Leicester to host BBC Radio 2 music festival

Leicester has been chosen to host BBC Radio 2's biggest-ever live music event outside London.

Radio 2 in the Park will take place at Victoria Park on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 September with 35,000 tickets available for each day.

The BBC said the full artist line-up would be revealed on The Zoe Ball Breakfast Show on Tuesday.

Leicester's mayor, Sir Peter Soulsby, said big events such as this were "a tremendous boost to the area."

A licence for the major two-day music festival was granted by the city council following a meeting between organisers Festival Republic and local residents.

Earlier this year nearby firms told the BBC it would bring them a much-needed financial boost after the Covid-19 pandemic.

The festival will be BBC Radio 2's first flagship event since before the pandemic.

Its event in Leeds was cancelled last year as a mark of respect following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Tickets for Radio 2 in the Park go on sale at 08:15 BST on Wednesday.

Helen Thomas, head of Radio 2, said she was "thrilled" to officially announce details of the live music weekender.

"We hope it will bring together music lovers from across the nation - whether joining us in Leicester or tuning in wherever they are," she said.

Sir Peter said: "We're very excited to be welcoming Radio 2 in the Park to Leicester this summer.

"Victoria Park has a proud tradition of hosting these big events and they are always a tremendous boost to the area."