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.
This year, the BBC will provide livestreams of the five main stages – Pyramid, Other, West Holts, Woodsies and The Park.
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Geek Girl Authority
25 minutes ago
- Geek Girl Authority
OUTRAGEOUS Recap: (S01E03) Episode 3
Full disclosure: I didn't jump into Outrageous completely blind. I learned about Unity Mitford (Shannon Watson) many years ago, thanks to a Fringe Festival play called Hitler's Women , a title that attracted as much outrage as it did audiences. While the play didn't delve into her sisters, it painted a pretty clear picture of Unity as a woman who put the 'fan' in fanatical. Outrageous Episode 3 highlights this particular character trait, bookending the episode with scenes of her preparation and the fruition of her efforts. RELATED: Catch up with our recap of Outrageous Episode 2 Not to be outdone, the elder Mitford sisters spend Episode 3 carving out their own paths of politics, travel, and authorship. Sisterly sentiment clashes with ideology. And finally, young Jessica (Zoe Brough) finds the spark to light her red flame. Nothing is too outrageous for this lot. Not even Deborah's (Orla Hill) honest and shockingly predictable goals in life. Photographer: Olly Courtney- Courtesy of BritBox Outrageous, Season 1 Episode 3 March 1934. Unity runs calisthenic drills on the lawns of The Fortress to marching band music played on a phonograph. Jessica watches in wonder from the veranda, while Nancy (Bessie Carter) and Peter Jamie Blackley) find it amusing from their vantage inside the house. Nancy's voiceover describes how Unity would develop short-lived obsessions as a child. When Unity ends her workout with a Sieg Heil salute, the smile fades from Nancy's face. At Nancy and Peter's flat, Diana (Joanna Vanderham) visits, bringing her sons. Over tea, she tells Nancy that she's pregnant with Mosley's (Joshua Sasse) baby and needs to get an abortion. She asks Nancy to accompany her for moral support, and Nancy agrees, pointing out that Diana's making all the sacrifices in her relationship with Mosley. The Campaign Begins Unity begins pestering her parents to send her to a German finishing school in Munich. She argues that the Germans are friendly and more similar to English people. She wants to learn the German language and the culture. In addition, the pound sterling goes a long way in Germany. Muv (Anna Chamberlain) and Farve (James Purefoy) discuss it, with Muv taking up Unity's cause, and the decision is made to consider it. RELATED: Read our My Lady Jane recaps Muv also slips in the fact that she's invited Diana and her sons to Easter with the family. She points out that Farve misses her as much as the rest of the family does, and it's time the rift was healed. Farve acquiesces. She inquires about the state of the finances. He insists everything is being handled. She's unconvinced. In the clinic, Nancy waits with Diana before the abortion. Diana asks Nancy to take care of her sons if anything were to go wrong in the operating room. Nancy promises to, but reassures her that everything's going to be fine. The doctor and nurse roll Diana away to ominous music. April 1934, Easter Nancy and Peter leave The Fortress with Diana's sons. Nancy carries the younger one, while Peter walks hand in hand with the older one. They meet up with Farve and the rest of the family. Diana and Unity join them last. Outrageous – Photographer: Olly Courtney/Courtesy of BritBox The entire family walks to the church for Easter service, along with a hound and a sheep. The dog and sheep are left outside, of course. As the congregation sings hymns, Unity carves a swastika into a pew. Diana, still recovering from the abortion, has to sit. When the collection plate goes around, Jessica steals a few coins. RELATED: My Lady Jane : Rob Brydon and Anna Chancellor Spill Their Parenting Secrets Upon returning home, Jessica deposits her loot in her 'Running Away Fund' jar. Down in the sitting room, Peter reads the headlines from the newspaper. Jessica arrives as he regales the group with a story about Winston Churchill's 15-year-old nephew, Esmond Romilly, who ran away from his boarding school to join communists in London. Jessica is fascinated. Esmond is a second cousin. The discussion irritates Farve, who throws the paper into the fire. Left alone when the family goes in for the luncheon, Jessica pulls the paper out to save the clipping with Esmond's picture. Sisterly Talks, Part 1 Nancy and Pamela (Isobel Jesper Jones) take a walk. Nancy tells Pamela about the book she's writing. Titled Wigs on the Green , she intends to write a satire about the fascist movement in England, inspired by seeing Unity give the fascist salute to a woman in the village shop. Pamela cautions her that Unity and Diana won't find it funny. Nancy tells her that the publishers paid her an advance, which she and Peter have already spent to pay their debts. Peter still hasn't found a job. Stopping at a large outbuilding, Pamela announces, 'Here she is! Allow me to introduce the new love of my life!' and opens the double doors to reveal a new roadster automobile. Having bought it with her earnings from running the farm, she plans to drive it alone across Europe in the summer. Nancy's impressed by her courage. The Writer's Dilemma At home, Nancy discusses the possibility of her sisters being bothered by Wigs on the Green with Peter. He dismisses Unity as abnormal, bordering on insane. He argues that she's targeting the movement, not her sisters, so they should understand. Struck by inspiration, he suggests they attend one of Mosley's rallies for research purposes. RELATED: Filmmaker Charley Feldman Is Truly Outrageous As Jessica falls deeper into her obsession with Esmond, Unity comes in and announces that she's convinced Muv and Farve to send her to Munich. Jessica's aghast, but impressed that Unity got her way. Unity's ecstatic to be going to the same city as where Hitler (Paul Giddings) lives. Munich, Germany Muv accompanies Unity to the school in Munich and helps her get settled in. She reminds Unity that if she's ever unhappy, she can call home and they'll bring her home immediately. In response, Unity flings her arms around Muv in a bear hug, thanking her emphatically. As Diana helps prepare Nancy to attend Mosley's rally, Nancy tells her about Wigs on the Green , hoping to smooth any future discontent with the satirical take on fascism. She promises to let Diana read the manuscript before she submits it, giving her full rein to do the final edit. Diana appreciates the offer, but feels that Nancy will be converted to the cause by Mosley's speech. She can't attend herself, but makes Nancy promise to telephone her afterwards to tell her all about it. In the parlor, Peter, dressed in a black shirt to match Nancy's, pops a bottle of champagne to toast Mosley with Diana. RELATED: Members of the ton, read our Bridgerton recaps Diana listens to the news reporting on Mosley's rally. Agitators in the audience disrupt the rally, and Mosley demands that they be apprehended and punished. The rally descended into violent chaos as 2,000 protestors outside the rally clashed with fascist supporters. Date Night Gone Wrong Nancy and Peter return home, upset by the thuggery they witnessed. Nancy can't wait to get out of the black shirt she's wearing. They are on the same page about how dangerous Mosley's mission is. When the phone rings, Nancy can't answer it, afraid of speaking to Diana about the rally. Peter solves this by picking up the handset and hanging up immediately. They argue over finances and Peter's fruitless search for work. When Nancy questions his commitment to finding employment, he becomes mean and petty. After accusing her of being a suspicious 'little wife,' he grabs his coat and storms out. Sisterly Talks, Part 2 Deborah brings a parcel of books to Jessica. Jessica unwraps the first, Out of Bounds by Giles and Esmond Romilly. When she tells Deborah that it's about how to change the status quo, Deborah asks why it needs to change. Deborah appreciates how lucky their family is to live in The Fortress and the lifestyle their status affords them. Jessica tries to explain that she wants to solve the disparity between themselves and those who have nothing. When she asks Deborah what she wants to do with her life, Deborah replies that she expects to fall in love with someone rich and handsome. Jessica finds this goal pathetic. Deborah is not bothered. RELATED: Hair and Makeup Artist Jacquetta Levon Talks Incorporating Reality and Fantasy for The Serpent Queen In Munich, Unity and a classmate, Angela (Emily John), go walking. Unity is superfluous in her love of Germany. Angela takes her to the Osteria Bavaria, Hitler's favorite restaurant. Unity wonders if he's in there at that moment. Angela tells her that he only comes at lunchtime and that he is always surrounded by his men. Unity takes a deep breath and goes into the restaurant, leaving Angela behind. Inside the restaurant, Unity finds the backroom, decorated with images and quotes of the Third Reich. When a server greets her, Unity asks to make a lunch reservation for herself for every day. July 1934 Favre enters his study to find Muv going over the books. She confronts him about their debt. He insists it's a temporary state and demands that she trust him. Nancy arrives alone for lunch. Muv puts on a cheerful face and gently suggests that Nancy and Peter establish separate bank accounts. Nancy points out that there's nothing to put in one if she had one. Outrageous – Courtesy of BritBox Unity and Angela sit at the counter in the Osteria Bavaria. Unity explains Hitler's routine whenever he lunches there. Angela wonders what the restaurant staff thinks of Unity's stalker-like behavior. Unity is completely oblivious to any criticism. She continues to explain her strategy. Just then, Hitler and his entourage enter, and everyone stands to salute him. RELATED: 15 Song Covers We Want to Hear on Bridgerton He walks past and takes a seat in the back room. Unity lowers her arm and tells Angela that she's sure he looked right at her. Angela attempts to temper Unity's enthusiasm with a modicum of reality, but Unity rolls right over her in her belief that her plan is working. At lunch at The Fortress, Tom extols Hitler's successes in Germany, while Jessica argues the anti-fascist points. Tom and Muv refuse to believe the rumors of the persecution of marginalized groups. Jessica pulls Nancy into the discussion, throwing her under the bus twice – first by mentioning her attendance at Mosley's rally, then by spilling the tea about Wigs on the Green . December 1934 Nancy tells Joss (Will Attenborough) about sending a heavily edited version of the book to Diana for her feedback. Joss calls it a toothless tiger. Nancy doesn't disagree. He admits that he didn't think Mosley and fascism would ever gain footing in England, but now it feels very real and possible. When Nancy questions whether she should pull the manuscript, Joss respectfully points out that her novel won't make a real difference. He feels that Diana should understand that Nancy needs to earn the money that has already been paid. RELATED: TV Review: The Serpent Queen Season 2 At their lovenest, Mosley is irate with the manuscript. He turns it into an attack on Diana, painting Nancy as a jealous and spiteful sister. Diana recognizes Nancy's financial straits, but Mosley insists that she demand Nancy dump the book. He argues that if Nancy is a true sister, she'll be loyal to Diana and any cause Diana supports. Meeting at a lounge, Diana argues that Nancy's book makes fun of everything Mosley's spent years building. She calls it hurtful, and Nancy is deeply remorseful, offering to cut out any offensive passages. Diana demands that she not publish at all. Nancy says that's not possible, financially speaking. She says Diana's being a bit oversensitive. Diana points out that Nancy doesn't like Mosley, having heard it from the rest of the family, so the satire isn't meaningless. She accuses Nancy of not speaking the truth to her face. Nancy obliges. She admits she doesn't like Mosley or his politics. Diana takes that personally and states that Mosley is the only hope for the future. She stands up and tells Nancy that her faith in Mosley is unshakeable, but she doesn't have that faith in Nancy's loyalty anymore. She leaves Nancy speechless. What's Coming Next At the Osteria Bavaria, Unity drops and smashes a glass pitcher, distracted by Hitler in the back room. As the server cleans up and Unity apologizes, an SS officer approaches and invites Unity to join Hitler at his table. RELATED: Read our Outrageous recaps Nancy's voiceover reviews the state of things. Diana and Unity lost to the fascist cause. Nancy shut out by Diana. In an elegant juxtaposed montage of the three women approaching doorways — Diana to her parlor, Unity to the back room, Nancy returning home — she wonders what is happening to her family. In her house, Nancy finds Peter partying with another couple. She excuses herself from the festivities, claiming a headache. Peter and the others carry on without her. The next morning, a lorry arrives outside the flat. Men bang on the door. Nancy answers it, and they burst in, repossessing all her furniture. Outrageous streams on BritBox, with new episodes dropping every Wednesday. TV Review: IRONHEART Diana lives in Vancouver, BC, Canada, where she invests her time and energy in teaching, writing, parenting, and indulging her love of all Trek and a myriad of other fandoms. She is a lifelong fan of smart sci-fi and fantasy media, an upstanding citizen of the United Federation of Planets, and a supporter of AFC Richmond 'til she dies. Her guilty pleasures include female-led procedurals, old-school sitcoms, and Bluey. She teaches, knits, and dreams big. You can also find her writing at The Televixen, Women at Warp, TV Fanatic, and TV Goodness.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Luke Bryan, Ashley McBryde, Zach Top among Sunday's unforgettable moments at CMA Fest
Bailey Zimmerman's heart-on-his-sleeve passion. Luke Bryan's earnest, aw-shucks appeal. Dierks Bentley and Ashley McBryde showcasing stellar song catalogues and band leadership. With all of this and a lot more along the way Sunday evening, the 52nd CMA Fest closed its 2025 edition with a slate of established and rising country artists shining brightly as ever. Some say country music is about faith, family and fun. For others, the genre boils down to three chords and the truth. But it's the power in how superstars deliver those values that has kept the genre's fans coming back to Music City's Nissan Stadium year after year. And yes, even multi-platinum-selling rapper BigXThaPlug joined the festivities for his Zimmerman duet "All The Way," showing that when it hits just right, country music's appeal is stunningly broad and undeniable. Here are the night's most memorable moments: Co-signs from Alan Jackson and Dierks Bentley are among the reasons why Zach Top's 2024-released debut album "Cold Beer and Country Music" emerged as one of last year's must-listen smashes. His Sunday evening set at the 52nd CMA Fest ushered in the next chapter of showcasing his uncanny ability to blend top-tier musicianship with deceptively simple songwriting into a hit-making blend. Top's performance of "Sounds Like The Radio" swept the crowd into an almost immediate two-stepping frenzy. More than ever, his sound feels comfortably flexible in filling floors on dancehall nights, appealing to a crowd at the Ryman Auditorium, or in any of the larger arenas, amphitheaters, or stadiums that have dotted his tour schedule for the past few years. Songs like "Bad Luck," recent radio chart-topper "I Never Lie" and cheating anthem "Use Me" showcase the emotional range of his work. The latter's use of the pedal steel guitar adds an appreciable whiskey-woozy vibe to the waltz-time tempo. Top also debuted his self-described "hopefully next great summer country anthem," 'Good Times & Tan Lines' during the set. Time will tell if his assertion is correct, but the fawning approval of 50,000 country fans to its honky-tonk twang on a perfect Nashville Sunday night feels like it's off to a great start. Back-to-back years' CMA Fest co-host Ashley McBryde brought her swagger to the Nissan Stadium stage. As expected, the tattooed and leather pant-clad rocker performed a rousing blend of rootsy and authentically heartfelt sounds. The CMA award winner's scintillating "Rattlesnake Preacher" kicked off her set, followed by "Made For This," the 2023 ode to her hard-touring lifestyle and "Devil I Know" album track. McBryde performing a cover of Don Henley's "Boys of Summer" was unexpected. But the performer and her band are skilled in whipping up excitable crowd, even when it means defying genre expectations. Her rendition was a sing-along moment. There's something about songs like "Ain't Enough Water In The River" and "One Night Standards" that makes them feel like well-worn A-sides and B-sides of long-treasured records. "The thing I love about country music is that sad songs keep us happy and cheating songs keep us faithful," McBryde said before playing the "cheating song" "Tired Of Being Happy." McBryde closed her set by welcoming the New Orleans Roots of Music band to the stage. The group that promotes the Crescent City's musical heritage through music education and mentorship received a round of applause. Twenty-one year-old Avery Anna achieved her biggest dreams of country stardom via her performance on CMA Fest's platform stage in the center of the crowd at Nissan Stadium. Briefly overwhelmed by the opportunity, she played a vulnerable rendition of "Indigo," her grief-stricken duet with Sam Barber, which currently rising through the ranks of the country radio charts. She stopped at the end of her chorus, eyes welling with tears. 'I can't sing the last line,' she said, smiling. Another underground-to-mainstream success story, Big Loud-signed Alabama native Kashus Culpepper performed "After Me?" and "Pour Me Out," two of his growing collection of earnestly sung and well-regarded material, on Nissan Stadium's platform stage. "Blows my mind," the blues, folk, gospel and soul-rooted rising star offered to an impressed crowd. Dierks Bentley, the "Burning Man" himself, brought the crowd to their feet the second the first guitar strum lit the stage afire. "This is the greatest weekend of our lives, we call it the 'Country Music singers' Thanksgiving,'" Bentley told the crowd. Audience cutaways showed fans swaying their hands and lip syncing, "I've been gone, I've been gone, I've been sittin' on the couch watching TV all day long." Bentley's gravel-edge rasp flowed like a smooth river. He injected energy into Nissan Stadium his toe-tapping singles, "Burnin' Man," "Gone" and "Free and Easy (Down the Road I Go)." Bentley is set to release his album, "Broken Branches," on June 13. He offered a taste with his final song, "She Hates Me." "This is the all-star fans, the greatest of the greats," Bentley bragged to the audience of country music's No. 1 fans. "Such an honor to be here." The father of three brought Zach Top back to the stage for a hip-swaying, knee-slapping rendition of Alabama's classic "Mountain Music." Before letting Top go, Bentley put his arm around the 27-year-old in a fatherly way, "Let me tell you something about this guy… This is the future of country music right here, Zach Top. Now get your ass out of here." Bentley jumped into "What Was I Thinking?" and then took a literal meaning to the song title, telling the crowd that it was his last song and walking off. Before he escaped the spotlight, he paused and counted his fingers. He then had an "aha moment," turned around and said he had one more song, his mega hit, "Drunk on a Plane." Luke Bryan, 30 No. 1 hits (and counting), closed CMA Fest with a set primarily comprised of instantly recognizable country radio anthems, including his most recent "Mind of A Country Boy" album hit, "Love You, Miss You, Mean It." Appropriately, the "American Idol" co-host opened with "I Don't Want This Night to End" and "Kick The Dust Up," a pair of still-beloved, decade-old hits. Strapping on an electric guitar and leading his band headlong into "What Makes You Country," Bryan flashed a youthful smile. The opportunity to close CMA Fest motivated Bryan to push his vocal and instrumental abilities to the limit. Did that include sitting at a piano to perform the crowd favorite power ballad "Strip It Down?" It sure did. Before a still eager Sunday evening crowd, his hip-shimmying cheekiness showcased during "Knockin' Boots" and "That's My Kind of Night" and the most commonplace of rural ideals, say, like, "hunting, fishing and loving every day," translated to ear-warming choruses. As the night wore into Monday morning, Bryan unleashed "Country Girl Shake It For Me," arguably his career-defining hit. The type of frenzy the banjo-driven down-home rocker whips fans into hit a new level as CMA Fest closed. During the celebration, a Nissan Stadium security guard and "Rodney," a Resistol hat and American flag overall-clad fan, were invited onstage to dance alongside the country superstar. "We love you Nashville," offered Bryan as his band played into the night. This article originally appeared on Nashville Tennessean: CMA Fest: Luke Bryan, Ashley McBryde, Zach Top among the best moments
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Anna Wintour is stepping down as the editor in chief of Vogue. These are the moments that turned her into a pop culture icon.
After 37 years as Vogue's editor in chief, Anna Wintour is officially stepping down. The fashion icon is not retiring altogether; instead, she will remain on as the publisher's global chief content officer as well as Vogue's global editorial director, per CNN. It is, nonetheless, the end of an era — one marked by Met Galas, groundbreaking (and sometimes controversial) magazine covers, and moments that cemented the EIC's place in pop culture history. From being dubbed 'Nuclear Wintour' by tabloids in the '90s for her icy management style to inspiring one of Meryl Streep's most famous roles, Wintour's reign at Vogue has shaped not only fashion but how the world views it. Prior to her reign as editor in chief of Vogue, Wintour worked across different magazines at Condé Nast, including House & Garden and the U.K. edition of Vogue. It was during her time at the U.K. fashion magazine, where she replaced beloved editor Bea Miller, that British tabloids gave her the titles 'Nuclear Wintour' and 'Wintour of Our Discontent' — nods to her reputation for being cold, demanding and unapologetically tough on her staff. In 1997, the British-born Wintour pushed back against the nicknames in a piece for the Guardian, writing that while journalists portrayed her as a 'wicked woman of steel,' she only recalled letting go of 'two or three' employees during her time at the magazine. 'There was a cozy but mildly eccentric atmosphere at British Vogue, which, after my time in New York, struck me as out of date,' Wintour recalled. 'It also seemed out of step with the fast developing social and political changes that were thundering through Britain in the eighties, under Margaret Thatcher. I felt the cozy approach was not responsive to intelligent women's changing lives. So I decided to infuse the magazine with a bit of American worldliness, even toughness.' While Wintour may not have appreciated the nicknames nor agreed with their accuracy, it's clear that her tough-as-nails reputation solidified a certain image of the ice queen fashion editor — an image that Wintour would carry with her throughout her career. In 1988, Wintour debuted her first cover of Vogue — and it shocked the fashion world. Model Michaela Bercu wore a $10,000 Christian Lacroix couture jacket with a bejeweled cross along with $50 Guess jeans, photographed outside in natural light. The casual tone of the photo was a stark change for the magazine; even Wintour herself didn't initially expect to run the photo on the cover. 'It was so unlike the studied and elegant close-ups that were typical of Vogue's covers back then, with tons of makeup and major jewelry,' Wintour wrote of the cover in a 2012 Vogue piece, adding that the photo 'broke all the rules.' The model 'wasn't looking at you, and worse, she had her eyes almost closed,' Wintour explained. 'Her hair was blowing across her face. It looked easy, casual, a moment that had been snapped on the street, which it had been, and which was the whole point.' Wintour said that the cover led to all sorts of incorrect interpretations, including that it was some sort of 'religious statement.' None were true. Instead, she wrote, 'I had just looked at that picture and sensed the winds of change. And you can't ask for more from a cover image than that.' In 2006, The Devil Wears Prada, a novel written by former Wintour assistant Lauren Weisberger, was adapted into a movie starring Anne Hathaway and Meryl Streep. Immediately, people assumed that Streep's character Miranda Priestly — EIC of the fictional Runway magazine — was a thinly veiled caricature of Wintour. Wintour has not said much publicly about the portrayal of Priestly, an icy, calculating and wildly demanding boss. In fact, Anna: The Biography author Amy Odell wrote that when the EIC learned that Weisberger had sold The Devil Wears Prada, 'she said to [managing editor Laurie] Jones, 'I cannot remember who that girl is,'' per Entertainment Weekly. Recently, the film — for which a sequel is in the works — received a West End musical adaptation, which Wintour attended in December 2024. Speaking to the BBC after the show, she said it is 'for the audience and for the people I work with to decide if there are any similarities between me and Miranda Priestly.' The Devil Wears Prada is not the only piece of pop culture to apparently pay tribute to the famed fashionista. She was also parodied on the show Ugly Betty with the character Fey Sommers. Interpretations of Wintour, always with her signature giant sunglasses, have also been seen on Saturday Night Live and The Simpsons. Wintour also appeared as herself in 2018's Ocean's 8, which was about a group of women pulling off a heist at the Met Gala. In 2009, R.J. Cutler's documentary The September Issue followed Wintour as she and her team crafted the September 2007 edition of Vogue — at the time, the largest issue to date. It peeled back the curtain on working for Wintour, revealing her exacting standards and intense leadership style at the center of the high-pressure world of fashion publishing. In a review of the documentary by Roger Ebert, the late film critic wrote, 'There cannot have been a page she wasn't involved with. This seems to be a woman who is concerned with one thing above all: The implementation of her opinion.' Fashion's biggest night wouldn't be quite the same without the influence of Wintour. In 1995, she took over as chair of the Met Gala, transforming the annual fundraiser for the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Costume Institute from a modest society dinner into a global pop culture phenomenon. Wintour revamped the guest list, inviting A-list celebrities, designers, models and entertainment industry power players. This coincided with the rise of the celebrity stylist, putting these behind-the-scenes fashion players on display just as much as the stars wearing their outfits. Wintour helped elevate pop culture icons like Rihanna, whose outfit choices have become among the most anticipated on the red carpet. In 2015, Wintour made headlines with the Met Gala once again. 'China: Through the Looking Glass' was one of the most attended exhibitions — but also a highly controversial one, as Wintour and her team were accused of promoting appropriation and showing Eastern culture through a Western lens. Still, the Met Gala has continued to push cultural conversation forward, as it did this year with its theme 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style,' which spotlighted Black designers and Black identity. In May, Wintour told E! News of the exhibit, 'It's about optimism and hope and community. I hope that many, many people come and see it.'
