As Glastonbury Festival 2025 approaches, a high-profile conflict between legendary musician Neil Young and the BBC casts doubt on the broadcast of his much-anticipated Saturday set. The 79-year-old rock icon, known for classics like “Heart of Gold,” remains a major festival draw, yet fans may only be able to experience his performance in person.
Ongoing negotiations have yet to secure full live coverage of Young’s set. Insiders suggest that only a handful of songs might be televised, either live or through condensed highlight reels. Notably, the BBC’s iPlayer schedule for the festival currently omits Neil Young’s name, even as it features other prominent Saturday performers such as Charli XCX and Doechii.
This uncertainty echoes earlier tensions when Young withdrew from Glastonbury 2024, citing objections to the BBC’s “corporate control” of the event. In January, he expressed concerns that the festival no longer reflected its original spirit, stating, “We were told that BBC was now a partner in Glastonbury and wanted us to do a lot of things in a way we were not interested in.” He added, “It seems Glastonbury is now under corporate control and is not the way I remember it being.”
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A BBC spokesperson responded diplomatically, emphasizing the broadcaster’s commitment to delivering as many Pyramid Stage performances as possible, while noting that final schedules continue to be refined up to and during the festival.
Neil Young has long taken principled stands on various issues, including removing his music from Spotify for two years due to concerns over vaccine misinformation propagated by a podcaster on the platform. He has also rejected Ticketmaster’s dynamic pricing for his upcoming tour.
This selective approach to media exposure is not new: when Young performed at Glastonbury in 2009, only five of his songs were televised. Mark Cooper, the former executive producer of BBC’s Glastonbury coverage, remarked, “Neil Young’s career has been conducted on his own terms. He values the live event’s mystery and has chosen to share only one song online over the weekend – ‘Rockin’ in the Free World.’”
In a separate festival development, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has publicly opposed the planned inclusion of the band Kneecap, following a legal controversy involving band member Liam Óg Ó hAnnaidh. Accused of a terror-related offence connected to support for Hezbollah, Ó hAnnaidh has been granted bail and remains slated to perform at Glastonbury’s West Holts Stage.
Responding to questions about Kneecap’s participation, Starmer stated, “No, I don’t. I think we need to come down really clearly on this,” while cautioning that ongoing legal proceedings limit further comment.
As Glastonbury continues to navigate artist relations and security concerns ahead of its June 25–30 run, viewers and attendees alike await clarity on Neil Young’s broadcast presence and the final festival lineup.