How to watch Glastonbury 2023: tune into the biggest festival on the planet from anywhere

At a glance

When: 21-25 June
Where: Worthy Farm, Somerset, UK
Headliners: Arctic Monkeys, Guns N’ Roses, Elton John (Pyramid Stage); Wizkid, Lana Del Ray, Queens Of The Stone Age (Other Stage)
Watch in the UK: BBC iPlayer (free)
Watch outside UK: Express VPN

Worthy Farm in Somerset, UK is currently welcoming over 200,000 music fans through its gates ahead of this weekend’s Glastonbury festival. With headliners Elton John, Arctic Monkeys and Guns N’ Roses topping a bill that spans hundreds of bands, DJs and artists performing across countless stages, Glasto is by far the biggest event on the live music calendar. 

If you didn’t manage to snag a ticket, or you prefer a flag-free view from the comfort of your sofa with a cold beverage in hand, the good news is that a large number of Glastonbury 2023 performances will be broadcast. In this guide we’re going to help you work out how to watch Glastonbury 2023 from wherever you are in the world.

It’s already been confirmed that you will be able to watch all three Pyramid Stage headliners this year; Arctic Monkeys on the Friday, Guns N’ Roses on the Sunday and Elton John closing the event on the Sunday.

Other acts being broadcast over the weekend - either as full performances or highlights - include Royal Blood, Warpaint, Becky Hill, Queens of the Stone Age, Fred again..., Hot Chip, Lizzo, Digga D, Wizkid, Stefflon Don, Kelis, Lewis Capaldi, Fatboy Slim, Jacob Collier, Leftfield, Blondie and… um, Rick Astley

How to watch Glastonbury 2023 in the UK

The easiest way to tune into some of the biggest performances across the weekend is via the BBC iPlayer where you can watch many of the performances live, or catch-up at your convenience. What’s more, iPlayer is totally free, you just need to sign up for an account and have a TV licence.

TV channels BBC One, Two, Three and Four will also be broadcasting the headliner sets alongside highlights from some of the other stages. You can watch on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

How to watch Glastonbury 2023 outside the UK

If you live outside the US or you’re out of the country right now, you may be thinking you can’t watch your favourite artists perform this weekend, but you can! iPlayer can be accessed via the help of a VPN. These Virtual Private Networks are used to change the location of your IP address, therefore tricking the streaming service into thinking you are, in fact, viewing from the UK.

Right now, our VPN of choice is Express VPN, and they currently offer 3 months free when you sign up for an annual plan alongside a 30-day money back guarantee. Not sure where to start with a VPN? We have further guidance below.

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How to use a VPN

Got your VPN of choice downloaded? Here’s the three simple steps you need to follow to get it up and running ready to watch Glastonbury 2023 this weekend:

1. Install your chosen VPN: Many VPNs, including Express VPN, are compatible with most devices you can think of, whether that’s your smartphone, tablet or laptop.

2. Connect to an appropriate server: Within your VPN, select the appropriate location for the content you want to consume.

3. Load up the service you want: Now you can login to BBC iPlayer scratch that Glastonbury itch!

Can I watch any of last year’s performances?

Yes you can. The BBC’s current ‘road to Glastonbury’ offering includes highlight reels from the last every Glastonbury going back to 2013, alongside the fantastic 50th anniversary documentary which includes footage of Glasto through the ages, from Bowie to Billie.