Radio 2 in the Park

Radio 2 in the Park (formally known as Radio 2 Live, Radio 2 Live in Hyde Park and Radio 2's Festival in a Day) is a British music festival organised by BBC Radio 2. It took place from 2011 to 2019 in Hyde Park in London and in 2017, the attendance was 45,000. Following two cancelled years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in June 2022, the corporation announced that the festival would be moving away from London, with the 2022 festival set to be held over two days at Temple Newsam Park in Leeds however, it was cancelled following the death of Elizabeth II. The festival returned in 2023 as Radio 2 in the Park live from Leicester. In April 2024 it was announced that the event would take place in Preston, Lancashire.

The idea behind the event was for music fans who enjoy live music but are not comfortable with the idea of a full multi-day festival to be able to experience the variety of artists and the atmosphere that such a festival would offer, without the associated necessities such as camping. The festival is designed to appeal to the over 35 demographic that makes up the majority of Radio 2 listeners, although the event attracts fans of all ages. The line-up is compiled of the various adult contemporary music and specialist genres featured on Radio 2, including folk, country, soul, rock and jazz. The festival was hosted by Chris Evans and later Jo Whiley alongside other Radio 2 presenters and is broadcast live on the station and streamed on the BBC Red Button.

Live in Hyde Park 2011
The inaugural festival in a day was held on 11 September 2011. Lionel Richie was originally set to headline the event but was forced to cancel due to ill health.


 * Gary Barlow
 * Chic
 * The Pierces
 * James Blunt
 * Imelda May
 * Lenny Kravitz
 * Jonathan Jeremiah
 * Will Young
 * Caro Emerald
 * Beverley Knight
 * Bellowhead
 * Jools Holland and his Orchestra

Live in Hyde Park 2012
The 2012 festival in a day was held on 9 September.


 * Tom Jones
 * Status Quo
 * Emeli Sandé
 * Jessie J
 * Paloma Faith
 * Rebecca Ferguson
 * Average White Band
 * Mick Hucknall
 * The Band Perry
 * Katzenjammer
 * Angela Barnes

Live in Hyde Park 2013
The 2013 festival in a day was held on 8 September.


 * Smokey Robinson
 * Jessie J
 * James Blunt
 * Josh Groban
 * Manic Street Preachers
 * Jack Johnson
 * Texas
 * Jamie Cullum
 * Simple Minds
 * Treacherous Orchestra

Live in Hyde Park 2014
The 2014 festival in a day was held on 14 September.


 * Jeff Lynne's ELO
 * Blondie
 * Billy Ocean
 * Paloma Faith
 * Gregory Porter
 * Kacey Musgraves
 * Bellowhead
 * Chrissie Hynde

Live in Hyde Park 2015
The 2015 festival in a day was held on 13 September. The line-up was revealed by Chris Evans between 8 and 12 June.


 * Rod Stewart
 * Giorgio Moroder
 * Bryan Adams
 * The Corrs
 * Leona Lewis
 * Kate Rusby
 * Will Young
 * Shaun Escoffery
 * Ward Thomas and The Shires

Live in Hyde Park 2016
The 2016 festival in a day was held on 11 September. It also featured a DJ set by Craig Charles and a special edition of PopMaster with Ken Bruce.


 * Elton John
 * Madness
 * Status Quo
 * Gregory Porter
 * LeAnn Rimes
 * Jamie Lawson
 * Andreya Triana
 * Travis

Live in Hyde Park 2017
The 2017 festival in a day was held on 10 September. The line-up was announced on 6 June by Chris Evans, with tickets for the event going on sale on 8 June. Between the main acts, the festival also featured a special edition of PopMaster with Ken Bruce, Sounds of the 80s with Sara Cox, A Question of Radio 2 with Clare Balding, Jeremy Vine, Fearne Cotton, Jon Culshaw and Rev. Kate Bottley plus live DJ sets from Craig Charles and Ana Matronic.


 * Take That
 * Blondie
 * Shania Twain
 * James Blunt
 * Emeli Sandé
 * Rick Astley
 * Seth Lakeman and Wildwood Kin
 * Stereophonics

Live in Hyde Park 2018
The 2018 festival in a day was held on 9 September. Carrie Underwood was scheduled to perform but had to pull out due to illness and was replaced by The Shires. The festival featured a special edition of PopMaster with Ken Bruce and Sounds of the 80s with Gary Davies plus a DJ set from Craig Charles. During the headline set, Rick Astley and Jason Donovan appeared as special guests.


 * Kylie Minogue
 * Manic Street Preachers
 * Boyzone
 * The Shires
 * All Saints
 * The Band of Love
 * Rita Ora
 * Lenny Kravitz

Live in Hyde Park 2019
The 2019 festival in a day was held on 15 September. Two acts were announced each day by Zoe Ball starting on Monday 3 June 2019, with the headliners the Pet Shop Boys being revealed on Thursday 6 June. Emeli Sandé was originally scheduled to perform but cancelled on the day due to having lost her voice. Her set was replaced by a Craig Charles DJ set. There was also a DJ set from Gary Davies. During the headlining set, Olly Alexander and Beverley Knight appeared as special guests.


 * Pet Shop Boys
 * Westlife
 * Status Quo
 * Clean Bandit
 * Bananarama
 * Kelsea Ballerini
 * Simply Red

Live in Hyde Park 2020
This year's Live in Hyde Park was a virtual affair due to coronavirus.

On 12 and 13 September 2020, the BBC aired new sets recorded from home by Sheryl Crow, Nile Rodgers and Chic featuring Rebecca Ferguson, Craig David, Erasure, Sir Tom Jones, The Killers, John Legend, McFly, Gregory Porter and The Pretenders. Several past performances by Sir Elton John, Jeff Lynne, Kylie Minogue, Pet Shop Boys, Rita Ora, Sir Rod Stewart, Shania Twain, Smokey Robinson and Take That were also made available to watch on BBC iPlayer.

Radio 2 Live in Leeds 2022
Following two cancelled years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was announced on 5 April 2022 that the event was to be rebranded as Radio 2 Live 2022 and would take place in Leeds at Temple Newsam on 17 and 18 September. The line-up was announced on 14 June by Zoe Ball, revealing that Simple Minds would be headlining the event. Ball also stated that two additional acts would be announced in the following weeks On 2 August, Robbie Williams and the BBC Concert Orchestra were revealed as the second headliner alongside Elbow and the Radio 2 DJ line-up, which features Richie Anderson, Sara Cox, Rylan Clark, DJ Spoony, Jo Whiley, Dermot O'Leary, Gary Davies, Trevor Nelson, Tony Blackburn, Kate Bottley, and OJ Borg. However, on 9 September, the event was cancelled following the death of Queen Elizabeth II the previous day.

Radio 2 in the Park, Leicester 2023
On June 12, 2023, it was announced that Leicester would be hosting Radio 2 in the Park on Saturday 16 and Sunday 17 September at Victoria Park. The following day, Zoe Ball announced the full line up, with Kylie Minogue as headliner and also featuring Rick Astley, Sam Ryder, James Blunt, Bananarama, and Tears for Fears, the latter two of whom were previously slated to appear at the 2022 event, which was cancelled last year due to the death of Elizabeth II. The festival featured DJ sets from Gary Davies, Rylan Clark, and Scott Mills.

Saturday 16
 * Tears for Fears
 * Bananarama
 * Texas
 * James Blunt
 * Deacon Blue
 * Beverley Knight
 * Busted
 * Soft Cell

Sunday 17
 * Kylie Minogue
 * The Pretenders
 * Shalamar
 * Rick Astley
 * Jessie Ware
 * Lemar
 * Sam Ryder
 * Simply Red

Radio 2 in the Park, Preston 2024
On June 3, 2024, it was announced that Moor Park in Preston would be hosting Radio 2 in the Park 2024 on Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 September, with tickets going on sale the following day. An additional "pre-party" is also set to take place on Friday 6 featuring sets by Radio 2 DJs Vernon Kay, Sara Cox, Rylan Clark, Scott Mills, and DJ Spoony. The full line-up was announced by Zoe Ball live on the breakfast show.

Saturday 16
 * Sting
 * Sugababes
 * Snow Patrol
 * Craig David
 * Kim Wilde
 * Pixie Lott
 * Shaznay Lewis
 * Travis

Sunday 17
 * Pet Shop Boys
 * Manic Street Preachers
 * Sister Sledge ft. Kathy Sledge
 * Paul Heaton
 * Gabrielle
 * Shed Seven
 * Delta Goodrem
 * Haircut 100