover from the thousands of revellers who descend on it every year. This break happens every five years. This means the next Glastonbury Festival will take place at the end of June 2027. And bookies William Hill have already released the names of the music acts they think will headline it.
Geordie singer Sam Fender is 2/1 favourite to headline the Pyramid Stage. This is followed by Ed Sheeran and Taylor Swift – who are joint second place with odds of 3/1. While Beyonce, Rihanna, Miley Cyrus and Eminem are all on 4/1.
Though many fans will be hoping that rock band Oasis – who are about to kick off their reunion tour this week now warring brothers Liam and Noel Gallagher have patched things up – will perform. They are also 4/1 to headline Glasto in 2027.
Geordie singer Sam Fender is the bookies’ favourite to headline Glastonbury in 2027 (Image: WireImage)
Lee Phelps, spokesperson for William Hill, said: “The mammoth Glastonbury clear up might just be getting underway after this year’s festival, but there’s already speculation about who could be the next headliners.
“We make Geordie singer Sam Fender a narrow 2/1 favourite to step onto the Pyramid Stage as a headliner in 2027, ahead of Taylor Swift and Ed Sheeran (both 3/1) and a whole host of stars, including Eminem, Beyonce, Rihanna and Miley Cyrus, priced at 4/1.
“This week’s hugely anticipated Oasis return could well set them up for major festivals in the coming years and we also make the Gallagher brothers 4/1 to headline Glastonbury in 2027.”
This year’s Pyramid Stage headliners included The 1975 on the Friday, Neil Young on Saturday and Olivia Rodrigo on Sunday. While the ‘Sunday legends’ slot was taken by Sir Rod Stewart, who brought pals Lulu and Rolling Stones’ Ronnie Wood on stage.
Nineties indie rockers Pulp were revealed as the mysterious ‘Patchwork’ band and performed on the Pyramid Stage on Saturday night. Other acts who did surprise sets included Lorde, Haim and Fatboy Slim and his DJ son Woody.
His voice faltered as he told the crowd: “Glastonbury, I’m really sorry. I’m a bit annoyed with myself.” The crowd soon took over the vocals of his hit Someone You Loved.
Announcing he was taking a break from music to focus on his health, Lewis – who suffers from Tourette’s and anxiety – told fans: “I feel like I’ll be taking another wee break over the next couple of weeks. So you probably won’t see much of me for the rest of the year, maybe even. But when I do come back and when I do see you, I hope you’re still up for watching us.”
Lewis cried during his comeback performance as he began to sing his new song Survive, which he released yesterday. He said his one goal was to get back on stage at Glastonbury as he paid tribute to fans.
A team of volunteers have started the major clean-up of the site to prepare the land for a fallow year in 2026. Revellers were urged to take all of their belongings with them and to leave their campsite tidy.
People were encouraged to leave the site between 00:00 and 06:00 BST to get ahead of the queues and avoid the heat, as temperatures are expected to reach up to 31C (88F).
Those beginning their journeys later were advised to cover up with light, airy clothing, carry water and apply sunscreen regularly.
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The festival’s clean-up volunteers are working their way through thousands of discarded items left on the site, including paper cups and food containers.
They are also emptying overflowing bins and removing large items left behind, such as camping chairs, inflatable mattresses, slippers, flip-flops and shopping bags.
Reuters
Festival organisers encouraged people to start their journeys early to avoid crowds and the heat
At the scene – Tamsin Curnow, BBC Points West
It’s a warm and muggy morning on site.
There’s heavy cloud cover at the moment and it feels like a lot of people have heeded the festival’s advice to head off early to avoid the fierce heat this afternoon.
There’s been a gentle stream of people heading out of the main pedestrian gate towards the bus station, where extra water taps have been set up to make sure everyone can get a cold drink.
And of course as they head off site, it’s what they leave behind.
The piles of recycling and rubbish are growing – so far are several air beds and a suitcase!
Andy Bennett/BBC
Many of the bins on site are overflowing with rubbish
Glastonbury Festival is set to return in 2027.
Organiser Emily Eavis told the on-site newspaper, Glastonbury Free Press, she had a “huge list of things” to improve before then.
“We’re always looking to make it better. The detail is critical. Even just a small touch – like putting a new hedge in – can make a real difference.
“And that’s what fallow years are for: you lay the ground to rest and you come back stronger,” she added.
Ben Birchall/PA Media
Hours before the clean-up began, Olivia Rodrigo was performing on the Pyramid Stage
Thousands of fans chanted ‘free Palestine’ and waved Palestinian flags as the Irish trio performed in the UK.
Irish-language rap group Kneecap has performed at the Glastonbury Festival in front of tens of thousands of fans chanting “Free Palestine”, defying United Kingdom Prime Minister Keir Starmer who said he did not think it was “appropriate” for the band to appear.
The group’s Liam O’Hanna on Saturday also gave a “shout-out” to Palestine Action Group, which UK Interior Minister Yvette Cooper announced last week would become a banned group under the Terrorism Act of 2000.
“The prime minister of your country, not mine, said he didn’t want us to play, so f*** Keir Starmer,” said O’Hanna, who appeared on stage wearing his trademark Palestinian keffiyeh in front of the capacity crowd, including many people waving Palestinian flags.
“This situation can be quite stressful but it’s minimal compared to what the Palestinian people are [facing],” O’Hanna, who performs under the name Mo Chara, added, referring to the backlash the band has faced for its outspoken support of Palestinians in Gaza.
He is facing charges under the British Terrorism Act of supporting a proscribed organisation for allegedly waving a flag of Lebanon’s Hezbollah armed group at a concert in London in November last year.
O’Hanna has said he picked up a flag that was thrown onto the stage without knowing what it represented.
The rapper is on unconditional bail before a further court hearing in August.
“Glastonbury, I’m a free man!” he shouted as the trio took to the stage at Glastonbury’s West Holts field, which holds about 30,000 people.
The trio also thanked festival organisers Michael and Emily Eavis for resisting pressure to cancel their appearance, including from Starmer.
Several Kneecap concerts have been cancelled since the band’s performance at the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in California in April, where they accused Israel of committing genocide against the Palestinians, enabled by the United States government.
At least 56,412 Palestinians have been killed and 133,054 wounded in Israel’s war on Gaza, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.
Ireland’s people and government have been some of the most outspoken critics of the war, as well as Israel’s deliberate starvation of Gaza’s population, which many people see as having parallels to the English occupation of Ireland.
Festival-goers wave Palestinian flags during Kneecap’s Glastonbury set [Scott A Garfitt/Invision/AP]
The BBC, which broadcasts dozens of Glastonbury performances, did not show Kneecap’s set live, but said it planned to make it available online later.
The broadcaster said it would not be re-airing the live performance of British rap punk duo Bob Vylan who appeared on stage before Kneecap and led chants of “Free, free Palestine” and “Death, death to the IDF [Israeli army]”.
A BBC spokesperson said the comments were “deeply offensive”, and that they would not be available to rewatch on BBC iPlayer.
The BBC also reported that UK Culture Minister Lisa Nandy spoke to the BBC director general, Tim Davie, seeking an “urgent explanation” after the chants were aired live.
According to the BBC, Avon and Somerset Police also said that they would be reviewing footage of both Kneecap and Bob Vylan’s sets to “determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation”.
The bands were among about 4,000 performers across 120 stages to appear at this year’s festival, which also featured headliners including Neil Young, Charli XCX, Rod Stewart, Busta Rhymes, Olivia Rodrigo and Doechii, as well as a surprise appearance by Britpop band Pulp.
Another Glastonbury set has been pulled by the BBC after controversial comments after initially being broadcast live on Saturday afternoon
22:43, 28 Jun 2025Updated 01:40, 29 Jun 2025
Bobby Vylan of British duo Bob Vylan(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Bob Vylan became the latest to see their set removed from BBC after a controversial Glastonbury performance. The duo took to the stage at Worthy Farm prior to Irish trio Kneecap’s eagerly anticipated set.
But, like their Irish counterparts, Bob Vylan found themselves victims of the beeb’s cuts. It comes after complaints were made about their set, which was initially shown live on iPlayer. It has since been swiftly removed fans noticed.
One user on Twitter /X remarked: “They’ve already took Bob Vylan’s set off of the iPlayer do don’t expect to see Kneecap on there any time soon lmao.” It comes after another had said: “Someone better quick download that Bob Vylan set as there’s no way that’s staying on iplayer.”
Bob Vylan’s set has been removed from iPlayer(Image: Getty Images)
A third had commented: “The BBC really thought they had it all covered by not live streaming Kneecaps set. Then comes along Bob Vylan.” Another jibed: “Noticed the BBC haven’t uploaded Kneecap and Bob Vylan’s sets to iPlayer yet. Something they said?”
During their set, Bob Vylan sparked chants of “death to the IDF”. The musician was streamed live on the BBC ahead of Kneecap’s highly anticipated performance. The duo also vented their support for Palestine as a large message appeared on the screen behind them. It read: “Free Palestine. United Nations have called it a genocide. The BBC calls it a ‘conflict’.”
Bobby then called out chants “Free Free Palestine” and “Death Death to the IDF,” [Israel Defence Forces], with the bumper crowd shouting it back. He then said: “From the river to the sea Palestine must be, will be, free.”
Bob Vylan at Glastonbury(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The duo also shared their support for Kneecap as they went on: “Recently a list was released of people trying to stop our mates Kneecap from performing here today.
“And who do I see on that f***ing list, but that bald-headed c*** I used to f***ing work for.” Speaking about a colleague at a record company he used to work at, his comments were met by loud boos from the crowd. And he continued to say: “We’re seeing some f***ed up things in the world.
“We’re seeing the UK and the US be complicit in war crimes and genocide happening over there to the Palestinian people. And I know we’re on the BBC, we’re not going to say anything crazy. Leave that for them lads, you know what I mean.
“But unfortunately we have seen a strange reaction to people that come out and voice support for Palestine. Even though anybody with any moral compass can surely see that what is happening over there in Gaza is a tragedy.”
Bobby added: “We are not pacifist punks here over at Bob Vylan Enterprises. We are the violent punks, because sometimes, you have to get your message across with violence because that is the only language some people speak.”
Duo Bob Vylan started chants of ‘Free Palestine’ and ‘death to the IDF’ while on Glastonbury’s West Holts stage on Saturday afternoon before Kneecap performed
“I want to be in my Sasha Fierce era, the top of my game with still a long way to go – but I want to reach my prime and never leave it.”
Back then, it felt like a bold claim.
The Florida-born rapper and singer had scored a couple of viral hits – most notably Persuasive, an ode to marijuana that ended up on Barack Obama’s summer playlist – but nothing that had crossed over to the mainstream charts.
But jump-cut to 2025 and Doechii is a Grammy Award-winning “woman of the year“, who’s about to play one of the most hotly-anticipated sets at Glastonbury Festival.
With her hair carefully braided to her backing dancers, she delivered a meticulously-choreographed performance of Boiled Peanuts and Denial Is a River – a cartoonish character piece, in which she confides to her therapist that her boyfriend’s been cheating on her with another man.
CBS
Doechii’s performance on late night US TV lit a rocket under her career
Others pinpoint her Tiny Desk Concert, released on YouTube two days later. The 15-minute set bursts with joie de vivre, simultaneously soulful and fiery, as the star rattles through jazzy, full-band recreations of her mixtape, Alligator Bites Never Heal.
She won even more fans at the Grammys in March, where she won best rap album, making her just the third female artist to win in the category.
In her speech, she spoke directly to young, black, queer women like her: “Don’t allow anybody to project any stereotypes on you, to tell you that you can’t be here, that you’re too dark or that you’re not smart enough or that you’re too dramatic or you’re too loud.”
She capped off her win with an ultra-physical performance that referenced Michael Jackson, Missy Elliott and Bob Fosse – and ended with her pulling the splits while being held aloft by five male dancers.
With three “star-is-born” performances in just four months, Doechii became the most talked-about new rapper of her generation… just like she planned.
So where did it all start?
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The star’s Grammy Award performance was named the best of the night by USA Today and Rolling Stone magazine
Doechii was born Jaylah Ji’mya Hickmon in Tampa, Florida and raised in a “heavily Christian” single-parent household by her mother, Celesia Moore.
A studious kid who loved writing poetry, she invented her alter-ego at the age of 11, after being viciously bullied in school.
Doechii was raised by her mother, alongside her twin sisters
As a teenager, she spent four years at Tampa’s Howard W. Blake School of the Arts, after winning a place on the choral programme by performing Etta James’ At Last.
The school unlocked her creativity, allowing her to take classes in everything from nail design and hair, to ballet, tap, cheerleading and stage production. However, it was gymnastics that left the biggest impression.
“The way that gymnasts train is really, really tough. It’s brutal and hard and difficult,” she told Gay Times.
“But at some point in my gymnastic career I learnt how to embrace and really love pain. To view pain as me getting stronger and better. That caused a deep discipline that has never left me.”
The school also helped the teenager accept her sexuality.
“Even though I was aware [that I was queer], I didn’t feel as comfortable until I started surrounding myself with more gay friends at my school.
“Once I had gay friends it was like, ‘OK, I can be myself, I’m good, I can feel safe, this is normal, I’m fine.’ I have those same friends today and will have them for life.”
That’s not all they gave her: Those same friends convinced Doechii to give up her ambitions of becoming a chorister, and start writing and releasing her own music.
Doechii
The artwork to Doechii’s debut single, Girls, highlighted her irreverent sense of humour
Initially called iamdoechii, she uploaded her first song to Soundcloud in 2016, and released her debut single Girls two years later.
It already bore the hallmarks of her best work: Rhythmically and lyrically dextrous, and chock full of personality.
“Taking nudes / None of them for you,” she chided over a mellow electric piano, before the beat switched up and her rapping became more frenetic. By the closing bars, she barely had time catch breath as she listed her accomplishments.
“Making money from my phone, huh / Doechii finally in her zone.”
The lines were more prophecy than reality. Doechii had a solid following on YouTube, but she was still working at Zara to make ends meet.
In 2019, she was booked for a showcase in New York City and hopped on a bus – without the money for her return trip.
“And then I had to call one of my mom’s friends… and, like, beg her to let me sleep at her house. And I ended up living there until I got back on my feet.”
‘Drowning in vices’
Things started to turn around with the release of 2020’s Yucky Blucky Fruitcake, named after Junie B. Jones’s children’s book, in which Doechii sketched out her own childhood.
According to the lyrics, she was precocious (“I try to act smart ’cause I want a lot of friends“), competitive (“I get a little violent when I play the game of tag“) and frequently broke (“My momma used stamps ’cause she need a little help“).
The song marked a breakthrough in her writing.
“I was lacking this sense of vulnerability and honesty in my music,” she told Billboard, until “I learned accuracy and just saying exactly what it is, like on Lucky Blucky Fruitcake”.
The song went viral, winning her a record deal with Top Dawg Entertainment – the label that launched Kendrick Lamar and SZA.
She followed it up with the effortlessly hooky Persuasive, earning praise from SZA (who jumped on a remix) and former President Barack Obama.
“I can’t imagine Obama just jamming my song,” she exclaimed. “I just don’t believe it, but if he really does – that’s crazy.”
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The singer won her first Grammy Award at this year’s ceremony
Doechii next collaborated with Kodak Black on the 2023 single What It Is (Block Boy), earning her first Top 40 hit.
Then, everything stalled.
Subsequent singles flopped, and Doechii was, as she later wrote on social media, “drowning in my own vices, battling differences with my label and a creative numbness that broke me”.
Initially, her Alligator Bites Never Heal mixtape looked set to repeat the pattern. Released last August, it entered the US charts at number 117 and vanished a week later.
But reviews were ecstatic.
Critics loved the acerbic, funny lyrics, that saw Doechii unpack the trials and tribulations of the last two years; and heaped praise on bars that recalled greats such as Q-Tip, Lauryn Hill and Slick Rick, while keeping pace with contemporaries like Kendrick Lamar.
After a period dominated by the mumbled bars of Souncloud rap, her precision was a breath of fresh air.
“One of the year’s most fully-realized breakout albums,” wrote Rolling Stone. “If this is the sound of Doechii pushing against constraints, a little friction might not be the worst thing,” added Pitchfork.
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The singer turned heads with her dramatic and theatrical outfits at Paris Fashion Week and the Met Gala (pictured) this Spring.
As word spread, she was booked to play the Colbert show and Tiny Desk. Those performances lit a rocket under her career. By April, Alligator had chomped into the US Top 10, and the UK Top 40.
Around the same time, she bowed to fan pressure by releasing her 2019 YouTube song, Anxiety, a pop-rap crossover based on a sample of Gotye’s Somebody That I Used To Know.
With an eye-catching video that recreated a full-on panic attack, it hit number three in the UK, and even earned Doechii a citation in medical journal Psychology Today.
“The song and accompanying video work so well in showing exactly how anxiety feels in our bodies and minds,” wrote Professor Sandra Chafouleas.
“Think about quick and short breaths, racing thoughts, and worrying about things that haven’t happened yet. Anxiety feels like ‘Anxiety’ sounds, with brilliant mirroring of how the experience can hijack us.”
Since then, Doechii’s been hard at work on her debut album. There’d been rumours she’d release it in time for her Glastonbury slot on Saturday night, but perfectionists have got to perfect. At the time of writing, she’s still in the studio.
Speaking to Dazed, she dropped a few hints of what’s in store.
“In Alligator Bites Never Heals, the archetype was a student of hip-hop. For this next project, I’m thinking about how this student develops.
“Who does she develop into? What has she learned? I’m still unpacking how that character develops into this next project.”
Despite the delay, Doechii’s headline set remains one of Glastonbury’s biggest draws.
She might only be performing for 45 minutes, but she’ll make every one of them count.
As the star boasted on her single Nosebleeds: “Will she ever lose? Man, I guess we’ll never know.“
Jordan Stephens and Harley Alexander-Sule, known as the duo Rizzle Kicks, performed on the Other Stage at Glastonbury today with Jade Thirlwall among those in the crowd
23:28, 27 Jun 2025Updated 23:29, 27 Jun 2025
Rizzle Kicks’ Jordan Stephens had a message for fans prior to their set at Glastonbury this afternoon(Image: Harry Durrant/Getty Images)
Fans of duo Rizzle Kicks shared their disappointment with the BBC earlier over their set at Glastonbury Festival. The reaction came after bandmate Jordan Stephens had himself issued a message about filming at the festival.
Jordan and his bandmate Harley Alexander-Sule, both 33, performed together as Rizzle Kicks on the Other Stage at Worthy Farm in Somerset this afternoon. It marked the duo’s return to the festival after making their Glastonbury debut on the BBC Introducing Stage back in 2013.
Prior to their latest set, Jordan announced yesterday that the BBC, the “exclusive broadcast partner” of Glastonbury, would not be filming it. He shared the news in a statement issued to fans on Instagram ahead of their return today.
Jordan Stephens (left) and Harley Alexander-Sule (right), known collectively as Rizzle Kicks, performed at Glastonbury this afternoon(Image: Harry Durrant/Getty Images)
Jordan wrote: “The BBC are not filming our Glastonbury set. If you’re not there you will not be able to watch it back. It might well be once in a lifetime. Who knows.” He added at the time: “The set is [fire emoji] and we’re buzzin for it.”
His partner Jade Thirlwall, 32, later expressed disappointment over the situation. The Little Mix member, who is set to play the Woodsies Stage tomorrow, referenced the news on her Instagram Story whilst sharing her excitement over getting to see him perform at Glastonbury.
Alongside a selfie, she wrote this afternoon: “What du mean I’m about to watch my bf at glasto when we were dreaming about it this time last year. Rizzle Kicks set isn’t televised (booo) so get into it and get here to the other stage lol.”
Prior to their set, Jordan had told fans that it wouldn’t be filmed by the BBC(Image: @jordanfstephens/Instagram)
Jade isn’t alone in her disappointment, with a number of fans having expressed frustration over Rizzle Kicks’ set not being available on BBC iPlayer. Several other acts who performed on the Other Stage today, like Franz Ferdinand and Gracie Abrams, were livestreamed. The livestream for that stage however began at 2.15pm, which was after Rizzle Kicks’ set.
One fan wrote on X: “Rizzle Kicks not being broadcast at Glastonbury is a travesty, especially compared to some of the s**t that they are showing.” Another wrote: “@BBCiPlayer why can’t I found Rizzle Kicks. I’m really disappointed.”
A third person, who had previously requested a livestream be available for the set, later posted: “Thanks guys missed Rizzle Kicks great job.” Another said shortly after the duo’s set began: “No Rizzle Kicks on iPlayer, sort it out lads.”
His partner Jade Thirlwall was among those who expressed disappointment over the duo’s set not being televised(Image: @jadethirlwall/Instagram)
Approached for comment, a spokesperson for the BBC told the Mirror tonight that the broadcaster will be providing more than 90 hours of performances. They said: “The BBC, Glastonbury’s exclusive broadcast partner, brings audiences a two-month celebration of the festival this June and July.
“Our BBC iPlayer coverage provides over 90 hours of performances, with live streams of the five main stages, in addition to The Glastonbury Channel and over 90 sets to watch on demand throughout July. There is also extensive coverage on TV, radio and BBC Sounds – including over 30 performances and DJ sets that will be available to hear on demand on BBC Sounds throughout July.”
The 1975 took to the Pyramid Stage at Worthy Farm as the first headline act at Glastonbury 2025 earlier tonight, with Matty Healy and his bandmates back at the festival
23:57, 27 Jun 2025Updated 00:43, 28 Jun 2025
The 1975, fronted by Matty Healy, headlined Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage on Friday night(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
The crowd for the 1975‘s headline set at Glastonbury has been described as “surprisingly sparse” by one festivalgoer this evening. The rock band, which is fronted by singer Matty Healy, were on the main stage at the music festival.
The 1975, consisting of Matty, Adam Hann, Ross MacDonald and George Daniel, took to the Pyramid Stage for their set. The band are the first headline act of the weekend, with Neil Young and Olivia Rodrigo headlining at Worthy Farm in Somerset on Saturday and Sunday night respectively.
A source at the festival told the Mirror that the crowd was “surprisingly sparse” for the 1975’s headline set though. They said that the audiences were bigger for Lewis Capaldi and CMAT, who performed on the stage earlier in the day. Some people were heard saying the band wasn’t their vibe before moving away from the stage.
Matty, 36, and his bandmates opened their set tonight with their song Happiness. The the Brit Award winning band’s setlist for Glastonbury later included singles like Chocolate, as well as other tracks such as Love Me and Paris.
The 1975, fronted by Matty Healy, headlined the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury tonight(Image: Samir Hussein/WireImage)
The staging for the set included occasional strobe lighting and various graphics on screen behind the band. A car was also visible on stage at one point, with lead singer Matty opening the song Somebody Else whilst sat inside it.
Viewers on BBC iPlayer had faced issues at times when the 1975 performed at Worthy Farm tonight. Despite the suggestion that the crowd was “sparse,” many fans were seen in the audience and cheers were heard during the set.
Fans shared their thoughts on the band during their set. One person wrote on X: “The 1975 are brilliant. I’m a fan.” Sharing their support, another viewer commented: “Matty Healy and the 1975, definitely do it for me, never disappoints.”
One fan wrote: “The 1975 at #Glastonbury has to go down as one of the greatest sets of all time. No debate.” Another said: “The 1975 set list tonight has been INSANE, if you are at #Glastonbury tonight i hope you’re appreciating this.”
Someone wrote: “The 1975 your smashing it as always. Great band live. Wish I was at Glastonbury.” Whilst another fan reacted after the performance: “The 1975 were incredible, amazing set, loved it alot!”
Not everyone was impressed with the set though. One person instead reacted: “The 1975 must be one of the most boring bands to headline Glasto in a long time.” Someone else said: “Seriously what’s all this hype about the 1975?”
Sharing their thoughts on the platform, another viewer commented during the headline set: “Absolute garbage from the 1975.” Whilst one person said: “I just don’t get The 1975.”
Another wrote: “That lead fella from the 1975 is insufferable isn’t he? Some bangers mind.” One person wrote: “I haven’t tweeted in over a year. However, I had to get this off my chest. The 1975 are shite and Matty Healy is insufferable. He’s trying his hardest to look like he’s a genuine rock star. They were never Glastonbury headliners and they’ve just proved us all right.”
The band, which also includes Adam Hann, George Daniel and Ross MacDonald, performed a number of songs including Chocolate for the crowd(Image: AFP via Getty Images)
Prior to the 1975’s performance this evening, a source told the Mirror that the band “pulled out all the stops” for their set. The source said: “Everyone was so blown away that Matty, Ross, George and Adam were headlining, but it’s no surprise given how loved they are universally.”
The source added: “They’ve played Glastonbury before, but this is the boys at their very best and then some. They’re one of the biggest bands in the world, and their tours sell out almost instantly, but to see them on the Pyramid Stage in the headline slot, nobody could have expected this.”
It was teased that fans could “expect a few surprises” during their set at Glastonbury this year. The source had told us: “Everyone behind the scenes has worked so hard to pull out all the stops – fans should expect a few surprises.”
THE opening ceremony at Glastonbury has been branded a flop by disappointed festival-goers.
Disgruntled revellers called out a fireworks display and criticized sound issues at the iconic event in Somerset this evening.
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Fans have complained about reported sound issues at the opening ceremonyCredit: supplied
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One reveller claimed they couldn’t hear any music for half an hourCredit: supplied
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Ticket-holders dubbed the display “underwhelming”Credit: supplied
One festival goer told The Sun: “The opening ceremony started 10 minutes late, there was a huge choir on stage that no one could hear.
“All we could hear was the sound of a couple of drums.
“It was a massive fireworks display with no music, the whole silence lasted 30 minutes.”
And their comments were echoed by fellow visitors, one fuming reveller penned on X: “Not good from a sound standpoint. I think you have let the performers down here to say the least.”
“Sack the sound guy,” wrote another.
A third agreed: “Is there meant to be no sound at the #Glastonbury2025 opening ceremony? Local regs? Crowds a bit restless at the back.”
“Where’s the sound? Kicked out of Greenpeace for crowds. No sound and lost audience at opening ceremony. Get it together,” posted someone else.
One fuming ticket-holder slammed: “No sound. Can’t hear anything. Underwhelming.”
Although it could be a messy start to the festival, with its 1,500 acres of farmland turning into a mud bath in previous years.
While the festival is best known for its music, revellers can enjoy the range of stalls, set up their tents and explore the grounds in the meantime before the main performances kick off on Friday.
Opening headliner The 1975 take to the stage at 10pm, while acts such as Neil Young and the Chrome Hearts, Charli XCX, and Doechii will perform on Saturday.
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Thousands of revellers pitched their tents todayCredit: EPA
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Performers take part in the ‘glasto latino’ carnival on the first day of the Glastonbury festivalCredit: AFP
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Festival-goers at the festival in Worthy Farm, Somerset, faced a drenching todayCredit: EPA
Sunday is due to see Rod Stewart gracing his fans – with Lewis Capaldi also set to make a sensational return to music.
The release, Lewis’ first since he put out Strangers and A Cure For Minds Unwell in January last year, coincides with his secret set on the Pyramid Stage at Glasto.
As the gates to Worthy Farm opened to let the first of this year’s revellers through, a source said: “Lewis took a decent chunk of time away and now he’s ready for his fans to hear what he has been working on.
“Tomorrow is a huge day for him. He will be releasing a brand new single and it is his Pyramid Stage performance. He is in a great place and feels ready to come back into the spotlight.”
At the beginning of the month, Glastonbury organisers shared the complete schedule.
However, there are still several ‘TBA’ slots that hint at secret sets on the Pyramid Stage and beyond.
Now fans have a brand new theory about who could make a surprise appearance at the legendary festival.
On the 2025 Glastonbury schedule, the Saturday 6.15pm slot has a mysterious act called “Patchwork” pencilled in, and fans have been trying to work out what it means.
Now fans are convinced that Chappell Roan is “Patchwork” after she posted a telling clue on Instagram.
It came after the Pink Pony Club star shared a picture of herself holding a patchwork quilt, and wrote next to it: “Insane vibe.”
Glastonbury 2025 – confirmed acts so far
TICKETS to the 2025 festival sold out in just minutes before some of the acts were even confirmed. Here is who has been confirmed so far.
Confirmed headliners:
The 1975 will take to the Pyramid Stage on Friday.
Neil Young will headline the festival for the second time after his last set in 2009 on Saturday after RAYE makes her return.
Charli xcx will headline the Other Stage on Saturday night.
On Sunday, Olivia Rodrigo is due to belt out her hits for her first appearance while Rod Stewart will perform in the legends slot.
More acts to appear on the Other Stage include Loyle Carner and The Prodigy.
Doechii will make her Glastonbury debut on the West Holts Stage on Saturday night.
Other names confirmed include Noah Kahan, Alanis Morissette, Gracie Abrams, Busta Rhymes, Lola Young, Brandi Carlile, Myles Smith, En Vogue, Amaarae, Cymande, Shaboozey, Osees and Gary Numan.
A WOMAN has revealed her must-have camping buys for the summer.
And her advice comes just in time for those heading to Glastonbury tomorrow for a fun-filled week.
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Stella, a camping enthusiast has shared her top buys to make it more comfortableCredit: Tiktok/@stellasoloadventures
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she was a big fan of these hand warmers even in the summerCredit: Tiktok/@stellasoloadventures
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It comes just in time for Glastonbury goersCredit: Getty
If you still have some last minute camping shopping to do, then you’ll want to keep reading.
Stella revealed the products you may have never thought you would need but will become essential.
In the clip, she said: “If you’re going to be camping at any festivals or just camping in general, these things might help.
“First of all, heat patches. Put them on your bum.
“Trust me, they are a lifesaver in the cold night.”
Stella headed to Home Bargains to pick up the HotHands hand warmers which come in a pack of five pairs for £3.45.
Not only are these buys super cheap and easy to travel with, they can help keep you toasty all night long with ten hours of use.
The camping whizz also recommended picking up the hard ground tent pegs from the store which cost just 99p a pack to make sure your tent stays where you put it.
Last but not least, she urged everyone to buy some single se coffee filters.
Stella added: “The next thing is my absolute camping godsender and it’s these coffee filters.
Recently reunited noughties pop band accidentally reveal secret Glastonbury set
“I’m a bit of a coffee snob and let me tell you, these in the morning, absolutely stunning. It’s about as going to get to grinding the beans yourself on a campsite.”
You can buy the Cup Filters Italian Style Coffee from M&S, it includes 10 single use filters filled with coffee for just £4.25.
The video went viral on her TikTok account @stellasoloadventures with over 73k views and 4,200 likes.
People were quick to thank her in the comments for her tips.
Glastonbury 2025 – confirmed acts so far
TICKETS to the 2025 festival sold out in just minutes before some of the acts were even confirmed. Here is who has been confirmed so far.
Confirmed headliners:
The 1975 will take to the Pyramid Stage on Friday.
Neil Young will headline the festival for the second time after his last set in 2009 on Saturday after RAYE makes her return.
Charli xcx will headline the Other Stage on Saturday night.
On Sunday, Olivia Rodrigo is due to belt out her hits for her first appearance while Rod Stewart will perform in the legends slot.
More acts to appear on the Other Stage include Loyle Carner and The Prodigy.
Doechii will make her Glastonbury debut on the West Holts Stage on Saturday night.
Other names confirmed include Noah Kahan, Alanis Morissette, Gracie Abrams, Busta Rhymes, Lola Young, Brandi Carlile, Myles Smith, En Vogue, Amaarae, Cymande, Shaboozey, Osees and Gary Numan.
One person wrote: “The heat pads on the bum thing I got to try out!
“I always stuff them in my bra (not direct skin contact) because I feel like that way it warms my entire body.”
Another commented: “You influenced me on to those coffee filters.”
“Those 99p Home Bargains pegs are really good!! We were so impressed with them for the price,” penned a third.
Meanwhile a fourth said: “I use the coffee bags, they’re pretty good too.”
Someone else added: “Check out Areopress for coffee. Best single cup coffee brewer I’ve ever used.”
Glastonbury guests have been advised to pack their wellies as the annual music extravaganza kicks off tomorrow with the ‘wettest weather’ on the way after the heatwave
Wet weather is winging its way to Glastonbury on Wednesday according to the latest forecast (Image: Getty Images)
Wet weather is winging its way to Glastonbury on Wednesday according to the latest forecast before the annual music festival kicks off. Revellers can’t wait to camp out at Worthy Farm in Somerset to see the likes of Charlie XCX and The Prodigy take to the stage, however, they should pack their wellies – despite the country’s recent heatwave.
After the glorious sunshine we’ve been enjoying, Wednesday will see “the wettest weather” according to the BBC. Warning there may be heavy rain and thunderstorms, its forecast says: “Westerly winds have now pushed the heat and humidity away, temperatures have dropped and it feels fresher. Maximum temperatures for the next few days will be around 22C and overnight temperatures will be typically down to 12C. Unfortunately, on Wednesday is when we could see the wettest weather.”
Glastonbury guests have been advised to pack their wellies (Image: Getty Images)
It continues: “Warm and muggy air from the Bay of Biscay could combine with a band of rain coming in from the Atlantic to bring heavy rain and thunderstorms into the evening. At the moment it is a risk.”
The good news is that after Wednesday night it should be dry and it is possible that any storms seen tomorrow will be further east and so the rain won’t amount to much.
Thursday and Friday may be windy, but there will be some sunshine at times.
However, the best weather looks like it’s reserved for the weekend as the forecast predicts: “South-westerly winds will become lighter and with more sunshine it will be warmer. Temperatures could be a very pleasant 25C.”
Rain or shine, Glastonbury fans will be there in their droves, partying the day – and night- away as they descend upon the West Country for the star-studded festival.
Ahead of the shenanigans, one keen festival lover sparked a flurry of invaluable advice on a Glastonbury Festival Reddit thread after asking, “Give me your most unique/useful items on your packing list. Something that you swear by…” resulting in a whole host of savvy suggestions for this summer’s event.
Giving their tips for the festival, which is predicted to attract a whopping 200,000 ticket holders, one reveller replied: “Change of clothes to be left in the car. There’s so much joy in a fresh t-shirt and socks to drive home in.”
Another fan shared: “Not sure if this is my main answer, but today I’ve decanted some liquid soap into a little travel bottle so I don’t ever have to use that grim sanitiser stuff at the toilets (which apparently doesn’t kill things like norovirus anyway)”.
And offering an ingenious organisational hack, a third advised adding a “bedside table” to their Glasto gear for camping convenience.
They replied: “Small collapsible boxes from Ikea for keeping stuff organised in the tent. They’re fabric and super lightweight.
“Sooo helpful to stop me losing things somewhere on the tent floor every 5 minutes”.
EXCLUSIVE: BBC bosses are risking a fallout with legendary rocker Neil Young, 79, just days before his Glastonbury gig over potential coverage of his performance on Saturday
00:01, 24 Jun 2025Updated 00:02, 24 Jun 2025
Glastonbury is shaping up for another epic weekend
BBC bosses risk falling foul of rock legend Neil Young just days before his Glastonbury gig. The Heart of Gold singer, 79, is one of the biggest names on the bill but it is still unclear how much of his Saturday performance will be on TV. Young is still wrangling with the BBC about coverage. Insiders suspect he will agree to letting just a handful of songs go out on TV or BBC iPlayer. Whether they will be live or part of an edited highlights package is still unclear. A BBC schedule of live sets released to the public omits Neil Young, while mentioning headliners such as Charli xcx and Doechii who play other stages on Saturday.
Neil Young is set to perform in Glastonbury(Image: Getty Images)
Bosses will have to tread carefully after the star pulled out of the festival earlier this year citing concerns about the BBC’s “corporate control”. He said in January: “We were told that BBC was now a partner in Glastonbury and wanted us to do a lot of things in a way we were not interested in.
“It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being.”
A BBC spokeswoman said: “We aim to bring audiences as many performances as possible from the Pyramid Stage, and our schedules and plans continue to be finalised, right up to and during the festival.”
Young has made principled stands recently. He blocked his music from Spotify for two years, saying a podcaster on the platform had spread vaccine misinformation.
This year, he has also refused to let Ticketmaster use dynamic pricing for his forthcoming tour. When Young played Glastonbury in 2009 only five songs were televised.
Speaking at the time Mark Cooper, then executive producer of the BBC’s Glastonbury coverage, said: “Neil Young’s career has been conducted on his own terms.
“They believe in the live event and retaining its mystery and that of their artist. They have decided to make one song available online over the weekend to give a flavour of his set. That’s Rockin’ in the Free World and that’s their decision.
“You probably won’t find too many Neil Young performances available freely on TV or online.”
Elsewhere in the Glastonbury controversy, Prime Minister Keir Starmer called for Kneecap to be pulled from the line-up. The band was due to perform in the 2025 festival, but the PM doesn’t think it would be appropriate due to recent events.
He made the statement after Kneecap member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh appeared in court as he was charged with a terror offence. The incident was relating to the musician allegedly displaying a flag and making remarks in support of the proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah at a concert in November last year.
Liam Ó hAnnaidh goes by the stage name Mo Chara and was bailed until later in the summer, which means he is able to play at Glastonbury. The festival will kick off on June 25 up until June 30.
When asked by The Sun if he thinks Kneecap should perform at the annual festival, Starmer said: “No, I don’t. I think we need to come down really clearly on this.
“I won’t say too much, because there’s a court case on, but I don’t think that’s appropriate.” The band are scheduled to perform on the West Holts Stage on Saturday.
One festivalgoer has taken his journey to Glastonbury to all new lengths as he’s been cycling 100km a day for almost a month in a bid to get to Worthy Farm from Madrid, Spain
Ollie White has been cycling from Madrid, Spain, to get Glastonbury Festival in Somerset (Image: Instagram/Ollie White )
The countdown to Glastonbury is fast approaching, with mere days to go before hundreds of thousands of festivalgoers pitch up their tents for five days of spectacular performances. While many will be travelling by car, train or coach, one man is so dedicated to the UK’s biggest festival that he’s riding a whopping 100km a day on his bike to get there!
Ollie White, 25, started his lengthy journey at the end of May from Madrid, Spain, where he lives and works as a content creator for La Liga, the Spanish football league. Over the course of almost a month, he has ventured across majestic mountains, the biggest sand dune in Europe, serene coastlines and desert-like landscapes with just a backpack, a tent and his bicycle.
In total, Ollie will travel over 1,600km, or 994 miles, to Worthy Farm in Pilton, Somerset, racking up 62 miles a day.
With just a few days to go until the gates open at Glastonbury on Wednesday, 25 June, at 8 am, Ollie has almost completed his trek and has been documenting his journey on TikTok and Instagram every day.
The 25-year-old has been documenting his journey on social media (Image: Instagram/Ollie White)
In his most recent update on Sunday, 22 June, Ollie confirmed that he reached Plymouth before heading to Totnes, Devon, where he’d stay the night. He is hoping to reach Glastonbury by Tuesday, 24 June.
When asked by the BBC why he opted to ride from Madrid to Worthy Farm, he simply said: “I have a ticket for Glastonbury, so why not cycle?”
Speaking further about his experience, he also shared with the news outlet: “A lot of people think I’m crazy for doing this, but for me it doesn’t seem too crazy.
“It’s just a challenge I’ve set myself and, at the end of the day, once you’ve done all the preparation, you just have to get on the bike each day and do the kilometres.”
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Ollie would have travelled over 1,600km by the time he gets to Worthy Farm(Image: Instagram/Ollie White)
He described his adventure as “absolutely incredible” and that “everything has been really positive”. He’s spent time camping alone in secluded, yet beautiful spots across Europe and the UK, while taking in nature and the incredible scenery during each leg of his journey.
When he finally reaches his end location, Ollie has a list of performances lined up to watch during the weekend at Glastonbury, including Neil Young, Loyle Carner, Kneecap, Caribou, Scissor Sisters and Kaiser Chiefs.
He adds that Neil Young has been a particularly good soundtrack while riding through endless countries.
EVEN on a bad headliner year, Glastonbury is the best music festival in the world.
The mix of music and other activities… and general vibe of the place makes it like no other place on earth.
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The Sun’s Bizarre, health and travel teams share their top tips for Glastonbury festival
But it’s also very large and very busy – it covers 1,100 aces (around 500 football pitches) and has a capacity of 210,000 people – more than twice the population of nearby Bath.
It’s also famously temperamental weatherwise – in my eight Glastonbury festivals, I’ve had everything from torrential rain and mud baths to scorching heatwaves.
So failing to come prepared has the power to make or break you weekend, which is why we’ve compiled a list of all our favourite Do’s and Don’ts for Glastonbury… to make sure you have the best time.
Caroline McGuire, Head Of Travel – Digital (pictured bottom right, above)
Beg whoever you know who owns a camping trolley (from £20 at Decathlon) to borrow it for the weekend – the site is enormous and you’ll be carrying all your belongings a long way before you set up camp.
Make sure to experience some of the unique areas that make Glastonbury so special – the theatre and circus fields, the Healing Fields, the Lost Horizon Nomadic Spa (aka secret nudist area with sauna, massage parlour and plunge pool).
Speaking of which, don’t just buy your food from the nearest vendor – make sure to make a pilgrimage to Permaculture, a shaded haven near the middle of the site that serves delicious food made from produce grown in their own garden on the site.
Finding your tent can be tricky, especially when it’s dark and you’ve had a few drinks – memorise some notable things near your pitch, like a flag or a gazebo.
It’s possible they’re placebo, but my friends and I swear by Happy Tuesdays – vitamins that support your body’s natural recovery while they sleep. We’re convinced they help us deal with the post-festival blues far easier.
Finally, stick a plastic bag or bin bag in your bumbag, so you always have something to sit on when it’s a muddy and rainy weekend.
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Bizarre’s Jack Harwick, Ellie Henman and Howell Davies are Glastonbury pros
Don’t over-pack your schedule. You won’t be able to see half of one set and half of another – and you’ll spend the whole time walking, only to get nowhere near the stage.
Don’t wear uncomfortable shoes, even if they do look trendy. You should expect to walk a minimum of 25,000 steps a day and the last thing you want is blisters.
Do plan individual outfits for each day, and pack them separately so that you’re organised and not scrambling for pants or matching shorts.
Do go off the beaten track to explore the activity away from the Pyramid Stage. That’s where the maddest memories will be made.
Ellie Henman, Bizarre Editor (pictured centre, above)
Do scope out the best food places. You don’t want to be stuck eating burger and chips every day, and there are genuinely amazing places to eat when you’re there.
Don’t put up your tent near a path, at the bottom of a hill, or next to the loos – you won’t get a wink of sleep with the banging of the doors, let alone the stench.
Do pack an eye mask and ear plugs. You don’t want to be woken up by the sun streaming in through your tent at the crack of dawn, having only just gone to sleep.
Do walk up to the Glastonbury sign at least once. As well as spectacular views, there is a bar near the top.
Jack Hardwick, Senior Showbiz Reporter (pictured left, above)
Do make sure to carry spare toilet roll with you. Getting caught short miles from a toilet is no fun.
Do take a refillable water bottle – there are loads of water points around the site These camping water pouches come with hooks so you can clip them onto your bag – fill some with water and two with booze.
Don’t leave it until mid-morning to leave on Monday. Getting off the site will take hours, so either get up early, or have a long lay-in and lunch before going.
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Vanessa has been to the festival three times, and has finessed how not to lose your friends in the busy site
Vanessa Chalmers, Assistant Head of Health, The Sun
Take a flag. They are incredibly useful for finding friends in a sea of people – or for them finding you – as there is rarely phone service. Most flag poles bought online can be shortened, so you can easily carry it around with you when moving between stages.
Drop any expectation at all that you will see who you want to see, especially if you are in a large group as it’s hard to find your group again once you are split up. Choose one or maybe two acts you simply must see, and stick to your guns.
Make something in the healing fields, or buy a souvenir, to take home! There is so much on offer. My friends and I have made a silver ring each year we have been. It takes about two hours.
Follow @secretglasto on X, formerly known as Twitter, and turn on notifications. If you are lucky to get service, you might just be in the right place at the right time for a surprise set. We saw Fatboy Slim at Greenpeace completely randomly one Sunday afternoon, standing right underneath him in ‘the tree’.
There is no shade at Glastonbury. Well, certainly not enough for the number of people – there are so many crammed under the singular tree at Pyramid stage. So wear a hat! But if you are desperate, there is a hammock area in Park stage – near lots of camping – which is quite shaded.
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Jamie Harris has the best tech tips for the festival
Jamie Harris, Assistant Technology and Science Editor at The Sun
Definitely use Vodafone’s new Glastonbury Festival app, as this will help you keep all the acts and locations organised – allow the notifications as well, as they’ll let you know about surprise acts.
This year they’ve added a handy feature to find your friends on the map if you lose each other.
A power bank is a must but if you forget, you can buy a fully charged battery pack from the Vodafone tent.
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Sophie shares her packing tips – including bringing the kitchen sink
Sophie Swietochowski, Assistant Travel Editor
You’ll save cash and time queuing by bringing your own booze. There’s a no glass rule and cans take up too much space. So fill a cool bag with boxed wine (ditch the box and take just the pouch). Or decant your favourite spirits into plastic bottles with a bit of mixer.
I always pack a collapsible sink from The Range that costs a few quid. It‘s the most-used item among my pals at Glasto – when a pal fell in the mud, when I got sticky ketchup in my hair, and for clean hands when removing contact lenses.
Pack a small bag, so you don;t have to venutre back to the tent for more supplies.Cram it with everything you need for the day: water, a portable charger, sunglasses, SPF, a jumper for when the sun goes down.
Food for £6. It used to be ‘food for a fiver’ but this is nearly as good. Many food vendors commit to selling meal deals and dishes for £6. The scheme ran last year and although they haven’t announced anything yet for this year, keep your eyes peeled on the blog posts.
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Will reveals how to beat the crowds late-night at Shangri-La
Will Hagerty, Associate Editor at The Sun
If you intend going to Shangri-La on Friday or Saturday night, skip a headliner and head up there early, or you might not get in for hours. It’s a long walk and they often close the area because it gets so crowded.
Take something to sit on if it’s likely to be muddy. I take a genius umbrella which doubles as a shooting stick stool.
Go up to the Crows Nest, high above the Park Stage, for the best view of the site and the odd secret gig
