Reading and Leeds 2025: BBC clarifies why Hozier’s performance is unable to stream
The BBC has explained why Hozier‘s headline performance at Reading Festival is unable to stream on iPlayer.
On Friday night, Hozier headlined Reading Festival for the first time in his career. During his performance, the Irish singer-songwriter delivered a rallying cry in support of Palestine. However, this was not the reason why his set wasn’t aired.
Clarifying the situation, the BBC said in a statement to Metro: “Viewers can enjoy a wide range of performances and highlights from Reading and Leeds Festival on BBC iPlayer, BBC Music’s YouTube channel, BBC One and Radio 1.”
They continued: “As mutually agreed ahead of Reading Festival, Hozier chose not to be included in the BBC’s coverage.”
Notably, in his performance, Hozier referred to Gaza and called for “a meaningful political solution for the kind of violence we’ve been seeing on our TV screens over the last two years, and not lip service, but a meaningful peace process.”
The ‘Take Me To Church’ singer also said: “Safety and security for everybody in the Middle East means seeing a Palestine that’s free from occupation, that’s free from these cycles of genocide and violence, ethnic cleansing, and it means seeing a Palestine that’s free to move towards meaningful self-determination and statehood.”
Hozier also expressed support for Kneecap after Mo Chara was charged with a terror offence in May, adding, “Or indeed. Irish musicians rapping or supporting the people of Palestine is not an act of terrorism either. Mo Chara, Móglaí Bap, DJ Provai, you know ’em.”
Meanwhile, at Reading Festival on August 23rd, Bring Me The Horizon closed a triumphant day that also included sets from Limp Bizkit, Enter Shikari, Royel Otis and Wunderhorse. Travis Scott is set to headline Reading tonight (August 24th).
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