The BBC Concert Orchestra is a British orchestra based in London, one of the British Broadcasting Corporation's five radio orchestras. With around fifty players, it is the only one of the five BBC orchestras which is not a full-scale symphony orchestra. The BBC Concert Orchestra is the BBC's most populist ensemble, playing a mixture of classical music, light music and popular numbers. Its primary role is to produce music for radio broadcast, and it is the resident orchestra of the world's longest running live music programme, Friday Night is Music Night on BBC Radio 2.

With Robbie Williams headlining Sunday night and Elbow joining the Saturday line-up of Radio 2 Live in Leeds – both joining what is already a stellar bill of globally-renowned artists, this is going to be a truly memorable weekend of music. Come and join us in Leeds, or if you can’t be there in person, you can see and hear the performances on Radio 2, BBC Sounds, BBC iPlayer and BBC Two. Announced by Zoe Ball in the Breakfast Show today, two huge acts have been added to the bill of Radio 2 Live in Leeds, which takes place in Temple Newsam Park in September, plus a very special guest for the Radio 2 DJ Tent.

Robbie Williams accompanied by the 56-piece BBC Concert Orchestra will headline the day on Sunday 18th September and Elbow will be performing on Saturday 17th September. And Take That’s Howard Donald will be joining the network’s presenters to perform a set in the first ever Radio 2 Live DJ Tent. Tickets are on sale now at wwwbbc.co.uk/radio2live. Also announced today is a Robbie Williams night on BBC Two in September featuring a newly-filmed Reel Stories presented by Dermot O’Leary and Robbie’s Radio 2 Live set in full alongside a programme featuring highlights from performances across the Radio 2 Live weekend.

Robbie Williams, who last performed for Radio 2 In Concert in November 2019, says: “I’m thrilled to be performing at Radio 2 Live at Leeds with my band and the legendary BBC Concert Orchestra in September. I’m really looking forward to seeing you all in Leeds.”

Elbow say: “Elbow has a history of great gigs in Leeds, and sharing the stage with our heroes Simple Minds and Tears for Fears will turn us all back into jelly-kneed teenagers.”

Jeff Smith, Head of Music for Radio 2, says: “With Robbie Williams headlining Sunday night and Elbow joining the Saturday line-up of Radio 2 Live in Leeds – both joining what is already a stellar bill of globally-renowned artists, this is going to be a truly memorable weekend of music. Come and join us in Leeds, or if you can’t be there in person, you can see and hear the performances on Radio 2, BBC Sounds, BBC iPlayer and BBC Two.”

Robbie and Elbow join an already star-studded line-up:

Saturday - Simple Minds, Tears For Fears, Craig David, Bananarama, Ella Henderson, Sophie Ellis-Bextor and Kaiser Chiefs.

Sunday - Nile Rodgers & Chic, George Ezra, Melanie C, Emeli Sandé, Mark Owen, Heather Small and Olly Murs.

Robbie Williams has lived his life through a lens, but he hasn't yet watched it all back... until now. In the latest edition of Reel Stories, Dermot O’Leary sits down with Robbie to look back at the key moments of his life and career. From his pre-boyband days on stage in Oliver!, right through to his recent homecoming show at Port Vale, there are 30 years’ worth of clips to choose from. These include the break-up of Take That, going solo at Glastonbury, his ground-breaking Knebworth concert, and the triumphant Take That reunion tour with Gary, Mark, Jason and Howard. Previous guests on Reel Stories include Dave Grohl, Noel Gallagher, Kylie Minogue, Sting and Rod Stewart. An Ora Et Labora/Craft Films production for BBC Two/BBC Music.

Dermot O’Leary says: “I’ve known Robbie for a very long time, and always loved his company, but I’ve never properly interviewed him. He is, of course, an incredible performer, but he’s also one of our finest songwriters, responsible for generational anthems. He’s the most honest, candid, wise and funny man, who’s come through some tough times to become the national treasure he is today. I hope you enjoy his story.”

Since leaving Take That and launching his solo career over 25 years ago, Robbie Williams has continued to have a stellar career, selling over 85 million albums worldwide, with thirteen UK number one albums - the most for any solo artist, equalled only by Elvis Presley - and fourteen number one singles. He’s received an unmatched 18 Brit awards and in 2003 performed three nights at Knebworth to a record-breaking crowd of 375,000 fans. Reconvening with Take That, their 2010 Progress album became the fastest-selling of the twenty-first century and was followed by the biggest-selling British tour ever. This September, Robbie releases his latest studio album, XXV, celebrating 25 years as a solo artist. Following his Homecoming charity concert at Vale Park in June 2022 and ahead of his UK and Ireland Arena tour in October, he and the BBC Concert Orchestra will perform for Radio 2 Live in Leeds.

Elbow first formed at Bury College in 1990. From an initial John Peel play on Radio 1 of Powder Blue from their debut Noisebox EP in 1998, to a Mercury Prize win for 2008’s million selling The Seldom Seen Kid, the band released their ninth studio album, Flying Dream 1 in 2021. Along the way, they have become one of the UK’s most recognised and loved bands, winning a BRIT Award, NME Award, Mojo Award, numerous Ivor Novello Awards, and achieving multiple UK Number One albums, complete with gold and platinum discs. Elbow recently performed a blistering set at Glastonbury, and have performed live many times on Radio 2 - most recently, a Sofa Session on Jo Whiley’s show in January this year. Their frontman, Guy Garvey, also hosts a weekly show on BBC Radio 6 Music (Sundays, 2-4pm), available on BBC Sounds.

Bill Chandler, Director of the BBC Concert Orchestra, says: “The BBC Concert Orchestra is looking forward to joining BBC Radio 2 Live in Leeds as part of their huge weekend celebrating live music. Having collaborated with some of pop’s best loved artists as part of the Radio 2 Piano Room month in February 2022 and since then, we can’t wait to join Robbie Williams on stage in front of a live audience at Temple Newsam.”

This will be the station’s biggest ever Radio 2 Live, being held over two days in front of 30,000 music fans each day in Leeds. It will be hosted by some of the station’s best loved presenters and, for the first time, there will be a Radio 2 DJ Tent where they - as well as special guest Howard Donald - will be playing sets, including Richie Anderson’s Pick Your Own Playlist introduced by Zoe Ball, Sara Cox’s Full Wower, Rylan’s Ibiza Anthems, DJ Spoony’s Good Groove, Jo Whiley’s Shiny Happy Playlist, Dermot O’Leary’s Alternative Sounds of the 90s, Gary Davies 80s Mastermix, Trevor Nelson’s Rhythm Nation, Tony Blackburn’s The Golden Hour, Revd. Kate Bottley’s Wedding Disco, OJ Borg’s One Hit Wonders, Rylan's Ibiza Anthems and more...

The event will be broadcast live on Radio 2 - which has a weekly audience of 14.6m (RAJAR Q1 2022) - and the station will also be featuring festival highlights across the weekend, with the full sets available to listen on BBC Sounds for 30 days afterwards.

The Main Stage will be live-streamed on BBC iPlayer throughout the weekend, also with performances available for 30 days.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/mediacentre/2022/ … live-leeds