A few of this year’s BBC presenters share their Glastonbury tips ahead of the music festival returning.
Tickets for Glastonbury music festival sell out in minutes, year after year, even before the performers are announced. And it’s easy to see why. The impressive array of music acts aside, there really is something for everybody.
This year, London-born Albanian singer-songwriter Dua Lipa, American soul singer SZA and rock band Coldplay will headline the world-famous Pyramid stage at the festival, with the acts on some of the other big stages – the Other Stage, West Holts Stage and Woodsies – running from June 28-30.
Their appearance this year makes Coldplay the first act to headline Glastonbury five times.
Organiser Emily Eavis also recently revealed that Glastonbury is likely to take a fallow year in 2026. The festival usually takes place four out of every five years, with the fifth reserved for rehabilitation of the land.
The last official fallow year was 2018 but the festival was also cancelled in 2020 and 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic and had “enforced fallow” years.
Her father, Sir Michael Eavis, founded the festival on his Somerset farm in 1970 and is still involved but Emily and her husband Nick Dewey take on the majority of the organisation.
This year the festival will also pay tribute to late DJ Annie Nightingale, the first female presenter on BBC Radio 1, who died in January at the age of 83.
Her life will be celebrated with a special event across two stages at the Somerset festival on June 27 including a daytime celebration at The Glade stage, featuring King Of The Beats and Paper Dragon, before moving to the BBC Introducing stage for the evening festivities.
The BBC’s coverage has been ramping up with six weeks of build-up and coverage starting from June 3, running through to July 14 across TV, BBC iPlayer, radio and BBC Sounds.
New additions from the BBC this year include the Glastonbury Channel II, which is iPlayer’s new companion stream to The Glastonbury Channel Live (June 28 6pm-midnight, June 20 and June 30, 10am-late), and which will bring viewers at home a round-up of events from the day.
Presenters this year include Lauren Laverne, Jack Saunders, Jo Whiley and more. We hear from Laverne, Whiley and Saunders about their top Glastonbury moments.
Jo Whiley
This year radio and TV presenter Whiley will be previewing and presenting Shania Twain’s debut Glastonbury performance on the Pyramid Stage on Sunday June 30 between 5-8pm on BBC Radio 2.
Asked about her favourite moment from the festival over the years, she says: “One of my favourite memories is interviewing Adele just before she performed her Saturday night, Pyramid Stage headline performance in 2016.
“She was so nervous – and who could blame her! It was such an emotional interview – veering from laughter to tears many times. I had first seen Adele perform as a backing singer with Jack Penate.
“Since then I had followed her career as she went from strength to strength, whilst remaining her same authentic self through all her success. It was a wonderful moment to share with her that year.”
Whiley, 58, also describes Glastonbury as her “happy place”.
She says: “For those of us who work on the shows – it’s like a big family reunion. We don’t see each other from one year to the next but when we’re in that field together in June, it’s big hugs all round and then we crack on with what we’re there to do – bring Glasto to all of those watching and listening at home. There’s genuine magic in those fields for that weekend and I hope that everyone gets to see and experience it – wherever they are.”
Lauren Laverne
TV and radio presenter and host of BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs, this year Laverne will broadcast live from Worthy Farm as the festival gates open on June 26.
She said it is “impossible” to choose one favourite festival moment but addded: “I’ve had so many incredible experiences on air, interviewing the greatest artists in the world from Beyonce and Paul McCartney to Stevie Wonder – it has been such an honour.
“But my family also go to the festival, and personally watching my own children fall in love with music there has been the best thing of all.
“I remember my eldest son being absolutely glued to The Cure’s headline set when he was only 12 and just thinking – ah, this is it, you’re in!”
And, if you are looking for a “best kept secret” at the festival, Laverne reckons: “I love the dragon sculpture that sits in the stream up near the green fields.
“The permaculture garden at the top corner of the site is beautiful and peaceful and The Stonebridge Bar has amazing DJs all weekend. The Greenpeace sound system (by their skate ramps and death slide) is pretty tasty too!”
Jack Saunders
DJ and radio presenter Saunders will join Whiley, Laverne and Clara Amfo in presenting festival coverage across the BBC’s TV channels.
He took over from Amfo to helm Radio 1’s Future Sounds, following in the footsteps of other presenters including Zane Lowe, Annie Mac and Steve Lamacq.
Apart from the BBC’s coverage of Glastonbury, he has also been a fixture at Download Festival, Reading & Leeds, and Big Weekend for the BBC, and is the host of The Official Chart on BBC Radio 1.
Detailing his favourite Glastonbury moment from over the years, he said: “It has to be seeing Earth Wind And Fire on the Sunday night after one of the wettest Glastonbury’s on record in 2016. It was pure joy despite spending the weekend swimming in mud. Just the perfect end to the festival.”
He said the festival also “offers a unique escape from reality where everyone aims to have a great time”.
He added: “Its rich history in the music scene makes it an iconic weekend, with some of the most significant moments in music history occurring there. You never know what surprises await around the next corner.”
Asked about any “pre-show” rituals, Saunders said: “I stare at myself in the Portaloo mirror and give myself a pep talk.”
