The Rolling Stones deny BBC permission to show Glastonbury gig in full


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BBC officials are facing a battle to broadcast The Rolling Stones‘ headline performance at Glastonbury, despite yesterday promising its most extensive ever coverage when the festival returns from a year’s break next month.

According to a report in the Independent newspaper, the Stones are reluctant to allow any more than four songs to be shown on the station, and are locked in ‘top-level discussions’ with bosses.

“Mick agreed to do Glastonbury for the fans who are there, he didn’t sign up for a TV show,” a source is quoted as saying. “It’s not about money. This show will go around the world.”

“If there’s torrential rain it will play havoc with their performance and they want to sound and look at their best. There’s a lot of factors out of their control.”

The BBC’s head of music television Mark Cooper has said he understands the veteran band’s concerns, but remains hopeful a deal can be reached which allows them to show ‘a sufficient amount of music’.

“We are having an ongoing discussion with the Stones,” he has said. “I’m talking to Mick about it. At this point I’m quite optimistic we’ll get a sufficient amount of music.”

“I understand it is a risk for them. They are stepping out of their comfort zone. There’s an unpredictability, it’s not their natural audience.

“They are nervous about how much they should share. But when legendary artists play Glastonbury, they also attract a whole new, broader audience.”

The BBC plans to stream footage from six stages in full over the course of the Glastonbury weekend. Mumford & Sons and the Arctic Monkeys join the Stones as 2013 headliners at Worthy Farm.


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