This morning on the Radio 1 Breakfast Show, Greg James revealed that Sam Fender will be headlining Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2025 which will be held in Liverpool from Friday 23 May-Sunday 25 May.
Geordie rocker Fender will be joined on the bill by Stockport’s Blossoms, Myles Smith, Wet Leg, and Londoner Lola Young, who achieved her debut UK #1 with ‘Messy’ last weekend.
READ MORE: Radio 1 Big Weekend in Liverpool, 2025: Everything you need to know
Over the course of the weekend, around 100 acts will take to the stage, from the biggest artists in the world to exciting new and emerging artists, performing across four stages: Radio 1 Main Stage, Radio 1 New Music Stage, Radio 1 Dance and BBC Introducing. With over 100,000 music fans expected to attend, the event promises to be an unforgettable music spectacular.
Further artists performing at the event will be announced in due course.
Radio 1’s Big Weekend kicks off the UK’s festival season by bringing some of the biggest UK and international artists to cities and towns that may not otherwise host such a large scale event. Past events have brought Taylor Swift to Norwich, Miley Cyrus to Middlesbrough, Stormzy to Exeter, Lana Del Rey to Hull, Ed Sheeran to Coventry, Bruno Mars to (London)derry, The 1975 to Dundee, and Sabrina Carpenter to Luton.
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The festival also shines a light on the surrounding area and provides a major boost to the local economy, with huge demand for tickets ensuring the event sells out almost immediately every year. Last year’s festival generated £7m for the host town of Luton.
This year, the BBC is working closely with Liverpool City Council to ensure that Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2025 is a safe and secure environment for all those attending the festival.
Sam Fender said: “Excited to announce we’re coming to Liverpool for Radio 1’s Big Weekend in May. Thanks for inviting us – see you there!”
Blossoms said: “We’re delighted that Radio 1 have invited us to play at this year’s Big Weekend. Even more so because it’s taking place in Liverpool, a city close to our hearts, where we’ve worked and recorded every single one of our albums since our debut in 2016. It’s going to be a really special weekend and we can’t wait to perform.”
Aled Haydn Jones, Head of Radio 1, says: “We’re thrilled to bring Radio 1’s Big Weekend 2025 to Liverpool. Liverpool’s vibrant music scene and rich history make it the perfect setting for this iconic event. With incredible artists already announced and more to be announced in the coming months, it’s set to be an unmissable weekend.”
BBC Radio 1 will broadcast live from the festival site across the weekend, with performances and tracks available live and on demand across Radio 1’s iPlayer channel and BBC Sounds.
Radio 1 and Liverpool City Council will be working together to try and make this the most sustainable outdoor live music event ever produced in the city in line with the BBC’s Sustainability programme and Liverpool’s status as the first UN Accelerator City for climate action. Check Visit Liverpool for more information.
Image: Paul Hudson/Creative Commons
