I won't risk my safety by seeing Charli XCX at Glastonbury 2025
Having been eight times, I'd never felt unsafe at Glastonbury.
Murmurs of crowds becoming claustrophobic and even potentially dangerous felt like a myth or unfortunate chaos that belonged in the past.
That was until I was in the crush to get to Sugababes.
In 2022, they were performing at the Avalon stage, a pop-friendly area with my name written all over it. It has seen some of the greatest artists from the Smash Hits era finally make it to Worthy Farm, when it would have been unthinkable to see them on the bill 20 years ago.
The Avalon stage has a capacity of around 3,000 people and Sugababes were playing in the early evening. They've had six number one singles, four platinum albums and headlined the 02 Arena this year – clearly a 3,000 capacity stage wasn't going to accommodate one of the most successful artists on the Glastonbury bill.
But somehow we managed to make it into the stage. I couldn't see Mutya, Keisha or Siobhan at any point but we made it in when thousands of others didn't, and endured the fresh hell of being part of the stampede trying to get into the tent.
The Astroworld crush, which killed 10 people during rapper Travis Scott's gig, was just the year before and while Glastonbury would never let anything like that happen, it was still suffocating enough to cling onto friends and begin to panic.
It was the first time I've ever been genuinely quite scared at Glastonbury and was sure I would never find myself in the same precarious situation again.
Jump two years and Sugababes were back at Glastonbury, this time bumped up to the West Holts Stage – a significant upgrade with a 30,000 capacity, but still, it was obviously going to be another health and safety nightmare.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Stewards were trying to enforce a one-way system but there's only so much a handful of volunteers in high-vis jackets can do when there are thousands of fans with tunnel vision slipping through the net.
They played on a Friday afternoon, clashing with Paul Heaton who was on The Pyramid, and once again it was an unnerving crush to see Push The Button live at Worthy Farm.
I've spoken with friends and, after our previous experiences, many of us are concerned about this year.
Subsequently, I've made the decision to avoid seeing the artist I was most excited to see.
Charli XCX has by far been the most colossally important artist of the last 12 months. It was impossible not to get swept away by the Brat summer of 2024, whether you were a party girl functioning on Golden Virginia and Smirnoff Ice or you were just a spectator enjoying the ride from afar.
She is the moment and I don't have a doubt she'll bring in the biggest crowd of the entire festival.
Last year, she played a DJ set at Silver Hayes and thousands of people turned up just to watch her spin decks.
To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video
Huge crowds were turned away disappointed and it became one of the most celebrated moments of the weekend.
It wasn't even a full Charli XCX show and the crowd was determined, engrossed and, more importantly, humongous.
It is unthinkable, then, that she isn't topping off her Brat era on The Pyramid Stage where almost the entire festival could – and would – descend as one 170,000-strong army.
Instead, she is on at The Other Stage, which has under half the capacity of the Pyramid, and sadly where I wouldn't dare try to see her.
Last year Avril Lavigne performed on The Other Stage, her last hit single now 14 years old, and crowds complained they felt crushed as the swarm of fans expanded into camping areas.
The thought of Charli on The Other Stage is genuinely terrifying and while every single person I know is dead set on watching her set, reluctantly I just can't face it.
Glastonbury offers assurances every year that it always has a 'robust, dynamic crowd management plan in place', which I don't doubt, and Emily Eavis has admitted they've sold fewer tickets this year in an attempt to avert crushes.
But logistically, I don't see how they can possibly keep the enormous Brat army confined to the limited space surrounding The Other Stage. At best it will be unbearable, at the very worst, potentially dangerous.
There is a clash which might thin the crowd ever so slightly with rapper Doechi performing at the same time, but I can't see that being much of a deterrent for fiercely loyal Charli fans. More Trending
It's sad that Glastonbury seems to specifically treat its pop artists this way, sidelining them to smaller stages, undermining their enormous fanbases and essentially losing grasp on its evolving identity.
Granted, Olivia Rodrigo is closing the Pyramid Stage, but would it have been too much to have two humongous popstars headlining the same weekend?
Glastonbury needs to realise what it is and who it's for before someone gets hurt.
Yes, I am very lucky to be able to be in the field come the last weekend of June, but I can't deny I'm absolutely gutted that seeing Charli just feels like a dangerous option, which could so easily have been avoided.
Do you have a story you'd like to share? Get in touch by emailing jess.austin@metro.co.uk.
Share your views in the comments below.
MORE: How to find Glastonbury's secret spots according to people who've been before
MORE: I've applied for 38 jobs and got nowhere – I blame ageism
MORE: Glastonbury organiser reveals drastic measure taken after crowd-crush fears
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Metro
3 hours ago
- Metro
Gordon Ramsay reveals moment he 'collapsed' while holding his son for the first
Gordon Ramsay has opened up about the alarming moment he fainted during the birth of his fifth child, Oscar. The TV chef, 58, recalled the scary moment with a few chuckles in hindsight while appearing on a recent podcast. The Ramsay's Kitchen Nightmares star was not present in the delivery room for the arrival of his first four children – Megan, 26, twins Jack and Holly, 25, and Tilly, 23 – at the request of his wife Tana, 50. 'Let's make one thing absolutely clear, my wife didn't want me in there,' Gordon explained on SmartLess podcast. 'First of all, [Tana] said, 'I want my mum and your mum in there, you're not going to see me in that state, that side of the curtain, get out of there.' That was her decision and I had to respect that decision. Talking about the arrival of Oscar in 2019, Gordon said: 'When I did finally arrive in the theatre for our fifth baby I collapsed like a wimp! I blacked out holding Oscar in the air.' Gordon explained how Oscar arrived via C-section – or 'through the sunroof,as he put it. The TV chef was then asked what song he wanted to listen to. 'There was a lot of commotion going on,' Gordon recalled, 'I said, 'Can you play Ed Sheeran?' so they started playing Ed. They turned up the volume. 'I saw two more doctors dive in, I looked on the floor and there was blood everywhere. All of a sudden they popped him out and they came straight over to me and I went, 'Wow, wow, wow!' I sat back and collapsed like an idiot.' To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video Gordon and Tana married in 1996 and two years later Megan arrived followed by the rest of their brood, and most recently son Jesse James, who was born in 2023. The pair kept Tana's pregnancy with Jesse tightly under wraps until his arrival, with the mum-of-six taking to social media after he was born revealing they'd endured a 'nerve-wracking 9 months'. She also added: 'Ramsay family complete.' Talking on the Happy Mum Happy Baby podcast in 2024, Tana opened up about Gordon's lack of presence in the delivery room. 'He would've gotten all squeamish and probably fainted and all the attention would've been on him, and this is my moment,' she said, mirroring Gordon's story hilariously closely. Elsewhere in the podcast, Gordon discussed how in his downtime he likes to compete in Ironmans – a long distance triathlon consisting of a 2.4mile swim, a 112-mile bike ride and a 26.2mile run. 'Lots of people are scared of that level of exercise,' he said, explaining: 'I know it sounds crazy, but for me it's a way of relaxing.' This podcast appearance comes after Hell's Kitchen chef admitted his three Michelin starred eatery Restaurant Gordon Ramsay is 'too posh' even for him. More Trending Gordon – who has earned 17 Michelin stars over his career – said on The Savoy Originals podcast: 'There's a very fine line, running it or indulging in it. 'I've only had dinner at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay twice in 25 years. 'Once was for Megan's birthday, and the second time was with Bradley Cooper when we were together for the film Burnt. 'It's not my style. It's too posh for me. It sounds weird, right?' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you.
Metro
3 hours ago
- Metro
Claudia Winkleman 'eternally grateful' after undergoing surgery
Claudia Winkleman has undergone eye surgery, she has revealed. The Traitors host, 53, has taken to social media to thank her eye surgeon for operating on her today. 'This amazing human makes me see. He's operated on my eyes before and he did it again today,' she said on Instagram, alongside a picture of her next to Dr Julian Stevens. 'No eyeliner for weeks and I sleep in googles (no words) but I'm eternally grateful,' she added. 'Do NOT zoom in on my left eye – it's wonky. Thank you Julian. I paid for the treatment, this isn't an ad. I just love him. It's very possible I'm still a bit sedated. Night night.' The Strictly presenter's comments section was flooded with support from well-wishers, as follower Suzanne Robinson said: 'Get well soon.' 'Love you !! Hope you feel better. Amazing man,' said ava_xoox while gurcharan_davany added: 'Speedy recovery eyeliner queen.' While it's not clear why Claudia underwent the surgery this time, she's previously been open about suffering with severe short-sightedness, which means she can't see objects far away. Speaking on the How To Fail podcast in 2023 about how she doesn't take too much notice of her appearance, Claudia explained: 'I was born, I think with minus 15 [eyes], so I've never really been able to see my face. It's all guesswork.' Claudia – who is known for her iconic long fringe – went on to say she's had operations because she was 'banging into walls' and she now wears lenses and glasses. However, despite laser eye surgery at Moorfields Eye Hospital, Claudia found her vision was still blurry. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video She added: 'I've always had terrible eyesight, which is going back to the blurriness of the paintings I like, and the blurriness of how I'd really like life to be, which is no overhead lights – 17th century is where I would have absolutely smashed it.' Finding lightness in her eye issues – and acknowledging her trademark black eyeliner – Claudia said: 'Often when the kids have been playing with my phone with the camera switched round and I have to call somebody or I'm making a call, I'm like 'I don't understand why Ozzy Osbourne..I didn't even invite him round', and then I'm like, 'Ah, it's me.' More Trending Earlier this year, Claudia also touched on her condition on Gabby Logan's The Mid Point podcast. 'I've had so many operations on my eyes. I had a lens replacement in my left eye because my astigmatism was so bad I was minus 16, but that was 14 years ago,' she said. Claudia explained how she then became long-sighted: 'Then I had a little fiddle with but because I was so short sighted by then fixing it I'm now long sighted so I can't really read any more. 'I can with glasses, I've got plus 2.5 but I can't read The Bee Sting with those glasses and that light.' Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: Stephen Fry reveals why he put himself through 'agony' of Celebrity Traitors MORE: BBC drops brand new season of The Traitors and you can binge all 12 episodes MORE: Strictly legend 'almost missed deadline' to accept honour in King's birthday list
Metro
7 hours ago
- Metro
Where to stream Jaws in the UK for the iconic film's 50th anniversary
Audiences in the UK can now stream Steven Spielberg's iconic Jaws in their own homes. This summer marks 50 years since Jaws first terrorised cinema audiences, transforming the film industry and beach holidays forever. Released in 1975, Steven Spielberg's breakout thriller is widely credited with inventing the modern summer blockbuster, proving that audiences were hungry for big, suspense-filled entertainment during the warmer months. The legendary movie followed a star-studded cast led by Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss, and Robert Shaw, as a team on the hunt for a terrifying great white shark after it attacked beachgoers. The film grossed more than $475million worldwide, and has gone down as one of the biggest blockbusters of all time. Now, half a century later, the appetite for Jaws hasn't waned. To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video The iconic shark thriller is being honoured with special screenings, retrospectives, and a wave of fans looking to relive the fear from the comfort of their homes. If you're in the UK and eager to revisit the waters of Amity Island, you're in luck because Jaws is currently available to stream for free with an Amazon Prime Video subscription. It's also available to rent or buy on platforms including Apple TV and the Sky Store, for those looking for a one-off watch or to add it permanently to their digital library. For those wanting the full cinematic experience, several UK cinemas, including BFI Southbank and select Picturehouse venues, are celebrating the milestone with limited-run screenings throughout June and July. More Trending Fans can expect a newly restored 4K version to appear on select screens, delivering more detail than ever before. Collectors haven't been forgotten either. A special 50th Anniversary Blu-ray edition has just been released in the UK, featuring behind-the-scenes extras, interviews, and archival footage, making it a must-have for cinephiles and shark movie enthusiasts alike. So whether you're watching it for the very first time or returning for your annual dose of shark-inflicted anxiety, Jaws remains the perfect summer rewatch. Grab your popcorn, dim the lights, and cue that iconic two-note theme. Half a century later, Jaws still knows how to make a splash. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'One of the best horror films' is finally coming to Amazon Prime next week MORE: Clarkson's Farm star worried about being 'out of a job' after major decision MORE: The 'best horror film of 2025' has arrived on Amazon Prime's Shudder
