BBC announces most comprehensive multi-platform coverage of Glastonbury to date

The BBC today announces its most comprehensive coverage of Glastonbury to date. Offering a complete multi-platform experience with coverage from six stages, between Thursday 23 June and Friday 1 July, there will be a host of programming, including live headline sets, festival highlights, interviews and a special first-time radio triple-cast, taking viewers and listeners directly into the heart of one of the world's greatest festivals.

The award-winning TV and radio coverage will be hosted by presenters working across both platforms, bringing viewers live music and highlights on BBC TwoBBC Three and BBC Four, as well as on four Red Button streams, in addition to BBC Radio 6 Music leading for radio and additional coverage on BBC Radio 1BBC Radio 1XtraBBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 4.

There will also be a wealth of online content at bbc.co.uk/glastonbury and the latest under-the-radar talent will be showcased on the BBC Introducing Stage.

Coming together for a true audience experience on TV, viewers can enjoy live headline sets, classic acts, cutting-edge bands, world music and unsigned artists, as well as meet the people who make Glastonbury what it is – the entertainers, circus and cabaret acts, the workers and the crowd that have made Glastonbury the world's paramount live music festival.

Jan Younghusband, Commissioning Editor, Live Music and Events, says: "We are delighted once again to bring the BBC viewers and listeners to the heart of the action at the world's greatest popular music festival."

BBC Two's coverage is presented by Jo WhileyLauren LaverneMark Radcliffe and Zane Lowe and combines live performances, festival highlights, interviews and special acoustic sets across the weekend.

With live headline sets from major artists, including U2Coldplay and Paul Simon, BBC Two also has extended highlights of each day's events into the early hours of the morning and afternoon coverage on Saturday and Sunday.

Viewers can watch the best of the festival with a two-hour highlights programme on Friday 1 July.

BBC Three programming is presented by Fearne Cotton and Reggie Yates, with Greg James and Gemma Cairney as roving reporters. Friday's slot covers Mumford And Sons from The Other Stage and Saturday's coverage includes sets from Jessie JTinie TempahElbow and The Chemical BrothersThe Streets and Queens Of The Stone Age are showcased on Sunday.

There are also highlights programmes on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 June, looking back to the Beyonce and Coldplay headline sets.

BBC Four's coverage is hosted by Mark Radcliffe and includes sets from a discerning blend of heritage artists and critically acclaimed favourites. Friday's programming showcases BB KingMorrissey and Jimmy Cliff, while Sunday sees highlights from Coldplay's set and Kool And The Gang.

Red Button coverage is across four streams and includes performances from many of the stages during the festival.

There will also be more highlights from the BBC Introducing Stage and from Monday 27 June to Friday 1 July, viewers will be able to press the Red Button to enjoy a different artist each day.

BBC Radio 6 Music is the BBC's 'radio home' of Glastonbury for the third year, broadcasting non-stop coverage, with Radio 1, Radio 1Xtra, Radio 2 and Radio 4 offering complementary programming.

Recently awarded National Station of the Year at the Music Week awards, 6 Music will broadcast comprehensive coverage from Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 June 2011. Presented by 6 Music's team of trusted festival guides – Steve Lamacq, Lauren Laverne, Shaun KeavenyCerys Matthews, Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie plus Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish – 6 Music's coverage will include live performances from across the stages, interviews with performers, regular festival news updates from the station's expert music news team plus a voyage into the weird and wonderful far reaches of the festival.

Paul Rodgers, Editor, Radio 6 Music, says: "6 Music's coverage of Glastonbury has gone from strength to strength over the past few years and I'm very proud of what we've been able to achieve from a small studio in a very big field. This year will be no exception and I know that we'll be able to bring the best of the festival to our listeners."

To kick off proceedings, on Thursday 23 June (8.00-10.00pm) 6 Music unites with Radio 1 and Radio 2 to deliver an historic triple-cast across all three networks, for a special show called Introducing Glastonbury, broadcast live from site. In this two-hour special, Steve Lamacq, Jo Whiley and Zane Lowe will celebrate the best of BBC Introducing and preview the forthcoming diverse delights of Glastonbury 2011.

Other highlights of the station's daily coverage include Steve Lamacq's daily Round The Stages show (Friday 24 to Sunday 26 June, 10.00pm-midnight), featuring live highlights from the headline artists playing across the Pyramid, Other, Peel, Park and West Holts stages.

Plus seasoned festival goers Adam and Joe offer their own unique take on the action each day (Friday–Sunday, 10.00am-1.00pm), including a special Glastonbury-themed command for Black Squadron members on site and at home.

The build-up to the festival starts on Wednesday 15 June (4.00-7.00pm) when Will Champion from Saturday night Pyramid Stage headliners Coldplay joins Steve Lamacq to talk about what makes the festival so special to the band.

Radio 2 reflects the festival's live music over the weekend (Friday 24 and Saturday 25 June, 10.00-11.00pm) with Radio 2 In Concert At Glastonbury. Stuart Maconie and Steve Lamacq showcase the action, as it happens, from the Pyramid Stage.

Following the festival, 6 Music, Radio 1, Radio 1Xtra, Radio 2 and Radio 4 take a retrospective look at the festival with live music highlights.

On Monday 27 June at 7pm on Radio 1, Zane Lowe brings together his highlights of the festival with three hours of live music and interviews. Throughout the day on 6 Music, listeners can request their favourite live moments from across the weekend then, at 9.00pm (Monday-Thursday), Gideon Coe presents a live set from a 6 Music headline act.

Jo Whiley plays her pick of the live music from 8.00pm on Radio 2 (Monday 28 to Wednesday 30 June) plus she presents a special Glastonbury In Concert show on Thursday 30 June.

A special edition of Radio 4's Sony Award winning science/comedy show The Infinite Monkey Cage, recorded in the festival's Cabaret Marquee, broadcasts on Monday 27th (4.30-5.00pm). Presenters Professor Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined on stage by musician Billy Bragg, comedian Shappi Khorsandi and scientist Professor Tony Ryan to bring their own brand of rationality and reason to Glastonbury's most hardened new-age followers.

The BBC's dedicated website bbc.co.uk/glastonbury will complete the BBC's experience of Glastonbury, offering live video streaming of performances and 6 Music's activities across the weekend. It will also host a range of 'trusted' expert guides from BBC DJs, which will guide viewers and listeners through the vast area of online content.

Extended highlights of 60+ performances from the Pyramid, Other, John Peel, West Holts and BBC Introducing stages will be available to watch on demand following the event.

The iPlayer broadcasts are also aggregated into the site.

June 9, 2011 10:46am ET by Newsdesk   Comments (0)

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