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Jess Glynne ‘banned’ from Isle Of Wight Festival, after cancelling set due to anxiety

By | Published on Wednesday 19 June 2019

Jess Glynne

Jess Glynne has been banned from performing at the Isle Of Wight Festival for life after pulling out of her performance at this year’s edition at the very last minute. The singer said that she was experiencing anxiety and was unable to take to the stage.

The singer had been due to perform at the festival on Sunday and was backstage minutes before her set time when she decided to pull out. A statement from her management said that she was “physical exhausted after an intense last few weeks of touring”.

In a statement on Monday, responding to criticism of the last minute cancellation, Glynne said: “I am a human being and I can’t help that my body sometimes gives up on me. I am so so gutted, sorry and upset that I couldn’t perform yesterday. I came all the way, I got ready and was about to head to stage but I just couldn’t do it. I was incredibly weak and full of anxiety”.

“The last thing I ever want to do is let people down”, she continued. “I am sorry to anyone who I upset; it was not my intention. I had to do what was right for my physical and mental health. Kills me having to explain myself but I’ve just seen so much negativity online and in the press and it’s so frustrating and a load of bullshit”.

She concluded: “I refuse to be made to feel like a bad person. I’m sure many of you out there haven’t been well a day in your life and not been able to go to work. Well, I’m no different to you! I’m now taking this week off to get myself better and to step away from the madness”.

Unwilling to accept this explanation, the Mirror now claims that Glynne was partying until after 7am on Sunday morning, following the final night of the Spice Girls’ UK tour, on which she had been the support act.

Presented with this version of events, Isle Of Wight Festival boss John Giddings said that this was “shocking behaviour”, adding: “She will never be booked to play the Isle Of Wight again. It shows no regards for people that bought a ticket. It’s so sad that an artist would do that to their fans. She’s let them down”.

I’m not sure an artist getting drunk after a big show is all that shocking. It seems at best like an error of scheduling to book a big festival performance the day after completing such a high profile tour.

Going from a major and potentially life-changing project straight to the next thing without having time to reflect and reset mentally seems like a recipe for overstretching a person. And with that in mind, Giddings should possibly be congratulating Glynne for making a brave decision on health grounds and offering her a better slot next year.



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