Professor Brian Cox has reunited with D:Ream to perform ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ at Glastonbury 2024 – watch the moment below.
Before he was a physicist, Cox played keyboards in live lineup for the pop and dance group, who achieved a Number 1 in 1994 for their classic ‘Things Can Only Get Better’. After its chart-topping status, the song went on to become the anthem for Tony Blair’s huge Labour victory in 1997.
The song has seen a recent resurgence thanks to it being blasted behind Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as he announced the general election on July 4.
Now, Cox has resumed his old job at the keys and reunited with lead singer Peter Cunnah on stage at The Glade for a jubilant performance of ‘Things Can Only Get Better’, much to the delight of the crowd. This marks D:Ream’s first performance at the festival.
The band also later referenced the reunion on their Instagram page, writing: “He came on to remind us how it should be done!” Take a look at the moment below:
'I haven't done this song since 1997'
On #BBCBreakfast we captured the moment Professor Brian Cox reunited with D:Ream at Glastonbury to perform 'Things Can Only Get Better' – a defining song in the 90shttps://t.co/LkVBotK40b pic.twitter.com/RnShfrc1yT
— BBC Breakfast (@BBCBreakfast) June 29, 2024
Yes, that's Professor Brian Cox again, joining D:Ream on keys at the Glade for a transcendent version of Things Can Only Get Better. EM pic.twitter.com/LN1lu6F2cc
— Glastonbury Live (@GlastoLive) June 28, 2024
Speaking to Sky News, Cox said that he cleared his schedule as soon as he received the news of the band making their Glastonbury debut.
“It’s a long time ago, but I’ve tremendously happy memories of the early ’90s,” Cox said. He calls ‘Things Can Only Get Better’ a “joyous song about change”.
Cunnah spoke about the surreal Rishi Sunak moment with NME, sharing: “Obviously, it’s very funny that Steve Bray took the initiative but who the hell advised Sunak to stand in the rain?” he said. “What else could you play that wouldn’t be perfect? It was the entrance music for Blair and now it’s the exit music for Rishi. [But] he’s so loaded he’s just gonna walk into a big fat paying job, probably a knighthood.”
Meanwhile, Cox himself responded to the stunt at the time, saying it was “of course the most appropriate song – but let me throw another one into the ring to add a little variety…”
He then shared a video of Sunak with the Luciano Michelini-composed track ‘Il barone rosso’ (aka ‘Frolic’) as its backing track – best known as the theme from US sitcom Curb Your Enthusiasm. The instrumental is also popular within meme culture – often accompanying awkward or embarrassing moments.
The gates to Glastonbury 2024 opened on Wednesday (June 26), ahead of a weekend of music from the likes of headliners Dua Lipa, Coldplay, and SZA, alongside Shania Twain’s legends slot and performances from LCD Soundsystem, PJ Harvey, Little Simz, Burna Boy, Idles, Anne-Marie, Confidence Man, Disclosure, Camila Cabello, The Last Dinner Party, Avril Lavigne, The National, Jessie Ware, Jungle, Justice, Masego, Sugababes and countless more. Check out the full line-up here.
Meanwhile, here are the worst clashes to expect this year, as well as the latest weather forecasts for Glastonbury 2024.
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