While the likes of Arctic Monkeys and Fatboy Slim are Glastonbury veterans, there are plenty of performers taking to the stages at the famous festival for the first time this year – including one Sir Elton John.
“There is no more fitting way to say goodbye to my British fans,” Sir Elton has said of what will be his first and last Glastonbury show. He has promised a different setlist to the one played during tour gigs, and teased special guests – with everyone from Lady Gaga, Ed Sheeran, Chris Martin and Britney Spears to Dua Lipa, Taron Egerton and Olly Alexander on the rumour list.
Image: The UK leg of Sir Elton John’s Farewell Yellow Brick Road tour ends with his Glastonbury performance
But as a Glastonbury virgin, he’s in good company this year, with plenty of other acts experiencing the Worthy Farm magic for the first time.
Among them is Rick Astley, who will open the Pyramid stage on Saturday morning.
“I’ve dropped our daughter off many times, but I’ve never actually gone through the gates myself,” he told Sky News. “That’s kind of strange, considering I’m on the Pyramid Stage tomorrow… I don’t know how I’m going to get to sleep tonight actually thinking about that.
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“You kind of think, we’ll give it our best shot, we’re going to go down there and we’re going to do this, that and the other. And then when you arrive and you see the enormity of it, the size of it and the scale of it – because cameras can’t do it justice – you have to actually be here and take that time to actually drift through a little bit.
“I think the nerves get worse, but I also want to kind of try and enjoy it, just be in the moment and not let it slip away without me actually being present, as it were.”
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The size of the festival is something the singer realised he had underestimated.
“The scale is hard to deal with. I’ve looked at who’s playing and I’m thinking, ‘oh, I’d love to see them, I’d love to see them’. Now that I’m here, I’m thinking, you haven’t got a hope in hell of getting from that stage to that stage. So I’ve realigned my bands and artists that I want to see. It’s just massive.”
Image: Axl Rose and Slash of Guns’n’Roses – who will also perform for the first time. Pic: Jack Plunkett/Invision/AP
Astley is one of those artists beloved by everyone; as he chats ahead of a not-so-surprise set alongside Blossoms, he is stopped for selfies several times. No doubt his early Pyramid stage set will draw a big crowd, and the sing-along to his most famous hit, Never Gonna Give You Up, should provide a memorable Glastonbury highlight.
At 57, he says he is enjoying soaking up the festival for the first time as he experiences his career resurgence.
“There’s a lot of people who’ll come to Glastonbury and they might be 18 or 19 and play it for the first time, and that’s great. But having waited so long to get a chance, I think that’s a cool thing as well… to come to Glastonbury at this point I think is amazing. I’m really conscious of making sure I enjoy it and I think if I was a lot younger, it might just sort of buzz by without me realising.”
Other big-name first-timers performing in 2023 include Guns’n’Roses, who headline the Pyramid stage later on Saturday, and Yusuf Islam, AKA Cat Stevens, who takes this year’s “legends slot” on Sunday afternoon.
Astley says he can understand why even Sir Elton feels some nerves. “I don’t care who you are, if you’re one of those people who gets up there and just dials in and doesn’t care, then you shouldn’t be doing it anyway.
“I’ve met him a bunch of times and I just don’t think he’s that kind of a character. I think he wants to put on a show and leave Glastonbury wanting more.
“I’m sure he’s like that. I’m sure [Paul] McCartney is like that, I’m sure they all are. They don’t want to come here and just be ‘okay’. They want to come and blow it away. I think it’s going to be emotional, his set, because of what it means – it’s the last British gig, almost the last gig ever. So it’s going to be… I think I might have a few tears anyway.”
As for his own set, Astley says he has no idea what to expect when he walks out on to that famous stage, following in the footsteps of stars including Sir Paul, The Rolling Stones, Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, Beyonce, Kylie Minogue and dozens more.
“We’ve all seen it, you know, it’s enormous. It’s mad. But I also think there’s a lot of love here… I think music is way less separate and people’s tastes are way more eclectic. I think they’re quite as happy to go and see the biggest rock band in the world, then go and see Elton on the last night, maybe catch someone like myself, you know, at 12 o’clock… with a hangover.”
Hangover or no hangover, Astley will deliver, ticking off a milestone moment in his career.
“It’s a privilege to be in the audience at Glastonbury,” he says. “But it’s a super privilege to actually be one of the performers.”
Richard E Grant has shared an emotional video of his trip to Barry – the town made famous by the hit TV show Gavin And Stacey.
He was joined by the show’s co-creator Ruth Jones, who is best known for playing Nessa.
They are both filming a new drama called The Other Bennet Sister, which delves into a character in Jane Austen’s Pride And Prejudice.
Grant excitedly said “oh my god” as he stood outside Stacey’s family home – and headed across the road to Uncle Bryn’s.
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Prosecutors and defence lawyers have rested their cases in the sex-trafficking trial of Sean “Diddy” Combs, bringing more than six weeks of testimony against the hip-hop mogul to a close.
The high-profile trial has heard from more than 30 witnesses, including the rapper’s ex-girlfriend Cassie Ventura, as well as former employees of his company Bad Boy Entertainment, male escorts, law enforcement officers and hotel staff.
But one person jurors won’t hear from is Combs himself.
Confirming this to Judge Arun Subramanian, the rapper said he had discussed the issue of testifying “thoroughly” with his team and made the decision not to give evidence. He also thanked the judge and told him he was doing an “excellent job”.
Image: Cassie Ventura was heavily pregnant when she testified at the start of the trial. Pic: Jane Rosenberg/ Reuters
After the prosecution rested, the defence team moved for the judge to acquit the 55-year-old – a fairly standard move – saying attorneys for the government had not provided evidence to prove any of the charges filed.
They then presented a brief case themselves, submitting more text messages as evidence to show Combs and his girlfriends were in loving, consensual relationships, and making a few stipulations about testimony, but calling no witnesses. This lasted for less than an hour.
They have previously conceded Combs has been violent in the past, something he is “not proud” of, but said this did not make him a sex trafficker.
The charges against ‘Diddy’
Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is charged with one count of racketeering conspiracy, two charges of sex-trafficking, and two charges of transportation to engage in prostitution.
He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and has strenuously denied all allegations of sexual abuse. The hip-hop mogul’s defence team has described him as “a complicated man” but say the case is not.
They have conceded Combs could be violent and that jurors might not condone his proclivity for “kinky sex”. However, they argue this was a consensual “swingers” lifestyle and was not illegal.
Combs has remained in jail without bail since he was arrested in New York in September last year.
Throughout the trial, defence lawyers have made their case for exoneration through their questioning of witnesses called by the prosecution, including several who gave evidence reluctantly or after they were granted immunity to testify.
Prosecutors argue Combs coerced and forced Cassie and another former girlfriend, who testified under the pseudonym Jane, into “freak off” sex sessions with male escorts, and used his business empire to facilitate these, as well as drug use, and cover up bad behaviour.
Image: Jurors have seen several clips of explicit footage. Pic: Jane Rosenberg/ Reuters
During the first week of the trial, Cassie, 38, spent four days giving evidence. Heavily pregnant at the time, she told jurors she felt pressured to take part in hundreds of “freak offs” with male sex workers as Combs watched.
She told the court they became so frequent during their relationship, which began in 2007 and ended in 2018, that they were “like a job”, and she had barely any time for her own career.
The singer and musician gave birth two weeks after her testimony, her friend and former stylist confirmed as he gave evidence himself in court.
Jane testified for six days about similar sexual performances, which Combs referred to as “hotel nights”, “wild king nights” or “debauchery” with her, the court heard. Like Cassie, she said she felt coerced into engaging in them because she loved the music star and wanted to please him.
Jane dated Combs on and off from early 2021 to his arrest in 2024.
Jurors have been shown several recordings of these sex sessions, lasting more than 40 minutes in total. The footage was shown on monitors and jurors used headphones, keeping it private from the media and members of the public in court.
In her opening statement, defence lawyer Teny Geragos called the videos “powerful evidence that the sexual conduct in this case was consensual and not based on coercion”.
The trial also heard from Mia, another alleged victim who testified under a pseudonym. Mia was a former employee of Combs, who told the court he sexually assaulted her on several occasions in the years she worked for him.
She had never told anyone about the alleged abuse until the investigation into Combs, she said, telling the court she was ashamed. “I was going to die with this,” she said, becoming tearful on the stand. “I didn’t want anyone to know ever.”
The trial has been eventful, with one juror dismissed and replaced by an alternate after it emerged he had given conflicting evidence about where he lives. The judge said he had “serious concerns” that not being truthful about this could potentially mean he wanted to be on the jury for a particular reason.
And at one point, Combs was warned by the judge for nodding enthusiastically toward jurors during a section of cross-examination by his lawyers. The judge said he could be excluded from the trial if it happened again.
Court is not in session on Wednesday. The trial continues on Thursday, when closing statements from the legal teams will begin.
Former Sky News presenter Dermot Murnaghan has been diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The 67-year-old announced his diagnosis on social media, saying it was one of stage four “advanced” cancer.
He said he was “fortunate to have a simply outstanding medical team” looking after him that was “administering the best possible care with expertise, compassion and sensitivity”.
“I’m responding positively to their excellent treatment, and feeling well,” he added.
“I’m blessed to be fortified by the monumental love and support of my wife, family and close friends.
“Needless to say, my message to all men over 50, in high risk groups, or displaying symptoms, is get yourself tested and campaign for routine prostate screening by the NHS.
“Early detection is crucial. And be aware, this disease can sometimes progress rapidly without obvious symptoms.”
Image: Murnaghan also presented on BBC News and ITV News
Murnaghan said he would be taking part in Sir Chris Hoy’s charity bike ride in Glasgow in September, which aims to “shine a spotlight” on stage four cancer.