Glastonbury’s Emily Eavis denies claims the festival has been cancelled

News

Glastonbury’s Emily Eavis has denied claims the festival has been cancelled for 2021. 

Responding to comments made in a BBC Radio 5 Live interview by Spice Girls’ Melanie Brown — AKA Mel B — the festival’s co-organiser, Eavis, jumped onto Twitter to quickly reiterate that a formal decision has yet to be made on whether to pull this year’s weekender.

“I know that Glastonbury’s been cancelled, so a lot of big stage performances are on hold again this year, which is sad but we’ve got to get this virus under control,” Brown had told 5 Live host Nihal Arthanayake, sparking rumours that Spice Girls could be on the bill for Glastonbury’s Sunday evening ‘legends’ set as part of the outfit’s 25th anniversary.

Nope, no news this end. Will let you know right here as soon as there is news

— Emily Eavis (@emilyeavis) January 4, 2021

Despite denying that the event has now been postponed for a second year running due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Eavis has already confirmed that tickets for 2021 will be valid for 2022 should Glastonbury not go ahead this year. Her father and the festival’s founder, 85-year-old Michael Eavis, has already received the first vaccine dose and believes his world famous gathering can go ahead if enough people also receive the necessary inoculations. 

Glastonbury has been among the most vocal forces calling for UK government support with coronavirus insurance to help protect against cancellations and postponements this summer. As of Tuesday 5th January, the UK has gone back into a national lockdown which will run until mid-February at the earliest in a bid to curb surging COVID-19 infections. Elsewhere, in New Zealand tens of thousands have been attending festivals as life continues to return to something like normality, with new cases of the virus now numbering less than 80 across the country.