Host of the popular music quiz Never Mind The Buzzcocks, comedian Simon Amstell, will be gracing the Alternative Stage of Reading Festival this year

Audiences will have the chance to see Simon Amstell, just before he embarks on his What Is This? tour this September. Simon Amstell has starred and written for the critically acclaimed television series, Grandma’s House. He has also been writing and directing the gripping feature film Carnage, which premiered on BBC iPlayer in March. His set at Reading Festival will be as thought provoking as hilarious.

Following his festival stealing performance last year, multi-award winning stand-up comedian Bill Bailey will be returning to The Alternative Stage. With musical virtuosity, surreal tangents, and trademark intelligence, Bill tackles politics, philosophy and the pursuit of happiness.

At Reading this August, hear Irish reels, hardcore metal, Tom Waits’ style re-workings of nursery rhymes and Beethoven’s’ Für Elise as you’ve never heard it before, plus a timely reworking of the Stars and Stripes in a more apocalyptic style.

Katherine Ryan will set out to entertain with her razor-sharp pop culture critique. Originally from Canada and star of BBC’s Live at the Apollo, QI, ITV’s The Jonathan Ross Show and Channel 4’s 8 Out of 10 Cats, Katherine is a writer/performer and stand-up who is taking the UK television and live comedy scenes by storm. Katherine recently released Katherine Ryan: In Trouble on Netflix, seeing her become the second British-based comedian to have a Netflix Original Comedy Special released globally.

Joining them over the bank holiday weekend are Comedy Central favourite Seann Walsh, Tape Face with his unique prop-lead performance, viral political sensation Jonathan Pie, Iain Stirling, who will join us fresh from a third series narrating TV ratings hit Love Island, and the one and only Piff The Magic Dragon.

Tape Face - “I am beyond excited to be playing not one but two of the greatest festivals in the UK. I am lost for words.”

Further Alternative Stage appearances will come from long-standing panel show favourite Josie Long and Irish hip-hop jokers The Rubberbandits - along with performances from the likes of Joe Lycett, Tiff Stevenson (Leeds Only), Daniel Sloss, Ivo Graham, Dane Baptiste (Reading Only), Suzi Ruffell (Leeds Only), Matt Richardson (Reading only), Elliot Steel, Sean Mcloughlin, Kiri Pritchard-Mclean (Leeds Only), Lloyd Griffith, Fin Taylor (Leeds Only), Lauren Pattison (Leeds Only), Jonny Awsum (Reading Only), Steve Hall (Reading Only), Flo & Joan (Reading Only), Masud Milas (Reading Only). Your MCs for the weekend are Pierre Novellie, Mark Olver and James Gill. With all this, and more still to be revealed, we’re bringing the brightest lights in comedy to Reading & Leeds this August.

Joe Lycett - “I'm VERY excited to be playing Reading & Leeds, festivals that all the cool kids at school used to go to while I sat in my bedroom being a right little weirdo. Finally I'm one of the cool kids, 10 years too late.”

Dane Baptiste - "Love the Reading and Leeds festivals, great bands, sounds, comics and an amazing vibe so good that I'M prepared to use Portaloos. Which is unheard of. "

Renowned indie club night Propaganda will provide a late night euphoric disco soundtrack with special guest appearances lined up from breakthrough Main Stage blazers Blossoms, who’ll be delving into their record collection for a DJ set not to be missed.

The unique WiFi Wars will be heading to Reading this summer, bringing the interactive comedy show to the forefront of festival-goers for a night of comedy, quizzes and challenges like no other.

Breakthrough UK pop-punks Neck Deep will celebrate the release of their eagerly anticipated third album and continue their ascent as they take to the Lock Up Stage for a landmark headline performance. The ever-growing popstar Sigrid delivers a remarkable insight into the beats and hooks thousands have already fallen for. Expect the ‘Don’t Kill My Vibe’ star to truly seize the moment at Reading & Leeds this August. Beloved Scottish indie kings The View will touch down at the festival, with an unmistakable trip down memory lane with their catalogue of singalong favourites, while El Clasico grime stormer Fekky will return to the fields with a full-throttle set of crowd-pleasing hits. The stage is also set for the likes of dirty pop weavers Get Inuit, the unrivalled South London drill rhymes of 67, and Mancunion risers PINS who’ve all been added to the bill today.

Further appearances will come from the likes of London via Berlin duo Lea Porcelain, alt-indie blenders Fizzy Blood, live juggernauts Otherkin, rap-rock morphers The LaFontaines, Irish favourites All Tvvin, Danish riff-rippers Baby In Vain, Toronto force K.I.D and Atlanta hip-hop swayer Father - Reading & Leeds is once again brimming with the hottest names in modern music.

With headline sets lined up from the likes of Eminem, Muse and Kasabian, Reading & Leeds is primed to be the defining festival weekend of the summer including an unmissable selection of musical delights from all genres and styles across the Bank Holiday Weekend.

Announced Today: Simon Amstell Bill Bailey Katherine Ryan Seann Walsh (Reading Only) Tape Face Jonathan Pie Piff The Magic Dragon Josie Long Matt Richardson (Reading Only) Neck Deep Sigrid The View Fekky 67 Get Inuit PINS Lea Porcelain Fizzy Blood Baby In Vain Otherkin The LaFontaines All Tvvin K.I.D Father The Rubberbandits Joe Lycett Tiff Stevenson (Leeds Only) Daniel Sloss Ivo Graham Dane Baptiste (Reading Only) Suzi Ruffell (Leeds Only) Iain Stirling Elliot Steel Sean Mcloughlin Mark Oliver Kiri Pritchard-Mclean (Leeds Only) Lloyd Griffith Pierre Novellie Fin Taylor (Leeds Only) Lauren Pattison (Leeds Only) Jonny Awsum (Reading Only) James Gill Steve Hall (Reading Only) Flo & Joan Masud Milas Wifi Wars Hot Dub Time Machine Propaganda w/Blossoms Buttoned Down Disco Rave Karaoke

  • Tickets for Reading & Leeds Festivals 2017 are on sale now Instalment plan available now with an initial payment of £50 (Plus booking fee) Weekend Camping Tickets - £205 (Plus booking fee) Day Tickets - £65 - Reading Saturday Sold Out Early entry Pass - £20 Campervan Pass - £75 Seat of Luxury - £35 - Reading Sold Out Lockers - £20 Reading Car Park - £10 MOre details visit www.readingfestival.com