Reading & Leeds 2025 kicks off today (Friday August 22) – find out how to watch and listen on TV and radio below.
This year’s edition of the dual-site festival will host headline performances from Chappell Roan, Travis Scott, Bring Me The Horizon and Hozier.
Other acts on the line-up include Limp Bizkit, D-Block Europe, Heartworms, former Little Mix member Leigh-Anne, AJ Tracey, Becky Hill, Amyl And The Sniffers, Bloc Party, The Kooks, The Dare, Enter Shikari, Wallows, Sea Girls, Mannequin Pussy, Soft Play, and Lambrini Girls.
Before heading to the event, you can check out the full stage times, the latest weather forecast and a round-up of NME‘s 12 hottest emerging new names on the bill to discover across the weekend. NME has also put together a playlist of all the must-see artists.
Those without a ticket can enjoy R&L ’25 from the comfort of their own home or on the go. You can find all the information on how to tune in below.
TV and iPlayer
BBC iPlayer will be uploading coverage of the festival all weekend via its dedicated Reading & Leeds channel, which will see Jack Saunders and Sian Eleri present from the Reading site each day.
Chappell Roan’s headline set will air at 10:40pm on BBC One tonight, with tomorrow’s closing set from Bring Me The Horizon being shown on the same channel at 11:55pm.
The wider coverage is due to begin at 2pm BST each day (August 22-24), with highlights, performances from the Main Stage and Chevron Stage, and behind-the-scenes moments with special guests.
Performances and highlight tracks will then be available on-demand via iPlayer for 30 days after the festival. Additionally, there’ll be a special compilation featuring standout moments from across the weekend, available to stream for 12 months.
After this year’s bash wraps up, BBC One will broadcast a special Reading & Leeds highlights show on Thursday August 28 at 11:40pm.
What’s more, fans can revisit some of the “most memorable performances” and highlights from previous years. This coverage will be available to watch on-demand or stream on the Reading & Leeds Hits Channel through iPlayer.
- READ MORE: Reading & Leeds boss tells us about “world-first” shake-up to camping for 2025 and huge headline sets
Radio 1 and BBC Sounds
BBC Radio 1 is broadcasting live from Reading between 11am and 4pm today (August 22), Saturday (23) and Sunday (24). Listeners will be able to hear live sets from both the Main Stage and Chevron Stage.
Nat O’Leary, Vicky Hawkesworth, Minah Shannon, Sam and Danni are presenting this coverage for the station.
On Monday (August 25), Radio 1 will air a special dedicated Reading & Leeds 2025 show from 6pm to 1am. This is set to include key highlights and live performances from across the weekend.
BBC Introducing on Radio 1 will also be dedicated to this year’s event, hosted by Jess Iszatt and Jordan Blyth on Sunday (24) between 11.00pm and 1am). Alyx Holcombe is scheduled to present a Reading Special on Radio 1’s Indie Show on Sunday August 31 between 9pm and 10pm.
Additionally, fans can head to BBC Sounds to enjoy a specially curated Reading & Leeds Anthems show by Jack Saunders. After the festival, BBC Sounds will host a selection of performances and highlights from the Main Stage and Chevron Stage.
BBC Introducing
As for the BBC Introducing Stages, one track from each artist performing on this venue will be filmed and made available on the BBC Music YouTube channel and appear in a compilation programme for BBC iPlayer.
BBC Introducing in Oxfordshire & Berkshire will present a special highlights show of Reading Festival next Thursday (August 28).
Elsewhere, BBC Introducing in Leeds & Sheffield, and BBC Introducing in York & Humberside will broadcast live from Leeds tomorrow (August 23) between 8pm and 10pm. This is set to be presented by Emily Pilbeam, Christian Carlisle and Jericho Keys.
Both broadcasts will feature live performances and interviews from the BBC Introducing Stage at Reading & Leeds.
Earlier this summer, Reading & Leeds shared details of two new stages for 2025: the Smirnoff Stage (Reading) and the Reload Stage (Leeds). This came after organisers revamped the event’s accommodation with “free, overhauled camping options”.
Festival boss Melvin Benn said in a previous statement: “To have a weekend with historic headline moments like Chappell Roan, alongside emerging talent and influential voices, I am proud of R&L’s continued development and I can’t wait to see fans embracing it all.”
He also spoke to NME about whether Chappell Roan would be the first pure pop headliner at Reading & Leeds. “I think in fairness, she will,” Benn responded.
“It’s something that I’ve talked to the team about a huge amount over the last 18 months to two years; the pre-eminence of pop now is there for all to see. There’s been a shift in the young audience loving pop, and R&L has to take notice of that. Chappell Roan is that genuine pop headliner.
He added: “Fans being able to enjoy both Chappell Roan and Bring Me The Horizon is not impossible by any means.”
