BBC TAKES ON GLASTONBURY

The BBC is hosting its own answer to Glastonbury in 2018 in the annual festival's fallow year. Titled The Biggest Weekend, the one-off event will take place in four sites in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from 5/25 to 28 and promises to feature the biggest artists in the world.

More than 175k tickets will be available to the public. Glastonbury is usually held in June and will next return in 2019 to give the land, locals and organisers their intermittent break. The annual Ivor Novello Awards, which honour songwriting and composing, will take place a week later than usual in 2018—on 5/31—to avoid clashing with The Biggest Weekend.

Event coverage from the BBC will be similar to that offered around Glastonbury. Radio 1, Radio 2, Radio 3, and 6 Music will host concerts and there will be extensive TV coverage across BBC Two and BBC Four. All sets will be available on BBC iPlayer, mobile and online.

“BBC Music has a strong history of bringing the nation together for some special moments, and this is the biggest single music event ever attempted by the BBC,” Bob Shennan, Director BBC Radio and Music said.

“We will be celebrating the diversity of music from four different corners of the country, bringing the best U.K. music to the world and the best global music to the U.K.”