Music fans were left disappointed on Friday night after The Searchers’ historic farewell performance at Glastonbury Festival was not broadcast on BBC iPlayer - despite marking the end of the Liverpool band’s remarkable 70-year career.
The 1960s pop legends, best known for chart-topping hits like Sweets for My Sweet, Needles and Pins, and When You Walk in the Room, made their long-awaited Glastonbury debut on the Acoustic Stage, drawing an emotional close to their touring days.
But viewers hoping to tune in from home were dismayed to find the performance missing from the BBC’s extensive livestream coverage.
The omission sparked a backlash online, with many taking to X to vent their frustration. “Surely The Searchers should be on one of the feeds live, last ever show,” one fan wrote. Another questioned: “Will the BBC show The Searchers set??” Others called the oversight “a disgrace,” given the band’s legacy and influence on British music.
While BBC iPlayer streamed multiple sets live from the festival - including headline acts on the Pyramid Stage and other popular venues such as Woodsies and The Park - the Acoustic Stage was notably absent from the digital lineup.
So disappointed @BBC @glastonbury you couldn’t show the Searchers last ever performance. Disappointed is an understatement!!!!
— Mrs Vieira 💙 (@MrsVieiraReads) June 27, 2025
The band’s Glastonbury set was especially poignant given the presence of Sir Paul McCartney, who was spotted backstage with founding members John McNally and Frank Allen.
The Beatles and The Searchers both came up through Liverpool’s famed Cavern Club in the 1960s, and fans had hoped to witness a symbolic final bow from one of Merseybeat’s last active acts.
In a statement ahead of the show, McNally, now 83, said: “A Glastonbury debut at 83 - can anyone top that? I don’t think life gets any better, does it?” His bandmate Frank Allen, who joined in 1964, added: “I have played shows across the world with The Searchers for over 60 years. Glastonbury has always been an ambition that eluded us - until now.”
The Cavern Club paid tribute on Friday evening with a heartfelt message: “While this may be their final show, their legacy will echo on - in their records, in the countless musicians they’ve influenced, and of course, here at The Cavern Club, where it all began. We’ll be cheering them on at Glastonbury - and we know the whole of Liverpool will be too.”
The band’s Glastonbury debut was billed as a triumphant sign-off after their farewell tour, which took them across the UK one final time. Their absence from the BBC's broadcast schedule, however, felt to many like a glaring snub.
“It's heartbreaking,” one fan wrote. “They helped define the British Invasion and they don't even get a send-off? They deserved better.”
