In 2011, the BBC announced its most comprehensive coverage of Glastonbury to date. Offering a complete multi-platform experience with coverage from six stages, between Thursday 23 June 2011, and Friday 1 July 2011, there was a host of programming, including live headline sets, festival highlights, interviews and a special first-time radio triple-cast, taking viewers and listeners directly into the heart of one of the world's greatest festivals.
The award-winning TV and radio coverage was hosted by presenters working across both platforms, bringing viewers live music and highlights on BBC Two, BBC Three and BBC Four, as well as on four Red Button streams, in addition to BBC Radio 6 Music leading for radio and additional coverage on BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 1Xtra, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 4.
There was also a wealth of online content at bbc.co.uk/glastonbury and the latest under-the-radar talent was showcased on the BBC Introducing Stage.
Coming together for a true audience experience on TV, viewers enjoyed live headline sets, classic acts, cutting-edge bands, world music and unsigned artists, as well as meeting the people who made Glastonbury what it is – the entertainers, circus and cabaret acts, the workers and the crowd that have made Glastonbury the world's paramount live music festival.
Jan Younghusband, Commissioning Editor, Live Music and Events, said: "We are delighted once again to bring the BBC viewers and listeners to the heart of the action at the world's greatest popular music festival."
BBC Two's coverage was presented by Jo Whiley, Lauren Laverne, Mark Radcliffe and Zane Lowe and combined live performances, festival highlights, interviews and special acoustic sets across the weekend.
With live headline sets from major artists, including U2, Coldplay and Paul Simon, BBC Two also had extended highlights of each day's events into the early hours of the morning and afternoon coverage on Saturday and Sunday.
Viewers could watch the best of the festival with a two-hour highlights programme aired on Friday 1 July 2011.
BBC Three programming was presented by Fearne Cotton and Reggie Yates, with Greg James and Gemma Cairney as roving reporters. Friday's slot covered Mumford And Sons from The Other Stage and Saturday's coverage included sets from Jessie J, Tinie Tempah, Elbow and The Chemical Brothers. The Streets and Queens Of The Stone Age were showcased on Sunday.
There were also highlights programmes on Monday 27 and Tuesday 28 June 2011, looking back to the Beyonce and Coldplay headline sets.
BBC Four's coverage was hosted by Mark Radcliffe and included sets from a discerning blend of heritage artists and critically acclaimed favourites. Friday's programming showcased BB King, Morrissey and Jimmy Cliff, while Sunday saw highlights from Coldplay's set and Kool And The Gang.
Red Button coverage ran across four streams and included performances from many of the stages during the festival.
There were also more highlights from the BBC Introducing Stage and from Monday 27 June 2011 to Friday 1 July 2011, viewers were able to press the Red Button to enjoy a different artist each day.
BBC Radio 6 Music was the BBC's 'radio home' of Glastonbury for the third year, broadcasting non-stop coverage, with Radio 1, Radio 1Xtra, Radio 2 and Radio 4 offering complementary programming.
Recently awarded National Station of the Year at the Music Week awards, 6 Music broadcast comprehensive coverage from Thursday 23 to Sunday 26 June 2011. Presented by 6 Music's team of trusted festival guides – Steve Lamacq, Lauren Laverne, Shaun Keaveny, Cerys Matthews, Mark Radcliffe and Stuart Maconie plus Adam Buxton and Joe Cornish – 6 Music's coverage included live performances from across the stages, interviews with performers, regular festival news updates from the station's expert music news team plus a voyage into the weird and wonderful far reaches of the festival.
Paul Rodgers, Editor, Radio 6 Music, said: "6 Music's coverage of Glastonbury has gone from strength to strength over the past few years and I'm very proud of what we've been able to achieve from a small studio in a very big field."
Kicking off proceedings, on Thursday 23 June 2011 (8.00-10.00pm) 6 Music united with Radio 1 and Radio 2 to deliver an historic triple-cast across all three networks, for a special show called Introducing Glastonbury, broadcast live from site. In this two-hour special, Steve Lamacq, Jo Whiley and Zane Lowe celebrated the best of BBC Introducing and previewed the forthcoming diverse delights of Glastonbury 2011.
Other highlights of the station's daily coverage included Steve Lamacq's daily Round The Stages show (Friday 24 to Sunday 26 June 2011, 10.00pm-midnight), featuring live highlights from the headline artists playing across the Pyramid, Other, Peel, Park and West Holts stages.
Plus seasoned festival goers Adam and Joe offered their own unique take on the action each day (Friday–Sunday, 10.00am-1.00pm), including a special Glastonbury-themed command for Black Squadron members on site and at home.
The build-up to the festival started on Wednesday 15 June 2011 (4.00-7.00pm) when Will Champion from Saturday night Pyramid Stage headliners Coldplay joined Steve Lamacq to talk about what makes the festival so special to the band.
Radio 2 reflects the festival's live music over the weekend (Friday 24 and Saturday 25 June 2011, 10.00-11.00pm) with Radio 2 In Concert At Glastonbury. Stuart Maconie and Steve Lamacq showcased the action, as it happened, from the Pyramid Stage.
Following the festival, 6 Music, Radio 1, Radio 1Xtra, Radio 2 and Radio 4 took a retrospective look at the festival with live music highlights.
On Monday 27 June 2011 at 7pm on Radio 1, Zane Lowe brought together his highlights of the festival with three hours of live music and interviews. Throughout the day on 6 Music, listeners could request their favourite live moments from across the weekend then, at 9.00pm (Monday-Thursday), Gideon Coe presented a live set from a 6 Music headline act.
Jo Whiley played her pick of the live music from 8.00pm on Radio 2 (Monday 28 to Wednesday 30 June 2011) plus she presented a special Glastonbury In Concert show on Thursday 30 June 2011.
A special edition of Radio 4's Sony Award winning science/comedy show The Infinite Monkey Cage, recorded in the festival's Cabaret Marquee, aired on Monday 27th 2011 (4.30-5.00pm). Presenters Professor Brian Cox and Robin Ince were joined on stage by musician Billy Bragg, comedian Shappi Khorsandi and scientist Professor Tony Ryan to bring their own brand of rationality and reason to Glastonbury's most hardened new-age followers.
The BBC's dedicated website bbc.co.uk/glastonbury completed the BBC's experience of Glastonbury, offering live video streaming of performances and 6 Music's activities across the weekend. It also hosted a range of 'trusted' expert guides from BBC DJs, which guided viewers and listeners through the vast area of online content.
Extended highlights of 60+ performances from the Pyramid, Other, John Peel, West Holts and BBC Introducing stages were also available to watch on demand following the event.