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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
Entertainment
Robin Murray

Brian May says Queen won't play Glastonbury 2020 because Michael Eavis 'insults him'

is already rife but there's one band we can categorically rule out.

Queen lead guitarist Brian May has said the band will not play the festival's 50th anniversary due to his difference of opinion with Michael Eavis on the badger cull.

The festival founder, who supports the cull, has labelled the legendary musician a 'danger to farming', adding 'he doesn't care about the badgers - he doesn't know anything about it at all'.

In an interview with Zoe Ball on Radio 2 this morning, May insisted the iconic rock group will not play the Worthy Farm event, even if the opportunity presented itself.

Michael Eavis speaks to the crowd from the Pyramid Stage (Rowan Griffiths)

When asked by the host if they might be lined up for the 50th anniversary, May replied: "No we won't, and there are lots of reasons for that.

"One of them is that Michael Eavis has frequently insulted me, and I don't particularly enjoy it.

"What bothers me more is that he's in favour of the badger cull which I regard as a tragedy and an unnecessary crime against wildlife.

"So there's a little bit of a schism there, I wouldn't do Glastonbury, unless things changed radically."

Glastonbury Festival 2019 (Aaron Chown/PA Wire)

NME reports Eavis last year claimed the band were "not quite our thing" and claimed Queen's manager had sent him a "hand-written postcard" in an unsuccessful attempt to secure a headline slot for the band.

Speaking in 2013, Eavis said he was "not inviting" gunmen to kill his badgers but he was in favour of the cull "in certain circumstances" when there is "a heavy loss of dairy cattle".

Glastonbury 2020 takes place between June 24-June 28.

It's also looking unlikely bookies' favourites Led Zeppelin and Fleetwood Mac will headline, despite rumours suggesting otherwise, after Emily Eavis ruled them both out while promoting her book at Cheltenham Literature Festival.

For the latest news in and around Bristol, visit and bookmark Bristol Live's homepage .

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