BBC information man Ros Atkins stuns Glastonbury crowd with drum and bass set
- The newsreader took to the Stonebridge Stage on Saturday afternoon
A BBC newsreader stunned Glastonbury-goers with a drum and bass set at the legendary Glastonbury festival.
Presenter Ros Atkins hit the decks for a one-and-a-half hour set on the Stonebridge Stage on Saturday afternoon – following the likes of Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker and Irish DJ Annie Mac.
With 500 fans raving to his first ever DJ set at Glastonbury, the analysis editor – who is best known for his rather serious ‘explainer videos’ – decided to drop a remix of the BBC News theme tune as his final song.
Fans were delighted by the track and it has been played on BBC Radio 1 by Greg James.
In a behind-the-scenes video, Atkins revealed he worked with David Lowe – the original BBC news theme composer – as well as DJ and producer Crissy Criss.
Ros Atkins plays a drum and bass set at Glastonbury’s Stonebridge Stage
His debut Glastonbury performance lasted for an hour-and-a-half
Atkins (right) poses with MC Inja (left) before surprising Glastonbury-goers with a remix of the BBC theme tune
Around 500 fans filled the tent to listen to the broadcaster’s drum and bass set
A Glastonbury-goer dances to Atkin’s remixes in a pink cowboy hat while holding a matching fan
In a behind-the-scenes video, Atkins revealed he worked with David Lowe (left) – the original BBC news theme composer – as well as DJ and producer Crissy Chriss (right)
Providing an insight into the creative process, Chriss said: ‘I came up with the idea of let’s start the track as a BBC news headline.
‘Increase the BPM. Turn it up. And then we go into the big up-to-date drum and bass, all-in big basses, different vibes and different melodies. There’s jungle flavours in there, there’s drum and bass. There’s so much going on.’
Speaking of the finished product, composer Lowe said: ‘I couldn’t have ever imagined it would sound like that. It’s absolutely amazing.’
Fans were just as pleased by the unconventional remix.
One posted on X: ‘Just brilliant, looking forward to hearing this as the updated theme on BBC News.’
Another wrote: ‘A Glasto legend is born!’
This is not the first time DJ Atkins has blessed listener’s ears.
Two years ago he made a surprise appearance on BBC Radio 6 Music’s Desert Island Disco All-Dayer.
In a tweet announcing his radio set in 2022, Atkins said: ‘To the 19-year-old who avidly collected all the latest mix cassettes and recorded tracks off, the idea I’d do a mix on the BBC would have been incomprehensible. I’m very touched to have been asked.’
Since growing up as a teenager in Cornwall, Atkins loved listening to ‘hardcore drum and bass’ as well as attending raves.
The young Atkins played DJ sets, in ‘a very amateur fashion’, in London, Cornwall and Cambridge.
BBC newsreader Ros Atkins revealed in 2022 his background as a drum and bass DJ. He played a range of music at venues in London, Cornwall and Cambridge, as well as South Africa
A thread from 2022 where Atkins revealed his past in DJ’ing has photos of him and his friends going to raves as well as him DJ’ing at venues
Mr Atkins said that, while living in South Africa, he also worked the decks during a ‘huge rave’ inside Johannesburg train station. Whilst in the country, he also performed at Pretoria’s ‘Oppi Koppi’ festival
In the social media post, Atkins shared an image of him performing in Regents Park in 2006
Atkins even took his desks abroad, performing in a ‘huge drum and bass room’ in Johannesburg and Pretoria’s Oppi Koppi festival when he lived in South Africa.
Prior to Glastonbury, the journalist’s last gig had been in Regent’s Park in 2006.
Remembering the ‘reasonably sweaty affair’, Atkins said: ‘A few days later, our eldest daughter was born and suddenly I had a lot less time and energy. DJing didn’t fit into life so well and I’ve not done a gig since.’
He added: ‘Here’s to it not being another 16 years before I put together another set…’
And just two years later Atkins secured a drum and bass set at Glastonbury – the legendary five-day festival based on Worthy Farm in Somerset.
In a tweet announcing his Glastonbury performance, Atkins said: ‘It’s frankly incomprehensible that I’m tweeting this – but here’s the line-up for Stonebridge at Glastonbury and to my great excitement and astonishment, I’m on it.
‘What started with a one-off drum and bass set for BBC6Music two years ago has ended up here. Very grateful for the invitation.’
The presenter played a set on the Stonebridge Stage at Glastonbury – where Pulp frontman Jarvis Cocker and Irish DJ Annie Mac also performed
One user suggested the remix should be used when the exit polls come out next week while someone else joked: ‘Have you fact checked this Ros?’
Another suggested that the newsreader team up with his colleague Owain Wyn Evans – who also harbours a secret musical talent.
The BBC weatherman lifted spirits during lockdown in 2020 when he played the drums to the iconic theme tune while presenting from home.
