Glastonbury 2025: Kneecap hit back after BBC refuse to broadcast set live
Kneecap have described the BBC as “the propaganda wing of the regime” after the broadcaster confirmed they wouldn’t show their set live from Glastonbury Festival.
In a statement, shared with Far Out, the BBC said: “As the broadcast partner, the BBC is bringing audiences extensive music coverage from Glastonbury, with artists booked by the festival organisers. Whilst the BBC doesn’t ban artists, our plans ensure that our programming meets our editorial guidelines.”
The BBC continued: “We don’t always live stream every act from the main stages and look to make an on-demand version of Kneecap’s performance available on our digital platforms, alongside more than 90 other sets.”
Kneecap are set to perform on the West Holts stage at 4pm, and warned fans to get down early to attend.
While the set won’t be broadcast live, a condensed version of the performance will be available to stream later today on BBC iPlayer.
Following the news, Kneecap wrote on social media: “The propaganda wing of the regime has just contacted us…. They WILL put our set from Glastonbury today on the I-player later this evening for your viewing pleasure.”
The Irish trio continued: “The crowd expected today is far greater than West Holts capacity so “you’ll need to be very early to catch us father….VERY EARLY.”
The BBC’s decision comes after mounting pressure from high-ranking politicians, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who called upon Glastonbury to remove Kneecap from its lineup, claiming they were “not appropriate”.
It comes after hundreds of protestors appeared outside of Westminster Magistrates Court to support the band’s Mo Chara ahead of a hearing on June 18th. The rapper was charged with a terror offence relating to a video from their November 2024 concert at O2 Kentish Town Forum, London.
During his court appearance, Liam Ó hAnnaidh spoke only to confirm his name and address. The rapper has been released on unconditional bail and will next appear in court on August 20th.
Earlier this week, Glastonbury organiser Emily Eavis defended the band’s appearance at the festival, stating, “There have been a lot of very heated topics this year, but we remain a platform for many, many artists from all over the world. Everyone is welcome here.”
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