The Pretenders announce surprise Glastonbury performance

By Hannah Roberts, PA Entertainment Reporter

The Pretenders have delivered a surprise announcement that they will be performing at Glastonbury this weekend.

Due to perform from 7.45pm at The Park Stage on Saturday, the rock band have said they will be bringing some friends along with them for their performance at Worthy Farm.

The slot, which precedes electronic duo Leftfield and DJ Fatboy Slim, was previously listed on the schedule as “TBA”.

Discussing what it means to perform at the festival, lead singer Chrissie Hynde said: “It’s always been there for most of our lifetimes.

“There has never been a festival like it anywhere else.”

The world-famous festival will return to Pilton in Somerset from Wednesday to Sunday, with Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses and Sir Elton John set to headline.

Tinariwen, a group of Tuareg musicians, will be performing on the Park Stage at 6.15pm in the slot before The Pretenders.

The rock group will be performing at the same time as Lizzo, who will take to the Pyramid Stage from 7.30pm while Eurovision winners Maneskin will play from 7.30pm to 8.30pm on the Woodsies Stage.

Other artists billed for Saturday include Lewis Capaldi, Lana Del Rey, Christine And The Queens, Rina Sawayama, Loyle Carner, Mahalia and Rick Astley.

The Pretenders will also be making an appearance at London’s BST Hyde Park on June 30, joining Guns N’ Roses as special guests.

In September, the band will be releasing a new studio album, titled Relentless, featuring new song I Think About You Daily, which was part arranged by composer Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead.

Known for songs I’ll Stand By You and Don’t Get Me Wrong, the rock band formed in the 1970s and were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.