a day ago
Glastonbury 2025 live: Rod Stewart and Olivia Rodrigo set to headline final day
Three years ago, Serhii Ivanchuk, a Ukrainian opera singer, was working with humanitarian volunteers helping civilians flee Kharkiv when Russian forces attacked. He was shot five times and told he might never sing again.
Ivanchuk, 32, said: 'I'm an opera singer who got five gunshots in Ukraine in the war. Before the war I studied singing in Italy but when the war started I went back to Ukraine.
'After I was shot, doctors told me, Serhii, forget about singing for the rest of your life, it's impossible because you have a gunshot in the lungs, in the liver, in the finger and in the legs. But some miracle happened, so I sing for you today.'
It is the second time he is attending Glastonbury. He said: 'Last year Glastonbury was a big experience for me, about freedom, about peace.'
He is performing on Sunday at Toad Hall Stage at 1pm.
Neil Young put on a tender and ferocious performance for the Pyramid Stage crowd. 'There certainly wasn't much in the way of production or costumes — in his Davy Crockett hat and faded plaid shirt, Young looked like an old docker who didn't save enough for his retirement — but all the energy was in the music,' wrote Will Hodgkinson, who gave it ★★★★★. Read the full review here.
Charli XCX dazzled the Other Stage with a high-energy set, putting an end to her 'brat summer' in the process. 'When Charli XCX shouts 'jump' as she did many times tonight, her fans don't ask how high? They simply do it,' wrote Roisin Kelly, also awarding ★★★★★.
While many musicians see Glastonbury as a chance to solely show off their talent, others see it as a place to make political statements — and for some, there could be consequences.
After Bob Vylan's performance before Kneecap on Saturday afternoon, police confirmed they were looking into 'comments made by acts on the West Holts stage.' The English punk duo who performed before Kneecap led the crowd in chants of 'death to the IDE''.
The Avon and Somerset force said: 'Video evidence will be assessed by officers to determine whether any offences may have been committed that would require a criminal investigation.'
The chants prompted Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, to contact Tim Davie, the BBC's director-general, and demand 'an urgent explanation about what due diligence it carried out ahead of the Bob Vylan performance', a government spokesperson said. 'We strongly condemn the threatening comments made by Bob Vylan at Glastonbury,' they added.
During Kneecap's own set, which was not broadcast by the BBC, the trio led the crowd in several chants of 'f*** Keir Starmer' and 'free Palestine'.
Last week, the prime minister declared that it would not be appropriate for Kneecap to perform at the festival after its band member, Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh, 27, was charged with a terrorist offence after allegedly displaying a flag in support of the proscribed organisation Hezbollah at a London gig.
A BBC spokesperson said: 'Some of the comments made during Bob Vylan's set were deeply offensive. During this live-stream on Player, which reflected what was happening on stage, a warning was issued on screen about the very strong and discriminatory language. We have no plans to make the performance available on demand.'
• Read our review of Kneecap at Glastonbury
Didn't manage to get tickets, or just hate camping? We've got you covered — read our guide to enjoying the festival's highlights from the comfort of your own home, including when every act is playing.
As always, the BBC has exclusive rights to broadcast the festival as the corporation decamps from offices in London and Manchester and heads to Worthy Farm to offer viewers and listeners more than 90 hours of televised coverage and many more on radio and across BBC Sounds.
• Read more: our full guide to watching Glastonbury live on TV
It's Glastonbury day three and things are getting emotional (Ed Power writes). At least they are among Team Times, where the weekend supply of spare socks is running low and several nights of camping have left us feeling like Leonardo DiCaprio halfway through The Revenant.
There is also the continued fallout from Saturday's controversy-stoking double whammy of performances by Bob Vylan and Kneecap — sets definitively not coming to an iPlayer near you anytime soon.
But away from such contentious matters, there is still so much music to enjoy, beginning with a brunch-friendly 11.30am Pyramid Stage performance by ska legends The Selector. Other highlights include rejuvenated bad-boy rockers The Libertines (now largely well-behaved middle-aged men with an interesting selection of hats) on the Pyramid Stage at 2pm, followed by indie soul sensation Joy Crookes at the Other Stage at 3pm.
But given that it's Glastonbury's final day, all roads ultimately lead to the now traditional legends slot, where husky pop cockatoo Rod Stewart will belt out the hits (Pyramid Stage, 3.45pm) — and presumably not repeat his approving remarks about Nigel Farage.
After 90 minutes or so in the presence of Rod Almighty, it's next time to head to the Woodsies Stage to see indie shapeshifter St Vincent (Other Stage 6.30pm), renowned for her molten guitar playing and enthusiastic stage diving.
The night — and indeed the festival — then reaches its Pyramid Stage pinnacle with Gen Z pop sensation Olivia Rodrigo (9.45pm), who may have a surprise or three in store, having just covered Fontaines D.C. in Dublin. Will she perform her favourite Idles track? Duet with Sleaford Mods? It's Glastonbury, so there's no telling — though it's fair to say a guest appearance by Bob Vylan is off the cards. With our reviewers and reporters covering action across the site, check here for regular updates from the world's most thrilling music festival.
Last time she played Glastonbury, Rodrigo brought out Lily Allen, so expect a good guest too (in New York earlier this month she welcomed David Byrne to the stage). It is anyone's guess who, but expect her to go big — before we all head home and plan our next trip to Somerset in, gulp, 2027.
