Musician 'emotional' after arriving at Glastonbury following 650-mile bike ride
Jack Cullen, who lives in north-west London, embarked on the cycling trip from Edinburgh to the famous festival with his childhood friend George 'GK' Kershaw, 33, on May 30.
He told the PA news agency: 'It feels amazing and somewhat emotional in a way.
'I think these things are always, you forget what you're doing during it, and then you realise 'Oh, we've just been doing this for the last month, and now we're here'.
'And it's kind of as simple as that. So it feels, overall, it just feels really, really, really good.'
Cullen, 30, said the pair have faced 'horrendous wind and rain' in the past month but joked that his Birkenstocks have held up.
Along the route, which took him through areas including the Lake District, Manchester and Liverpool, he performed in quirky venues, including a sauna, and also held an intimate gig for one of his most loyal fans.
He told PA: 'We went over to Liverpool, played a little gig, to one fan in particular actually, who always comes to my shows, drives down from Liverpool to London.
'So I cycled four hours to go meet him and play him some of the new tunes face to face. So that was a really, really special one.'
While in the Lake District he shot a music video for his new single with RCA Records, All I Need, and said he almost lost a drone and had to hike up a mountain 'for a few hours' to retrieve it.
Cullen's friend did not have a ticket for the festival when they set off, but the singer-songwriter says he has now gained entry with the stipulation he must 'do a few bits of work'.
Before he embarked on a career in music, Cullen was a professional rugby player and represented Ireland in the U20 World Cup and Six Nations.
In 2016, a series of injuries, such as damaging his shoulder and tearing his anterior cruciate ligament, left him bedbound, which is when he picked up his guitar and began writing music.
Over time, Cullen began playing his music across the UK and built a fanbase, culminating in more than 20,000 followers on TikTok.
He is scheduled to perform at Glastonbury Festival on June 29 at 2.50pm on the Wishing Well stage.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
an hour ago
- Scottish Sun
Noel Edmonds' show is poor man's Clarkson's Farm… but he's right about how much modern Britain has changed
Read on for Ally's thoughts on obvious trans hypocrisy and a killer question by Olivia Attwood ALLY ROSS Noel Edmonds' show is poor man's Clarkson's Farm… but he's right about how much modern Britain has changed Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE most extraordinary television scene of the week featured Noel Edmonds stumbling over his affirmations, in the shower, on the other side of the world. 'I am healthy. I am happy. I am loving. I am loved.' 6 Noel Edmonds on ITV's Kiwi Adventure, where he is attempting to transform 800 acres of New Zealand countryside Credit: PA 6 The show draws some very flattering comparisons with Clarkson's Farm Credit: Amazon 6 Noel remains a television genius who made brilliant mainstream shows adored by millions Credit: PA 'I am . . . ' Mr Blobby's straight man? The drummer from Brown Sauce? Cheap Cheap Cheap's former host? No. 'I am . . . Jesus.' Apparently. A claim delivered with a laugh, but one that wasn't entirely out of character with the self-confident mood on Noel Edmonds' Kiwi Adventure, an entertaining ITV series that's drawn some very flattering comparisons with Clarkson's Farm on account of the fact Nolly is attempting to transform 800 acres of exquisite New Zealand countryside into a 'positivity haven'. And if you're wondering what the hell that might be, try to imagine Primrose Valley Holiday Park if the static caravans were replaced by a vineyard, wellness spa, spectacular scenery and bloody great statue of a knight, erected in honour of Noel slaying the bankers. Monstrous self-regard notwithstanding, Diddly Squat is still clearly the vibe Noel's trying to recreate on this show, even if he sounded more like a serial killer when he attempted to go full Clarkson and said: 'The nail gun is a sex toy. Ann Summers should sell them. It is just the horniest bit of kit.' The most obvious contrast, though, is that while Clarkson's Farm is very much an ensemble piece, filled with authentic characters who clearly adore Jeremy, no matter how much he annoys them, ITV's Kiwi Adventure begins and ends with Noel, who is as oddly mesmerising as he is mesmerisingly odd. First look at Noel Edmonds' Kiwi Adventure David Brent and Alan Partridge are two valid comparisons made by almost everyone, but there's also a hint of Ted and Ralph from The Fast Show underpinning interactions with the staff and even his 'earth angel' wife, Liz, who seems to do most of the real graft. Natural Kiwi reticence may explain some of the awkward silences, but every single one of them has clearly understood there's no call for any sycophancy when you're confronted by an ego as vast as the boss's. There is also no need to tell him he looks great for 76 either, because he's probably already told you, 'I am rocking'. And if you're really unlucky, Noel will go on to claim it's down to the cosmos and the fact that: 'All we are is energy systems and that body energy system touches everything around us and how we move into the bigger matrix, the universal system.' Because this Kiwi Adventure is driven by the fact Noel has clearly read Barbel Mohr's Cosmic Ordering Service and swallowed every word of its pseudo-scientific horse s**t. To that end, he's in the process of creating an energy garden using 'structured water', which doesn't actually exist and has already installed a crystal bath that can no more heal your negative energy than playing Mr Blobby's single at 78rpm can cure your dachshund's tinnitus. Noel's perfectly free to spout this nonsense, of course. I would take his positivity guru status a bit more seriously, though, if he wasn't the sort of man who carries grudges like Mary Poppins carries her magic carpet bag and has an ongoing beef with a New Zealand magazine called Stuff that clearly consumes him. There's no denying, though, all the vendettas and cosmic woo-woo lend themselves to a hugely entertaining ITV stitch-up which almost forces you to pick a side. If that's the case and it's Edmonds versus ITV, I am 100 per cent Team Noel here because, whatever his faults, he remains a television genius who, unlike the fools currently mis-managing Britain's main commercial network, made brilliant mainstream television shows that were adored by millions and have more than earned him his place in this Earthly paradise. House Party And should anyone doubt Noel's ability to read the minds of the great British public, who grew up watching House Party in a happier, funnier, friendlier country than the preachy, uptight, litter-strewn mess we now inhabit, then they should listen to the answer he gives when asked if he misses the UK. 'All the things I miss about Britain are the reasons I left. 'Our country changed so much, so fast, so fundamentally, I found myself a quieter country.' Or, as a memorable Sun front page once nearly put it, will the last person to leave Britain please switch off the telly. Noel Edmonds' Kiwi Adventure, ITV, 9pm, tonight UNEXPECTED MORONS IN BAGGING AREA THE Finish Line, Roman Kemp: 'Chippy is the slang term for what type of tradesman?' Janae: 'A chip shop.' Roman Kemp: 'Based in Norwich, UEA is the University of where?' Mickey: 'America.' And Roman Kemp, who was actually looking for Nepal when he asked Catherine: 'The capital of which country is closest to Mount Everest?' But got: 'London.' SATURDAY, Blankety Blank, Bradley: 'Naga (Munchetty), you're still writing. What are you doing? A letter to someone?' That GMB application isn't going to fill itself in, Brad. RANDOM TV IRRITATIONS BBC climate propagandist Justin Rowlatt hopping around like a madman at the first whiff ofsummer. Nick Frost slumming it for the political cred on Transaction. The BBC vanishing all trace of men from its Summer of Sport promos. And the sad state of ITV which, since 1994, has gone from Whicker's World, to The Price Of Perfection host Olivia Attwood saying: 'Ten years ago, I'd have cut off my left fanny flap for that tan.' With the truly frightening thing being, there's still a long way to go before it reaches rock bottom. DOCTOR MOTOX THE Price Of Perfection, episode three, a Botox specialist called Mohamed, who trades under the name Dr Motox, is hit with a killer question by host Olivia Attwood. 'I have to ask, is Doctor Motox your real name?' It isn't, any more than yours is Olivia Twattwood. WOKE IN A GRAY AREA 6 Jordan Gray flashed his penis on Channel 4's Friday Night WHEN Jerry Sadowitz flashed his penis on stage back in 2022, the woke establishment reacted with outrage and the stand-up was banned from the Edinburgh Festival venue. Yet when Jordan Gray flashed his penis on Channel 4's Friday Night Live, just three months later, the woke establishment reacted with glee and the stand-up was rewarded with a six-part ITV2 sitcom about a chaotic supermarket night shift called Transaction. The clue to this obvious hypocrisy being the Trans half of that title refers to Jordan, who self-identifies as a comedian. And if you're so brainwashed by the gender theory crazies you believe this means I should've written 'her penis' in the second paragraph, then you may also be able to pretend Transaction is a work of comic genius. It'll take a flat-Earther's level of delusion, though, because the cult of woke has no interest in making an audience laugh. It's all about bending them to their deranged political will. Even without the PC handbrake jammed firmly on, however, the darkly unpleasant Transaction would still fail spectacularly on every level as it has no structure, soul, realism, decent characters, work ethic, wit or anything much beyond an endlessly recurring castration joke which leaves you with the distinct impression Jordan's genuinely repulsed by the sight of 'a penis I never asked for'. You'd hope, then, that Jordan now understands Friday Night Live viewers felt exactly the same way. I can offer no other verdict more optimistic here, though, than the possibility there may still be worse television shows to come in 2025. But only if ITV makes a second series of Transaction. BLANKETY Blank, Bradley Walsh: 'Tell us a bit about yourself.' Janae: 'I'm very spiritual. I'm actually a witch, a healer, I'm very good with herbology, numerology, astrology and I'm a Tarot reader.' On second thoughts, don't. GREAT SPORTING INSIGHTS CALLUM WILSON: 'Rodri will soon become the player he already is.' Jermain Defoe: 'You always know what Quenda's going to do. I thought he'd shoot here but he didn't.' And Joe Cole: 'He's hit the post but two inches either way and it's in.' (Compiled by Graham Wray) LOOKALIKE OF THE WEEK 6 King Charles at Ascot, left, and old man Steptoe, right THIS week's winner is King Charles at Ascot and old man Steptoe. Sent in by Callum Craig, Harrogate. GREAT TV lies and delusions of the summer. This Morning, Ben Shephard: 'Rosie Jones' Pushers is a masterpiece. It'll make you laugh a lot.' Love Island, Sophie: 'Harry's really nice you know.' And Jonathan Ross: 'My next guest is a hilarious stand-up comedian who's always brilliant at everything she does. 'It's Judi Love,' who just so happens to have the same agent as Jonathan. TV GOLD 6 ITV4's broadcaster supreme Steve Ryder at Oulton Park's British Touring Cars Championship Credit: Supplied NETFLIX'S Dept Q. Exasperated BBC News anchor Martine Croxall changing 'pregnant people' to 'pregnant women,' live on air. Phil Mitchell's surprisingly tender reaction to Nigel Bates' Alzheimer's diagnosis, on EastEnders. And ITV4's broadcaster supreme Steve Ryder, bringing all the effortless style and wit that marked his career to a trackside invasion of a geese, at Oulton Park's British Touring Cars Championship, which briefly threatened to halt his final ever television appearance: 'A few crowd control issues. "This kind of problem, you can send off into the long grass. So they're on their way to Canada and we can have a gander at the next race.' What a crying shame neither ITV nor the BBC ever really treated Steve with the respect his great talent fully deserved.
Rhyl Journal
an hour ago
- Rhyl Journal
Happy Valley star James Norton feels like he has ‘become a man' after break-up
Norton, 39, said he initially found it hard but said he would always be friends with the woman, who he did not name, during a talk, called Daring To Change, on The Information stage at Glastonbury Festival on Thursday. Norton said: 'It's very f****** hard, but it happened in a very abrupt way, and it happened kind of to me, and I thought that I was on a path. 'I was about to have kids, about to get married, all that kind of stuff, and my life just turned around, completely changed direction. 'And I thought I lost the person, but I also lost the life that I was about to lead, and the kids that we named, all that kind of stuff. 'And actually, in the last year and a half, I have gone through the most monumental change as a result, and I feel like I've grown up, I feel like I've become a man. 'I suddenly feel like I've grown up, I found some friends, relationships, the outpouring of love from my family around me was amazing. 'I ended up going to a Buddhist retreat in the south of France called Plum Village, anyone been to Plum Village? If you haven't, you should go. 'It's the best place in the world, and I went because I was in this pit of pain, and now I have this community. 'It's a Zen Buddhist community, it's amazing, and if you haven't gone, really look it up, it really does change your life. 'But so much has been born from that massive, radical change.' Norton, who also played Sidney Chambers in ITV drama Grantchester, has been romantically linked to 36-year-old English actress Imogen Poots and artist Charlotte Rose Smith. During the chat, he added: 'I was very much like the furious optimist, it was hard, I love that person (the unnamed woman) so much, and I will always love her, she's amazing, and we will have a relationship forever I hope, and there's no resentment. 'And actually, in a weird way, I kind of owe her so much, because she was the one who took it upon herself to make that massive decision, and she gave me a gift, she gave me this opportunity to grow up.' The London-born actor starred as Tommy Lee Royce in BBC drama Happy Valley, and has also appeared in Doctor Who, crime drama McMafia and sci-fi drama The Nevers.
Powys County Times
an hour ago
- Powys County Times
BBC says it will not show Neil Young's Glastonbury Festival headline 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. 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.' Former Match Of The Day presenter Gary Lineker, who left the BBC One show last month, will be speaking at Silver Hayes's The Information on Saturday for a panel titled Standing Up For 'Getting Along' In A World That's Being Pushed Apart. He told the paper: 'It's basically along the lines of: everything is done to try and divide us, and I think if people can pull together – because I think most of us are decent human beings – then just a bit more kindness in the world would go a long way at the moment.' 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. Earlier in the month she told BBC Radio 2 that she is 'pretty keen' to see if she can 'pull some strings' and make an appearance at this year's festival. Revellers experienced lashings of rain when they arrived at Pilton on Thursday morning, but Friday should see sunshine, according to the Met Office. Spokesman Stephen Dixon told the PA news agency: 'Friday should start relatively sunny, with temperatures reaching into the mid-20s. However, there will be a touch more cloud later in the day and into the evening.' 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. One of the more controversial acts performing is Irish rap trio Kneecap, who have been in the headlines recently after one of their members was charged with a terror offence. Before the festival, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said it would not be 'appropriate' for them to perform their slot, taking place on the West Holts Stage at 4pm on Saturday. Rapper Liam Og O hAnnaidh was charged for allegedly displaying a flag in support of proscribed terrorist organisation Hezbollah at a gig in London in November last year. Last week, the 27-year-old, who performs under the stage name Mo Chara, was cheered by hundreds of supporters as he arrived with bandmates Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh at Westminster Magistrates' Court in 'Free Mo Chara' T-shirts. He was released on unconditional bail until his next hearing at the same court on August 20. On Thursday evening, the rap trio posted a film they executive produced to social media, titled Stop The Genocide, which includes testimonies from a Palestinian activist and plastic surgeon on the war in Gaza. 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 singer 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.
