Glastonbury Festival 2022: BBC to broadcast Pyramid sets in Ultra High Definition for first time

The BBC has announced that it will broadcast sets live from Glastonbury Festival‘s Pyramid Stage in Ultra High Definition (UHD) for the first time.

• READ MORE: We’re gonna need a bigger farm: why Glastonbury 2022 could be the best in history

In addition to the news that will bring fans watching at home closer to the action, BBC Music has also announced its presenters including Lauren Laverne, Jo Wiley, Clara Amfo, Jack Saunders and Huw Stephens.

Audiences will be able to watch headline sets by Billie Eilish, Paul McCartney, Kendrick Lamar and Diana Ross (legends slot) in UMD aired live on BBC One/Two as well as BBC iPlayer and online from Friday, June 24 to Sunday, June 26.

For the first time, BBC iPlayer’s dedicated Glastonbury channel will be live from Thursday, June 23 through to the Sunday, guiding viewers through the hundreds of performances taking place at Worthy Farm.

Also on the presenter line-up across TV and radio is: AFRODEUTSCHE, Cerys Matthews, Danny Howard, Dermot O’Leary, DJ Target, Jaguar, Jamz Supernova, Matt Everitt, Sian Eleri, Steve Lamacq, Tiffany Calver, Tom Ravenscroft, Vick Hope and Zoe Ball.

BBC Radio 1, Radio 1 Dance, Radio 1Xtra and Radio 2 will all provide coverage of the festival, which returns after three years following the COVID pandemic.

BBC Radio 6 Music will be the festival’s radio home, providing all-day Glastonbury coverage from Wednesday, June 22 through to Sunday, June 26.

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, described as a “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 on the programme include Aswad, Chris Martin (Coldplay), Dua Lipa, Ed O’Brien, Fatboy Slim, Florence Welch, Johnny Marr, Linda Lewis, Orbital, Noel Gallagher, The Levellers, Thom Yorke and Stormzy.

Lorna Clarke, BBC Director of Music, said in a statement: “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.”

Glastonbury festival organiser Emily Eavis 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.”
See more details about the BBC’s coverage here.

Meanwhile, yesterday (May 30) the full line-up and stage times for Glastonbury Festival 2022 were revealed.

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