Glastonbury 2022 in UHD on BBC iPlayer
May 31, 2022
By Nik Roseveare
Glastonbury Festival makes a much anticipated comeback in June and the BBC will once again be the destination to catch all the sets and special moments from Worthy Farm – including Diana Ross (performing in the ‘Legends’ slot) and Kendrick Lamar playing Glastonbury for the first time, headline sets from Billie Eilish and Paul McCartney and more.
Audiences can also personalise their Glastonbury experience, as BBC Music presents the very best of the festival across TV, radio, BBC Sounds, BBC iPlayer and online – from headline shows on the Pyramid Stage to emerging artists on the BBC Music Introducing stage.
Glastonbury will mark the first time the BBC has broadcast any music event in UHD. Sets from the Pyramid Stage will be shown live in UHD on BBC iPlayer, with key performances and a special programme featuring highlights from the Pyramid Stage available on demand in UHD after the event.
Coverage will be brought to audiences by some of the BBC’s top presenters, with Afrodeutsche, Cerys Matthews, Clara Amfo, Danny Howard, Dermot O’Leary, DJ Target, Huw Stephens, Jack Saunders, Jaguar, Jamz Supernova, Jo Whiley, Lauren Laverne, Matt Everitt, Sian Eleri, Steve Lamacq, Tiffany Calver, Tom Ravenscroft, Vick Hope and Zoe Ball all broadcasting live from the festival.
Other performers over the weekend include Fontaines DC, Aerosmith, Queens of the Stone Age, Dua Lipa, Jack White, Doja Cat, Wolf Alice, Haim, Dave, Lana Del Ray, Alanis Morissette, London Grammar, The Dualers, Paloma Faith, Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, The Lightning Seeds, The Jesus and Mary Chain, Alt-J, TLC, Years & Years, Pet Shop Boys, Supergrass, First Aid Kit and many more. The festival runs from June 22nd to June 26th.
Lorna Clarke, BBC Director of Music, commented: “I’m very proud of the BBC’s long history of broadcasting from Glastonbury, the highlight of our Summer of Live Music. Our coverage this year will be our most extensive to date, with over 35 hours of programming across BBC One, Two, Three and Four, and over 40 hours on BBC iPlayer – in addition to digital live streams from the five biggest festival stages. We’ll also have wall-to-wall coverage on the BBC’s pop radio networks and BBC Sounds – with over 60 hours of broadcasts from the festival itself. For the first time, we’ll be showing sets from the Pyramid stage in Ultra High Definition, a fantastic progression in our Glastonbury story, which aims to help audiences access every epic musical moment.
“Our expert team of presenters will guide audiences around Worthy Farm, whilst BBC iPlayer – with its dedicated Glastonbury channel – and BBC Sounds will allow people to watch and listen on demand, throughout the festival weekend and beyond. Many thanks to Emily and Michael Eavis for once again allowing us to bring their incredible creation to millions of music lovers around the UK,” added Clarke.
Emily Eavis, co-organiser of the annual Glastonbury Festival, said: “It’s a joy to have the BBC and its brilliant team back and broadcasting live from Glastonbury for the first time since 2019 – continuing a special partnership that’s been evolving since 1997. I’m looking forward to Worthy Farm being filled with thousands of people once again and for millions more around the country being able to enjoy performances from our stellar line-up, courtesy of the BBC, wherever they are.”
The BBC’s celebration of Glastonbury 2022 will begin earlier than in previous years:
In the days leading up to main festival coverage on TV, BBC Two will broadcast Glastonbury: 50 Years & Counting, produced and directed for BBC Studios Music Productions by the award-winning Francis Whately. This kaleidoscopic portrait of Glastonbury and its social and musical history is given through the testimony of its principal curators, Michael and Emily Eavis, as well as artists who have appeared there. Contributors include Aswad, Chris Martin, Ed O’Brien, Fatboy Slim, Florence Welch, Johnny Marr, Linda Lewis, Orbital, Noel Gallagher, The Levellers, Thom Yorke and Stormzy.
Also in the lead-up, BBC One and iPlayer will show Stormzy: Road to the Pyramid Stage (w/t). This programme will see the grime rapper reflect on his Glastonbury journey, which led to his iconic headline performances in 2019.
On radio and BBC Sounds, 6 Music presents All Day Glastonbury from June 22nd onwards.
BBC iPlayer’s dedicated Glastonbury channel launches on June 23rd, presenting a four day stream of live performances, preview programmes and more.
The 2020 Glastonbury Festival was cancelled as a result of the pandemic, whilst a stripped down version with just a handful of acts took place in 2021, with no fans in attendance.