Latest news with #MichaelEavis
BBC News
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
BBC Music presents Glastonbury 2025 across TV, BBC iPlayer, Radio and BBC Sounds and announces presenting team
The BBC, Glastonbury's exclusive broadcast partner, brings audiences a two-month celebration of the festival this June and July, across TV, BBC iPlayer, radio and BBC Sounds and announces this year's presenting team. Lorna Clarke, BBC Director of Music says: 'This year, we're making it easier than ever for millions of music fans to access Glastonbury's standout moments, whilst also giving them the freedom to explore the festival their way - Glastonbury is theirs and the BBC brings it to them. 'I would like to thank Emily and Michael Eavis once again for allowing us this exclusive access to their very special creation, as only the BBC can bring the nation together to enjoy their beloved festival.' Broadcasting from Glastonbury this year across the BBC's platforms are: Anita Rani, Annie Macmanus, Arielle Free, Cerys Matthews, Clara Amfo, Craig Charles, Danni Diston, Danny Howard, Deb Grant, Dermot O'Leary, DJ Target, Gilles Peterson, Greg James, Huw Stephens, Jack Saunders, Jamz Supernova, Jo Whiley, Lauren Laverne, Matt Everitt, Nathan Shepherd, Nick Grimshaw, Sam MacGregor, Sarah Story, Steve Lamacq and Zoe Ball. SH8 Glastonbury 2025 on TV & BBC iPlayer BBC iPlayer - the ultimate place to watch Glastonbury - will bring viewers over 90 hours of performances with its live streams of the five main stages - Pyramid, Other, West Holts, Woodsies and The Park - allowing viewers to make their own list of must-see acts and plot their way through the weekend. Pyramid Stage sets will once again be available to stream live in Ultra High Definition and in British Sign Language. To get viewers ready for this year's event, the Glastonbury Hits Channel is now live, streaming classic tracks from some of the biggest artists to have performed over the years, 24/7, until the festival's main stages open on Friday 27 June. The Glastonbury Channel returns (Friday 27 - Sunday 29 June, 12pm-late). Hosts Clara Amfo, Huw Stephens, Jack Saunders, Jamz Supernova, Jo Whiley and Lauren Laverne will guide viewers through the biggest sets and festival surprises as they happen, the standout moments from BBC One and BBC Two as they are broadcast, and special guests. The Glastonbury Highlights Channel - from late evening on Friday 27 June, viewers can catch up with all the biggest, most-talked about performances from this year's festival, 24 hours a day, until Wednesday 30 July. On-demand, BBC iPlayer provides over 90 sets and over 90 must-watch tracks to enjoy throughout July (for 30 days after broadcast). New and on-demand for this year will be Glastonbury Recap - a short montage of clips released each day of the festival to catch viewers up on the action and Glastonbury Highlights - five compilations featuring tracks from some of the most memorable performances from 2025, available for a year shortly after the festival. Sidetracked by Glastonbury is back for 2025 with three, visualised episodes of Sidetracked - the UK's number one music podcast, presented by Annie Macmanus and Nick Grimshaw - featuring new interviews with Rod Stewart, Loyle Carner and more. Rod Stewart's episode is available on BBC iPlayer now, with two more episodes dropping on Mondays (5am) until 16 June. On TV, there will be extensive coverage over the weekend on BBC One, Two and Four. During the week leading up to Glastonbury, BBC Two will broadcast three, 30-minute specials called Glastonbury: 70s Legends (w/t), Glastonbury: 80s Legends (w/t) and Glastonbury: 90s Legends (w/t). Each will feature classic Glastonbury tracks from performers who made their name in each of those decades. BBC Two then kicks off the first live programme from Worthy Farm on Thursday 26 June, presented by Clara Amfo and Lauren Laverne, who look to the weekend ahead. The One Show helps kick off the Glastonbury weekend on BBC One on Friday 27 June (7pm), with a live link up to the 2025 event. Following a weekend of performances on BBC TV and iPlayer, BBC Two will show a Best of Glastonbury 2025 compilation, whilst more highlights will be shown on BBC Three. CBeebies Bedtime Stories will be returning to Glastonbury Festival with special readings from a host of stars throughout the weekend. Not only that but CBeebies House Party LIVE will delight family audiences in The Astrolabe, Theatre & Circus Field. An effervescent stage show starring the legendary Justin Fletcher, Evie Pickerill, Nigel Clarke and the one and only Duggee. The full TV schedule from Saturday 21 – Friday 27 June will be announced on Wednesday 11 June. The TV schedules from Saturday 28 June – Friday 4 July will be confirmed on Wednesday 18 June. The BBC's coverage of Glastonbury 2024, produced by BBC Studios, won the BAFTA Award for Live Event coverage in 2025. Glastonbury 2025 on Radio and BBC Sounds BBC Radio 6 Music BBC Radio 6 Music – the radio home of Glastonbury and the UK's biggest digital-only radio station with an audience of 2.6 million listeners (RAJAR, Q1 2025) – hosts All Day Glastonbury from Wednesday 25th June – Monday 30th June. For six days, the schedule will be dedicated entirely to Glastonbury, with all tracks being from artists who have played or will play the festival this year, highlights from Glastonbury sets past and present, and more live shows from site than ever before. The station will be broadcasting 58 hours of live programming from Glastonbury and joining forces with BBC Sounds' Sidetracked, broadcasting two Glastonbury specials of the podcast on the Friday and Sunday, 6-7pm. On Wednesday 25 June, Nick Grimshaw (7-10am) will broadcast his show live from Worthy Farm as the gates open and festival-goers pour in. Nick will be speaking to Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis and hearing from happy campers. Later that day, Deb Grant and Nathan Shepherd will be presenting New Music Fix Daily from site (7-9pm). On Thursday 26 June, Nick, Deb and Nathan will be back at the same times and will be joined on site by Lauren Laverne (10am-1pm) and Craig Charles (1-4pm), getting listeners in the mood with classic Glastonbury sets, themed playlists, interviews and more. On Friday 27 June, following All Day Glastonbury shows from Chris Hawkins in Salford (5-7am) and Nemone in London (7-10am), 6 Music brings listeners broadcasts from Worthy Farm. Lauren (10am-1pm), Jamz Supernova (1-4pm), Huw Stephens (4-6pm), Sidetracked with Annie Macmanus and Nick Grimshaw (6-7pm), New Music Fix Daily with Deb and Nathan (7-9pm) and Steve Lamacq (9pm-12am) will all be on site as the festival prepares to welcome its first headline acts across the five main stages. On Saturday 28 June, following Amy Lamé (6-8am) and Radcliffe and Maconie (8-10am) from Salford, Jamz and Gilles Peterson kick off the live shows from Glastonbury (10-1am), followed by Craig (1-4pm), Cerys Matthews (4-7pm), New Music Fix Daily (7-9pm), and Huw (9pm-midnight). Sunday 29 June sees Amy (6-8am) and Radcliffe and Maconie (8-10am) from Salford, followed by Cerys (10am-1pm), Deb (1-4pm), Huw (4-6pm) Sidetracked with Annie and Nick (6-7pm), Matt Everitt and Friends (7-9pm) and Steve (9pm-12am) all live from Glastonbury as the 2025 festival comes to a close. On Monday 30 June, it's the Morning After Glastonbury. Ease yourself into the week with hours of perfectly-curated restorative music, with a brand new Morning After Mix (5-7am) followed by Nemone (7-10am) and AFRODEUTSCHE (10am-1pm) live from London, with reflections and highlights from a glorious weekend complemented by three exclusive new mixes from very special guests, including English Teacher and Maribou State. BBC Radio 1, Radio 1 Dance and 1Xtra Radio 1's New Music Show with Jack Saunders begins the station's live coverage from Worthy Farm on Thursday 26 June (6-8pm). This is followed by Radio 1 Dance's Takeover of the BBC Introducing Stage with Danny Howard, Arielle Free, Sarah Story and special guests, which will be simulcast on Radio 1 and Radio 1 Dance (8-11pm). For the first time, on Friday 27 June (7-10am) Greg James broadcasts his Radio 1 Breakfast Show live from Glastonbury, and later that day, Danny, Arielle and Sarah are back on Radio 1 and Radio 1 Dance from 6pm, before Radio 1 brings listeners live music from site. On Saturday 28 June, Sam MacGregor and Danni Diston (1-4pm) explore what's happening around Worthy Farm on Radio 1, and on BBC Radio 1Xtra, DJ Target presents 1Xtra's Pre-Party show live from Glastonbury (7-9pm). There will be more music from the festival broadcast on Radio 1 and 1Xtra during the evenings of Saturday 28 and Sunday 29 June. In the weeks that follow the festival weekend, Radio 1 Dance will broadcast some exclusive DJ sets, recorded live at Glastonbury. BBC Radio 2 On Monday 9 June, Jo Whiley (7-9pm) presents a Glastonbury edition of her show, with special guests Jake Shears and Jessie Ware, who join to share their Glastonbury memories, favourite sets and ones to watch for this year. Saturday 28 June sees Dermot O'Leary (8-10am) and Zoe Ball (1-3pm) broadcast live from site, both talking to performers, campers and bringing listeners highlights from Friday's day of sets. Zoe's show will feature an interview with Sunday's Legends slot performer, Rod Stewart. Edith Bowman will broadcast a Glastonbury Highlights show that night from London (10pm-12am). On Sunday 29 June, Jo Whiley (5-8pm) will present highlights from the weekend so far and from that afternoon. The following day, Monday 30 June, Jo returns to present at the usual time (7-9pm) to reflect on the weekend. BBC Radio 4 Radio 4's Woman's Hour is back at Glastonbury on Friday on 27 June (10-11am) to bring all the buzz and excitement of Worthy Farm to Radio 4. Anita Rani brings listeners special guests, live music and explores some of the most dynamic women in the music industry. BBC Sounds Glastonbury on BBC Sounds brings listeners live performances, specials, mixes and more across the next two months. The audio edition of Annie and Nick's Sidetracked by Glastonbury episode with Rod Stewart is available now on BBC Sounds, with further episodes - including an interview with Loyle Carner - dropping weekly on Mondays (5am) until 16 June. Plus, for the first time ever, Annie and Nick will record an episode of the podcast in front of a live audience at the festival on Thursday 26 June, available on BBC Sounds the same day. Recorded at the BBC Introducing Stage, Annie and Nick discuss their must-see artists, debate their biggest clashes, share their Glastonbury memories and welcome special guests. Nick and Annie will also wrap-up with a bonus episode for BBC Sounds after the festival. Throughout June, the BBC Sounds Glastonbury Collection will be populated with Glastonbury themed editions of programmes and mixes including: a new interview between Zoe Ball and Rod Stewart called Zoe Ball Meets Rod Stewart; 6 Music's Indie Forever; Radio 2's Sophie Ellis-Bextor's Kitchen Disco and Alternative Sounds of the 90s with Dermot O'Leary; episodes of 1Xtra Salutes… celebrating Busta Rhymes, Doechii & Hip Hop at Glastonbury and RAYE; and classic episodes of Radio 4's Desert Island Discs with past Glastonbury performers Adele, Bruce Springsteen, Debbie Harry, Elton John, Lily Allen, Nile Rodgers, Paul McCartney and festival organisers, Emily and Michael Eavis. During the festival, listeners can follow along with all the live coverage across the radio stations at the click of a button on the BBC Sounds app. Over 30 performances and DJ sets will be available to hear on demand for 30 days after broadcast, in addition to four Glastonbury Highlights compilations put together by Radio 1, Radio 1Xtra, 6 Music and Radio 2 (available from Monday 30 June for 30 days), and the special editions of 6 Music's Morning After Mix from English Teacher, Maribou State and more. BBC Introducing The BBC Introducing Stage opens at 12pm on Thursday 26 June, as Annie and Nick record an episode of Sidetracked in front of a live audience for the first time (available on BBC Sounds later that day). In another first, BBC Radio 3's Georgia Mann will also take over the stage with a specially curated mix of classical music and exclusive live performance (Saturday 28 June, 11am-12pm and broadcast on Friday 4 July at 12pm, as part of Georgia's daily show Essential Classics, on Radio 3). Returning to the stage this year is BBC Introducing Open Deck (Thursday 26 June, 5.45-7pm) - an open call for emerging DJs who are attending the festival to jump on the decks and play a set, and stage takeovers from: Radio 1 Dance with Danny Howard, Arielle Free, Sarah Story, Jaguar and special guests (broadcast on Radio 1 and Radio 1 Dance on Thursday 26 June, 8-11pm); 6 Music's Indie Forever with Nathan Shepherd and Emily Pilbeam on the Friday; and Radio 2's Alternative Sounds of the 90s with Dermot O'Leary on the Saturday. The artists performing on the stage over the festival are Adult DVD, ALT BLK ERA, Beth McCarthy, Chalk, Cortney Dixon, Deeps, Divorce, Fiona-Lee, Jacob Alon, jasmine.4.t, BBC Introducing and Radio 1's Jess Iszatt (DJ set), Jo Hill, Lambrini Girls, L E M F R E C K, Lola Moxom, BBC Radio 1's Maia Beth (DJ Set), Mali Hâf, Mên An Tol, Moreish Idols, MRCY, Native James, Nectar Woode, Nia Smith, Nina Arya, OneDa, BBC Introducing in Scotland's Phoebe I-H (DJ set), Sebastian Schub, Webmoms and Westside Cowboy. There will also be TBA guests on the stage throughout the weekend, which will be announced via @bbcintroducing on Instagram and X and on the BBC Introducing chalkboard at the stage. BBC Introducing will be reflecting the action on-air and on social media. After the event, highlights will be broadcast on BBC Introducing shows across the UK and will be available on BBC iPlayer and BBC Music's YouTube channel. BBC Introducing is a one-of-a-kind platform which supports unsigned, undiscovered, and under-the-radar music talent across the UK. Since its launch in 2007, there have been more than 1 million tracks uploaded to the BBC Introducing uploader and there are currently over 350,000 registered artists. BBC Introducing gives up-and-coming artists broadcast opportunities across BBC radio, television and online alongside the chance to perform at major festivals and showcases. Glastonbury is commissioned for television and radio by Lorna Clarke, BBC Director of Music. The BBC's Glastonbury TV coverage is produced by BBC Studios Music Productions. The Executive Producer is Alison Howe. The Head of BBC Pop Music TV is Jonathan Rothery. The Commissioning Editor for BBC Pop Music TV is Rachel Davies. Follow for more
BBC News
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Glastonbury Festival: How it has changed through the years
Glastonbury Festival has evolved significantly from its humble beginnings in then, tickets cost £1 and included camping and a free pint of milk from the than 50 years later, Glastonbury Festival has become a global phenomenon, showcasing some of the biggest names in how has the festival changed over the years? 1970 - £1 tickets and free milk Attendance: 1,500. Tickets: £1The first Glastonbury Festival, which was known then as the Pilton Pop, Folk and Blues Festival, took place in September 1970, coincidentally a day after Jimi Hendrix organisers Michael and Jean Eavis were inspired by the Bath Festival of Blues and Progressive Music and by the success of the Isle of Wight Festival and Woodstock in the just £1 a ticket included camping and a pint of milk from the farm and approximately 1,500 people attended the year, recent chart-toppers The Kinks and Wayne Fontana were advertised on the tickets as the headline acts, although both pulled out. They were replaced by a band called Tyrannosaurus Rex, who were one of the biggest groups in the UK in the early 1970s. 1971 - The birth of the Pyramid stage Attendance: estimated at 12,000. Price: FreeThe following year, the festival was held in June to coincide with the summer solstice. Re-named Glastonbury Fair, entry was free and the number of visitors increased to 12,000. The festival's famous Pyramid stage also made its first from metal and plastic sheeting, the stage was deliberately placed on the Glastonbury-Stonehenge ley line (a network of lines which are said to connect sites with spiritual and cultural significance). 1979 - 'Year of the Child' Attendance: 12,000. Tickets: £5In 1979, the festival was held over three days and officially known as 'Glastonbury Fayre'. The theme for 1979 was the 'Year of the Child'.Special provision and entertainment was provided for children and it was at this event that the concept of the Children's World charity was born, which still exists today and works in special schools throughout Somerset and the numbers attending, organisers suffered a financial loss and no one wanted to risk another festival in was also this summer that Michael Eavis' youngest daughter, Emily was born. 1981 - Glastonbury Festival Attendance: 18,000. Tickets: £8The festival returned after a year's break, now officially named 'Glastonbury Festival'.Organisers partnered with Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND). CND was involved with promotion, ticket sales, and received a donation of £20,000 from the was in this year that it was decided to build a new sturdier version of the Pyramid stage - one that could be used all year round. When famous acts weren't performing on it, it could be used as a cowshed and a store for animal food. Using telegraph poles and Ministry of Defence metal sheeting as core materials, the new stage took two months to build. 1994 - Pyramid stage burns down Attendance: 80,000. Tickets: £59On 13 June 1994 the famous Pyramid stage burnt down in the early hours of the morning - just two days before the festival. Fortunately, a replacement was provided by the local company who also provided the stages for the NME and Jazz was also the first year that Glastonbury was televised. Channel 4 covered the event over the weekend. In 1997, the BBC took over broadcasting the festival. 1997 - 'Year of the mud' Attendance: 90,000. Tickets: £75 including official rain just before the festival weekend resulted in 1997 being dubbed the "year of the mud".The festival covered 800 acres by this point and many revellers were photographed dancing to the acts in their wellington boots rather than the latest fancy footwear. 2000 - Return of the Pyramid Stage Attendance: Official estimate, 100,000. Unofficial estimate, 200,000. Tickets: £87 including programmeThis year saw the return of the Pyramid stage (the third to be built) – it was 100 ft (30.4 metres) high and clad in dazzling silver. There was also more camping space with the introduction of a special family campsite. However, this year saw a huge influx of gate crashers. People climbed fences and crawled through ditches to join the Bowie headlined the festival with a two hour show which was shown in full for the first time on television. 2002 - 'Super fence' installed Attendees: 140,000. Tickets £97, including programmeDuring the 1990s, when the festival's popularity was rapidly increasing, break-ins were particularly rife at the festival site and after a high influx of gatecrashers in 2000, Michael Eavis was fined for breaching licensing a result his team built a £1m "super fence" when the festival returned in 2002, putting an end to mass break-ins. The ring of steel repelled all non ticket holders and 140,000 legitimate festival goers attended that year. 2005 - Extreme flooding Attendance: 153,000. Tickets: £125 including programmeIn 2005, a storm caused chaos at Glastonbury. Almost a month's worth of water fell in a few hours on the festival's opening day, washing tents down the hills and flooding campsites. More than 400 tents were submerged in floodwater. There were reports of people having to swim to their tents to retrieve their belongings - and some people were spotted canoeing around the services pumped three million litres of water from the area, leaving it strewn with litter, sleeping bags, tent poles and mud-covered the years that followed it was reported that Mr Eavis spent £750,000 on flood prevention measures. 2007 - New stage introduced Attendance: 135,000. Tickets: £145 including programmeThis year saw the introduction of Emily Eavis' Park Stage, bringing a whole new section of the Festival site to life, whilst the Dance Village cemented its reputation in its second Unsigned Bands competition became the Emerging Talent Competition, which generated thousands of entries and a host of worthy winners playing on many of the Festival stages. 2008 - First hip-hop headliner Attendance: 134,000. Tickets: £155 including programmeThere was quite a stir in the lead-up to 2008's Glastonbury after rap megastar Jay-Z was announced as Saturday night's headline headlining slot was controversial due to the festival's traditional focus on guitar-based rock and pop Jay-Z defied the doubters and became the first major hip-hop artist to headline Glastonbury, marking a turning point for the festival's line-up. 2019 - Last before Covid Capacity: 203,000. Ticket price: £248Jay-Z's performance in 2008 carved out a path for more hip-hop and rap dominated Glastonbury's Pyramid stage in 2019. While wearing a stab-proof Union Jack vest, he used his set to highlight inequality in the justice system and the year's Glastonbury Festival would be the last for the next two years due to Covid-19 pandemic. 2022 - Glasto returns Ticket price: £280 Capacity: 210,000Thousands of music lovers welcomed the return of the Glastonbury Festival in 2022, after a forced hiatus due to year's festival also featured its youngest-ever solo headliner in Billie Eilish and Sir Paul McCartney as the oldest. As well as the music, climate activist Greta Thunberg also made a surprise appearance, telling festival goers the earth's biosphere is "not just changing, it is breaking down". 2025 - Last before fallow year Capacity: 210,000. Tickets: £373.50 + £5 booking feeGlastonbury Festival will return on 25 June this year. Festival organisers have announced British band The 1975, rock legend Neil Young and US pop star Olivia Rodrigo will be Stewart will also perform on Sunday afternoon in the "legend slot" - 23 years after his last appearance at the year will be last festival before the 2026 fallow year to let the field you were unable to get yourself a ticket for the world's biggest music festival - don't worry - the BBC will have extensive coverage throughout Glastonbury 2025.
The Sun
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Glastonbury pretends it's the wokest place on Earth – but do they think it's OK to murder Tories?
I'VE had some of the greatest days of my life at Glastonbury Festival. Michael Eavis's annual music jamboree is like nothing else and has to be experienced to be believed. If you know, you know etc. 5 Glastonbury also happens to be the wokest place on Planet Earth. Pin-balling around the 1,000-acre site, you will never stop bumping into people wearing Free Palestine shirts, so much so you'll think it was the festival uniform. You will find dreadlocked, middle-class white men called Ziggy performing 'pronoun poetry' or some such twaddle. You will discover vegan food stalls where non-binary folk in tie-dyed smocks hand out leaflets about Britain's nasty farming methods as they charge you £23 for a bowl of recycled lentils. There will be people reading The Guardian. Yep, whatever is right on, is right there. Yet amid all the hippy-dippy, save the world business, what you don't typically get is calls to murder anyone. This year, that might change. An excitable Irish band called Kneecap, named after a notorious IRA punishment, have been booked to perform — and they want you to kill your MP. Well, only if they happen to be a Tory MP, naturally. These rowdy republican rappers — a cross between Welsh p**s-takers Goldie Lookin Chain and Rage Against The Machine — have been caught telling fans: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' Oh, and this Brit-hating band, who were happy to take more than £14,000 of government funding, despite Kemi Badenoch's best efforts to stop them when she was Business Secretary, also like to plug Hamas and Hezbollah. Never mind that supporting them is a criminal offence in Britain — the Kneecap lads decided to chant, 'Up Hamas, up Hezbollah!' at a recent gig in London. 'It just makes me happy', says legendary singer Elton John as he praises 'brave' Irish musicians Cue the counter terrorism police announcing yesterday that they are now investigating both that and the 'kill Tories' incident. Politicians have hit out. Both Keir Starmer and the now-Conservative leader Badenoch have condemned them. As have the families of MPs murdered for doing their jobs. Katie Amess, whose dad, Tory MP David Amess, was murdered in 2021, said she was 'gobsmacked' at their 'stupidity . . . and dangerous violent rhetoric'. The Belfast trio spat out their dummies and evoked the standard response offered by those when caught out saying something reprehensible — that their words were 'taken out of context', before offering a mealy-mouthed apology. 'We do not, and have never, supported Hamas or Hezbollah,' they claimed, adding: 'Kneecap's message has always been — and remains — one of love, inclusion and hope.' Cool. So that's all right, then? Brendan Cox, husband of Jo Cox MP, gunned down in her constituency in 2016, doesn't think so, branding their apology 'not particularly genuine'. Kneecap, who fancy themselves as latter-day punks, probably didn't care about any of this when it all started to erupt. I bet they were dying for a headline along the lines of: Is This The Most Dangerous Band In The UK? (Sorry to disappoint, lads.) They've also been emboldened by their cheerleaders in the music biz, including Eton Rifles' geezer Paul Weller, who reckon it's just 'political repression of artistic freedom'. Would they have said the same if Kneecap had been condemned for calling for Labour or Green Party politicians to be murdered? Of course not. Conservatives are always fair game to the #bekind leftie brigade. 5 But now the row is starting to hit Kneecap in the pocket. A big gig planned for the Eden Project has been kyboshed and two festivals in Germany have dumped them. The spotlight has turned to Glastonbury. Will this hugely influential festival, with its ethos of 'peace, love, music and community', drop them from the bill? Dairy farmer Sir Michael Eavis — knighted last year under a Conservative government — is no stranger to the rough and tumble of politics. The 89 year-old stood as a Labour MP for Wells, Somerset, in 1997 but was beaten by the sitting MP, David Heathcoat-Amory . . . a Tory. The history books record that Eavis did not call for his constituents to then execute him. So does he, or indeed his daughter Emily, who now runs the show, condone those who do? POSH TO GET PUSH 5 SO a Spice Girls reunion is back on (again) but missing one key ingredient (again): Posh. Victoria Beckham is still refusing to perform with her old pals, despite demonstrating that she can bear to be in the same room with them after reuniting for her 50th last year. Much has been made of the fact that she doesn't need the cash. OK. But what about the fans? They know she wasn't the vocal heart of the group, to put it lightly, but they'd love to see her sashay on to a Wembley stage in one of her trademark LBDs (which, let's face it, she could definitely still get into). Instead, they might have to make do with an 'avatar experience', whatever that is. Boo! Come on, Posh, you didn't get where you are today without all those millions of loyal fans. Would it kill you to give them something back? As one Nineties girl group famously sang: 'Who do you think you are?' HISLOP IN PUB PUZZLE HAVE I Got News For You posho Ian Hislop has been claiming he's had a brush with real life and visited a Wetherspoons. But rather than just enjoy a quiet tipple at Britain's beloved bargain- booze chain like the rest of us, he apparently found himself in the belly of the beast. The jowly jester said he witnessed domestic abuse and drug dealing when he turned up, presumably for a pint of Spitfire, at a branch in Wales. Oh really, cried 'Spoons gaffer Tim Martin, who described his claims as 'fantasy'. Martin invited Hislop to tell him which pub this was so he could investigate, having found nothing on CCTV footage from any of his Welsh watering holes. Cue radio silence from the usually fastidious editor of Private Eye. So which one was it, Ian? IT'S weeks like this I feel blessed that, despite fast approaching 50, I still have a full head of hair and don't have to grapple with some sort of dodgy baldness 'cure'. I refer to news that billiard ball-bonced blokes taking a certain prescription-only hair- loss treatment have seen their libido slump and, horror of horrors, their manhood SHRINK. That's one hell of a dilemma for a chap to face. What's more important, an impressive upstairs or downstairs? I'm now praying the penis enlargement tablets I've ordered won't make my hair fall out. Dannii covered herself in glory HOW sad to read that Dannii Minogue always felt like a fatso next to Polly Pocket-sized Kylie. My cold heart breaks. So I would like her to know that there is a small army of us straight blokes out here who have always preferred her to her more famous sis. My devotion to the one-time Home And Away star has lasted more than 30 years. When I was a young pillock in the mid- Nineties, I cleaned the industrial kitchens of Edinburgh for the best part of a year so I could jet off to Australia for some fun in the sun. My arrival Down Under coincided with the delectable Dannii gracing the cover of 'men's sophisticate', Playboy. I skipped a few shrimps on the barbie to have enough cash to procure a copy of this most special of Special Editions. Perusing it in my bunk at the backpackers' hostel, a room mate took one look at it and joshed: 'Who's that mate, your girlfriend?' Cue a heavy sigh from me and the reply: 'I should be so lucky.' POPE? NOPE I WAS busy mowing the lawn last Saturday so forgot to tune in to the 'funeral of the decade' or whatever the Pope's final hurrah was billed as. I know some people were excited, but I haven't had less interest in a global event since Meghan Markle dropped her last podcast. My daughter, 11, summed up the occasion, saying: 'Daddy, I'd never heard of Pope Francis until he died.' Which did make me chuckle until I suddenly thought: So what the hell are they teaching you in R.E. these days? I feel sure I won't like the answer. I'VE said it before and I'll say it again, the whole transgender toilet row could be ended overnight if we just directed trans people to use the disabled loo. Providing accessible, safe and private loos is a legal requirement, so you will struggle to find any public building or office without one. 'Oh, but what if there's a disabled person already in there?' I hear some cry. Look, if you're a trans woman looking for a genuine female experience, then you'd struggle to find a more authentic one than queuing for the bogs.
Daily Mail
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Counter-terror police launch formal probe into Irish rap trio Kneecap after 'kill your local MP' call
Counter terror officers have launched a formal investigation into Irish rap group Kneecap after a video circulated of a bandmember urging fans to 'kill your local MP '. Metropolitan Police was assessing the controversial footage as well as another clip which specialist cops now say they have 'grounds for further investigation into potential offences'. The investigation will be carried out by Scotland Yard's Counter Terrorism Command team with enquiries remaining ongoing. The Irish band have also been condemned after videos showed them leading pro-Hamas and Hezbollah chants at Coachella music festival earlier this month. The hip-hop trio have been pulled from a festival line-up and had gigs cancelled following a furious backlash. The group has apologised to the families of murdered MPs but claimed footage of the incident had been 'exploited and weaponised', while they also said they have 'never supported' Hamas or Hezbollah, which are both banned organisations in the UK. The Met Police said today: 'On April 22, we were made aware of an online video believed to be from a music event in London in November 2024. 'Following this, we were made aware of a further video, believed to be from another music event in London in November 2023. 'Both videos were referred to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit for assessment by specialist officers, who have determined there are grounds for further investigation into potential offences linked to both videos. 'The investigation is now being carried out by officers from the Met's Counter Terrorism Command and inquiries remain ongoing at this time.' In a statement posted on Instagram, the group, comprising Liam Og O Hannaidh, Naoise O Caireallain and JJ O Dochartaigh, addressed the families of Sir David Amess and Jo Cox saying 'we never intended to cause you hurt', and that they 'reject any suggestion that we would seek to incite violence against any MP or individual'. Following backlash, the hip-hop trio's upcoming July 4 appearance at Cornwall's Eden Project was pulled on Tuesday. Meanwhile, a ticket site for the band's scheduled concerts in the German cities of Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne, shows that the summer shows will no longer be going ahead. Scheduled appearances at German music festivals Hurricane and Southside were also cancelled last week. The Belfast trio, with an army of celebrity fans, are facing growing pressure over a concert in which one of them suggested ' the only good Tory is a dead Tory'. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Taoiseach Micheal Martin are among the critics of the group. Labour MP David Taylor wrote to Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis, urging him to take the rappers off the bill for the festival in June. Labour MP David Taylor has now written to Glastonbury organiser Michael Eavis and his family, urging them to take the rappers off the bill for the festival this June. They are due to perform on the Saturday of the event, alongside acts including Charli XCX, Neil Young and Raye - having previously performed a set there last year. And Sir David Amess's daughter has now also been calling for the Glastonbury organisers to drop the band from the bill. She said: 'For them to get up on stage in front of millions of people - who knows what they're going to say? It could be very, very dangerous.' Sir David, 69, was stabbed to death by Ali Harbi Ali at Belfairs Methodist Church in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, on October 15 2021. The MP, a father of five, had been holding a surgery in his Southend West constituency when he was attacked by Ali, who was sentenced to a whole-life prison term for the murder in 2022. In his letter to Glastonbury organisers, Hemel Hempstead MP Mr Taylor wrote that if reports of the remarks were true 'the group's actions and statements go beyond the realm of legitimate political expression and into the dangerous territory of inciting violence and promoting extremism'. Tory shadow minister Mark Francois raised a point of order in the House of Commons yesterday to say it would be 'unconscionable' if Kneecap were to perform at Glastonbury. He urged Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to also write to festival bosses to say 'that this House does not think it is appropriate that Kneecap should be allowed to appear at least until the investigation is completed'. The chilling remarks were made in November 2023, little more than two years after Tory MP Sir David Amess was stabbed to death in his Essex constituency. Sir David's daughter Katie has demanded an apology for her upset family. The Prime Minister's official spokesman has called the group's lyrics 'completely unacceptable'. Asked about Kneecap's remarks, he said: 'It is obviously completely unacceptable and he completely rejects those views and condemns them in the strongest possible terms.' He added: We do not think that individuals expressing those views should be receiving future government funding.' Asked whether he agreed with Ms Amess's call for the band to apologise, he replied: 'Of course, those remarks were completely unacceptable. 'And calls for violence towards anyone, including MPs, is clearly completely unacceptable.' Katie Amess, whose Conservative MP father was fatally stabbed at a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea in 2021, told BBC News NI's Good Morning Ulster programme that she was 'absolutely gobsmacked at the stupidity of somebody or a group of people being in the public eye and saying such dangerous, violent rhetoric'. Ms Amess added: 'It is just beyond belief that human beings would speak like that in this day and age and it is extremely dangerous. 'To say to kill anybody, what on earth are they thinking?' ISIS fanatic Ali Harbi Ali.
The Independent
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Independent
Labour MP urges Glastonbury organisers to remove Kneecap from festival line-up
A Labour MP has written to organisers of the Glastonbury Festival, urging them to remove hip hop trio Kneecap from the bill after a member of the group allegedly called for the death of Conservative MPs. David Taylor has written to Sir Michael Eavis to say it would be 'deeply troubling' to see the band performing at the event, after video emerged of the group at a November 2023 gig appearing to show one member saying: 'The only good Tory is a dead Tory. Kill your local MP.' Scotland Yard is looking into the incident, along with another concert from November 2024 in which a member of the band appeared to shout 'Up Hamas, up Hezbollah' – groups which are banned as terrorist organisations in the UK. The band are listed to play on the Saturday of this June's festival. In his letter to Sir Michael, shared on X, Mr Taylor the MP for Hemel Hempstead, said: 'By hosting such a group, Glastonbury Festival risks undermining its proud tradition of promoting peace, unity and social responsibility. 'It would be deeply troubling to see the festival provide a platform to individuals who advocate hatred and violence, especially at a time when political and social tensions are already high.' He added: 'I urge you to reconsider the decision to host Kneecap and remove them from the list of performers. 'Doing so would send a clear message that Glastonbury stands firmly against violence, terrorism, and political extremism in all its forms.' Sir Keir Starmer's official spokesman said on Monday that the Prime Minister believes the comments from the band member were 'completely unacceptable' and 'condemns them in the strongest possible terms'.
