As Glasto begins, ADRIAN THRILLS sifts by the BBC TV’s protection

FRIDAY

ANNE-MARIE

This year’s TV marathon gets underway as The One Show broadcasts live from Worthy Farm (BBC1, 7pm). But fans tuning in from noon on BBC iPlayer can catch the earlier acts. Don’t miss Essex hit machine Anne-Marie, whose playful pop should make for the perfect curtain-raiser (BBC iPlayer, 6.45pm).

PAUL HEATON

Taking to the Pyramid Stage for the first time as a solo artist, the self-styled ‘last king of pop’ draws from a rich back catalogue. His repertoire features Housemartins hits such as Happy Hour plus the Beautiful South classics Rotterdam and A Little Time (BBC4, 7.30pm).

DEXYS

Having dropped the ‘Midnight Runners’ from his band’s name, Kevin Rowland will bring a blend of Celtic pop and Northern Soul to The Park Stage. Last year’s album, The Feminine Divine, contained brassy throwbacks to the group’s heyday, and fans will also be treated to 1980s hits Geno and Come On Eileen (BBC4, 9pm).

DUA LIPA

Headlining for the first time on her third visit, the unstoppable British and Albanian singer will deliver disco delights. Lipa has become a global sensation without oversharing her personal life, but she has enough three-minute bangers — New Rules and Don’t Start Now among them — to provide a fitting finale to Friday’s action (BBC1, 10.30pm).

FRIDAY’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Fronted by James Murphy, LCD Soundsystem will bring the New York dance underground to Worthy Farm as they entertain fans ahead of Dua Lipa’s set (BBC iPlayer, 7.45pm), while girl band the Sugababes take to the West Holts Stage (BBC4, 7.30pm). On the same stage, BRIT-winning London soul trio Jungle are worth a look (BBC4, 11.30pm).

SATURDAY 

THE LAST DINNER PARTY

This year’s biggest British breakthrough act should draw a huge crowd on their return to Glasto. Their corsets and puffy lace tops aren’t designed to be accessorised with muddy wellies, but the London art-rockers are a formidable live act. Expect singalongs to Sinner and My Lady Of Mercy (BBC4, 7pm).

KEANE

Two decades on from their just-reissued debut, Hopes And Fears, Keane return to the festival with some timeless songs. Early hits Somewhere Only We Know and Everybody’s Changing will be supplemented by later gems like Perfect Symmetry, all built around Tom Chaplin’s vocals and Tim Rice-Oxley’s melodies (BBC4, 8pm).

LITTLE SIMZ

Having played the West Holts Stage (twice) and The Park, rapper-songwriter Little Simz is a Somerset stalwart. This year sees the BRIT-winning musician on the Pyramid Stage for the first time, second on the bill to Coldplay. Her thoughtful lyrics and soulful musical stylings will be an early evening highlight (BBC2, 9pm).

COLDPLAY

Headlining the festival for a record fifth time, Coldplay have been dubbed the Glastonbury ‘house band’, but familiarity shouldn’t breed contempt. Their soft rock polarises opinion, but there’s no doubting Chris Martin’s wide-eyed enthusiasm — or his band’s ability to galvanise a huge crowd with hits such as Yellow and Viva La Vida (BBC1, 10pm).

JESSIE WARE

Bringing the kitchen disco to the stage, Jessie Ware promises a floor-filling Saturday night. The London singer — and celebrated podcast host — has moved on from her mellow musical origins to embrace feel- good dance music and sophisticated pop-funk (BBC4, 10.15pm).

SATURDAY’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Glastonbury is famous for its surprise appearances, and former Pyramid Stage headliners Kasabian are being widely tipped as the mystery act in the ‘TBA’ slot on the Woodsies Stage (iPlayer, 6pm). The Leicester rockers are gearing up for next week’s release of their eighth album, Happenings. Elsewhere, Camila Cabello’s Latin-pop reflects her Cuban roots, and Cyndi Lauper has Glasto anthems in the making in Girls Just Want To Have Fun and Time After Time (both BBC2, 5pm).

SUNDAY

SHANIA TWAIN

The queen of country- pop follows her idol Dolly Parton, who appeared ten years ago, as the latest ‘legend’ to grace the celebrated Sunday teatime slot. A battle with Lyme disease has left her voice huskier than it was in her heyday, but the Canadian promises to bring hits, her iconic leopard-print catsuit and — possibly — a horse onto the stage with her. It’ll be worth it just to hear her cry: ‘Let’s go, Glastonbury!’ during her hit Man! I Feel Like A Woman (BBC1, 6.15pm).

PALOMA FAITH

Expect heartache ballads galore, including tracks from recent album The Glorification Of Sadness, when Faith appears. Having broken through with Amy Winehouse-style retro-jazz, the London singer has since made the melodramatic torch song her calling card (BBC4, 7pm).

THE NATIONAL

With her Eras tour in Dublin, we’re unlikely to see Taylor Swift at Worthy Farm this weekend. But one member of her inner circle will be there, as her regular co-writer Aaron Dessner headlines The Other Stage as part of Cincinnati group The National. Once seen as America’s answer to Radiohead, they’ve developed a musically rich, lyrically detailed sound of their own (BBC4, 9.45pm).

SZA

Missouri-born singer Solána Rowe — aka SZA — is the second of this year’s female headliners, a Glastonbury first. The musician, whose name is pronounced ‘scissor’, has brought a freshness to American R&B with her theatrical live shows and confessional songs that pack a raw, emotional punch (BBC1, 10pm).

SUNDAY’S OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

With punky pop enjoying a revival, Avril Lavigne has timed her Glastonbury debut well, and Janelle Monae will deliver a mix of funk, reggae and R&B (both BBC2, 7.30pm).

Ahead of their headline spot at Latitude next month, London Grammar bring their superb electronic pop, and Hannah Reid’s haunting vocals, to The Park Stage (BBC iPlayer, 9.15pm).

THE PICK OF THIS WEEK’S NEW RELEASES…by ADRIAN THRILLS

ED SHEERAN: X (Atlantic)

Reissued on CD (£11) and double vinyl (£45) to mark its tenth anniversary, the second of Ed’s mathematically-titled LPs turned him into a global star. His ballads, including One and Tenerife Sea, stuck to a familiar blueprint. But, with producer Pharrell Williams encouraging him to take risks, there were detours into soulful R&B on Runaway and Sing. Thinking Out Loud would later become the source of a high-profile copyright case (which Ed won last year), while the nine bonus tracks – out on vinyl for the first time – are culled from previous deluxe editions and film soundtracks.

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THE MYSTERINES: Afraid Of Tomorrows (Virgin)

The talented Merseyside quartet team up with St. Vincent’s producer, John Congleton, for an album that mixes the gothic spirit of The Cure with the edginess of New York bands The Strokes and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Singer and guitarist Lia Metcalfe is the star, but she’s well supported by her bandmates, with bassist George Favager providing melodic drive in the tradition of New Order’s Peter Hook. Amid the brooding rockers, there’s variety in the soft ballad Inside A Matchbox and a poignant title track. They play Crystal Palace Park, London, with Bloc Party, on July 7.

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LAKE STREET DIVE: Good Together (Fantasy)

One of America’s best-kept musical secrets — at least over here — this boy-girl band from Boston combine 1960s pop, 1970s soul and sun-kissed 1980s funk on their eighth album. Eminem sideman Mike Elizondo (who co-wrote the rapper’s The Real Slim Shady) returns as producer, adding hip-hop swing to tracks which strive to recapture the zest of the group’s live shows. There are cameos, too, from Brooklyn jazz band the Huntertones and Bon Iver’s string arranger Rob Moose, while frontwoman Rachael Price is a wonderfully versatile presence.

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TRACK OF THE WEEK

THE GIRL, SO CONFUSING by CHARLI XCX & LORDE

Addressing rumours of a feud, Charlie XCX and Lorde team up for a candid revamp of a track from XCX’s excellent new album, Brat. ‘Let’s work it out on the remix,’ sings Lorde. This dance-pop track does just that.