Michael Eavis is desperate to see Coldplay return to Glastonbury.
The 84-year-old co-creator of the iconic festival can’t wait to welcome the chart-topping band back to Worthy Farm, and has recalled how Coldplay came to play the festival back in 2002, after The Strokes pulled out of the event.
Michael – who helps to organise the festival alongside his daughter Emily – shared: "The Strokes had pulled out and Emily said, ‘Well, why don’t you phone Chris [Martin]?’
"She dialled his number and before I knew it I had Chris on the phone. I said: ‘Chris, I’m so embarrassed but we’re stuck for a headliner on Friday’. So he said, ‘Which Friday?’ and I said, ‘This Friday, the day after tomorrow.’"
At the time, Coldplay were touring in Europe and were preparing for a gig booked in Paris on the same day.
But Michael and the band managed to come to an agreement that saw Coldplay become one of the headline acts.
Michael told BBC Radio 2: "I said, ‘For this, Chris, you can headline the festival next year. Seriously – you will headline next year. I’m pleading with you to do it.’
"And then I had the agent and management on the phone saying he wasn’t quite ready and all that kind of thing and I said, ‘But he is, he’s an absolutely perfect headliner. And, of course, he was – and he’s never looked back since that gig, has he?
"2002, the Friday night, it was so good. Every single song he makes is a hit. He’s so good. He’s such a star. Every time he plays, he gets better every time.
"We’re longing for him to come back, of course."