Hozier’s ‘gay rights’ and ‘free Palestine’ Reading and Leeds sets won’t be seen on BBC

The BBC didn’t air Irish singer-songwriter Hozier’s sets where he called for “gay rights” and a “free Palestine” at the Reading and Leeds festivals. They also won’t be available on the iPlayer.

Hozier, who has frequently used his platform to speak out for the LGBTQ+ community, headlined this year’s two big rock festival but reportedly reached a mutual agreement meaning the BBC won’t show either off the performances.

While sets by Chappell Roan, and The Kooks, who brought out Rebel Wilson for a cover of Coolio’s 1995 hit “Gangsta’s Paradise”, were broadcast, Hozier’s headline act was notable for its absence.

During his performance, Hozier called for a free Palestine, agitating for a “meaningful political solution… not lip service, but a meaningful peace process”. He went on to tell the crowd that people simply wanted harmony for everyone, including the LGBTQ+ community, the Metro reported.

“I think people would want to see that for their neighbours,” the paper quoted him as saying. “They would want to see that for members of their community.

“People would want to see people they don’t know live with peace and safety and security. They wouldn’t want to see their neighbours live in fear of hatred or racism. They wouldn’t want to see their Jewish friends live in fear of antisemitism, and Muslim brothers and sisters live in fear of Islamophobia.

“They want to see members of the LGBTQ community treated with respect and dignity and peace.” 

The BBC told the PinkNews that Hozier chose “not to be included” in its coverage. 

A BBC spokesperson said: “Viewers can enjoy a wide range of performances and highlights from Reading and Leeds Festival on BBC iPlayer, BBC Music’s YouTube channel, BBC One and Radio 1. As mutually agreed ahead of [the] Reading Festival, Hozier chose not to be included in the BBC’s coverage.”

Hozier voiced his support for the trans community two years ago, telling Metro: “If you believe in a free and open society, part of that is respecting and supporting your fellow citizens’ rights to be who they are.

“For me, it’s a question of decency and showing up. It’s a very simple question of human decency when you treat someone with respect, whether that’s their pronoun [or] their name. It’s so simple. These things aren’t complicated.”

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