BBC plans longest Glastonbury celebration yet

The BBC is to provide six weeks of build-up and coverage of Glastonbury 2024 in its longest celebration of the festival yet.

The festival’s exclusive broadcast partner has announced it will run content from 3 June to 14 July across TV, BBC iPlayer, radio and BBC Sounds.

New additions for this year include Glastonbury Channel II, BBC iPlayer’s new companion stream to The Glastonbury Channel Live, which will round-up highlights from each day of the festival. Plus, BBC Sounds’ Sidetracked will present a series of weekly Glastonbury specials ahead of the festival, as well as a bonus episode after the event, while Dua Lipa, Coldplay and others will share their Glastonbury stories with viewers in new 30-minute specials for BBC Two.

Coldplay, Dua Lipa and SZA will headline this year’s Glastonbury’s 2024 edition, which will take place at Worthy Farm, Somerset, from 26-30 June.

“The BBC’s coverage of Glastonbury is one of the biggest jewels in the BBC’s pop crown and we’re evolving our programming to bring audiences many ways to enjoy the festival across our platforms – it’s their Glastonbury on the BBC.” says BBC director of music Lorna Clarke.

“We’re incredibly proud of our ongoing partnership with the BBC and always look forward to hearing about the exciting developments in their coverage each year”

“This year will see the debut of Glastonbury Channel II, a welcome addition to our multiple BBC iPlayer streams, giving viewers a rolling round-up of the key moments from each day. We’re also proud that for the second year, Pyramid Stage – Signed returns, with performances from Glastonbury’s most iconic stage in British Sign Language, bringing the Glastonbury experience closer to all viewers.

“This is in addition to over 90 hours of live performances from the five main stages on BBC iPlayer, extensive coverage on TV, 90 hours of radio broadcasts live from the festival, plus much more to discover on BBC Sounds – including Sidetracked by Glastonbury, presented by Annie Macmanus and Nick Grimshaw, which will also be available on BBC iPlayer from the first week of June.”

Shania Twain will occupy the coveted Sunday teatime “legend slot” at this year’s festival, which will also include the likes of LCD Soundsystem, PJ Harvey, Little Simz, Burna Boy, Janelle Monáe, Cyndi Lauper, Michael Kiwanuka and Seventeen, who will become the first K-pop act to perform on the Pyramid Stage.

“We’re incredibly proud of our ongoing partnership with the BBC and always look forward to hearing about the exciting developments in their coverage each year,” adds Glastonbury co-organiser Emily Eavis. “I’d like to thank Lorna Clarke, Alison Howe and their team for celebrating our festival so brilliantly and for sharing the special spirit of Glastonbury with an audience far beyond these fields. We’re so looking forward to welcoming them back to Worthy Farm in June.”

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Written by IQ Magazine