Louis Tomlinson, Lola Young and Ellie Goulding announced for Radio 1’s Big Weekend in Sunderland
Radio 1's Big Weekend is coming to Sunderland this May!
BBC Radio 1 has announced that Louis Tomlinson will perform at this year’s BBC Radio 1’s Big Weekend, set to take place in Sunderland this May.
The former One Direction star joins a growing lineup for the annual festival, which attracts tens of thousands of music fans each year and is broadcast across BBC Radio 1 platforms.
Organisers confirmed Tomlinson as one of the latest additions to the bill, alongside rising British singer Lola Young and chart-topping pop artist Ellie Goulding.
Tomlinson, who launched a successful solo career after One Direction went on hiatus, is expected to perform tracks from across his catalogue, including songs from his albums Walls and Faith in the Future. His appearance marks one of the festival’s most anticipated sets, with fans expected to travel from across the UK to see him perform live.
Meanwhile, Lola Young continues to gain momentum as one of the UK’s most exciting new voices. Known for her soulful vocals and emotionally driven songwriting, her inclusion on the lineup highlights Radio 1’s ongoing support for emerging British talent.
Ellie Goulding, a long-time favourite with Radio 1 listeners, will also return to the Big Weekend stage. The singer has scored multiple UK hits throughout her career and remains one of the country’s most recognisable pop stars.
Radio 1’s Big Weekend is one of the station’s flagship live music events, typically featuring dozens of artists performing across multiple stages over three days. The festival rotates locations around the UK each year, bringing major live music events to different cities.
Nothing But Thieves will also perform. Further acts are expected to be announced in the coming weeks as excitement builds for the Sunderland event in May.
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Here are all the details you’ll need to buy tickets to Radio 1’s Big Weekend
The booking process will be handled by Ticketmaster - the only official ticketing agent for Radio 1’s Big Weekend, you can only access tickets through the links below.
>> TICKETS FOR FRIDAY 22ND MAY
>> TICKETS FOR SATURDAY 23RD MAY -Tickets available on Wednesday 11th, 5pm
>> TICKETS FOR SUNDAY 24TH MAY -Tickets available on Wednesday 11th, 5pm
Please note that the sheer weight of internet traffic can occasionally cause local technical issues outside our control for some users. Unfortunately, we are not able to help those who miss out on the chance to obtain tickets as a result of such issues.
Ticketmaster’s Privacy Policy and Terms of Use apply to the information you provide to buy tickets and the BBC is not responsible for Ticketmaster’s handling of your data. Please read these before proceeding.
Links to purchase tickets for Saturday and Sunday will appear on this page on Wednesday 11th March at 5pm.
To be able to queue and buy tickets, you will need a Ticketmaster account. You can register for a Ticketmaster account before tickets go on sale to save time.
Once you have signed into your Ticketmaster account and clicked the link to purchase tickets, you will be assigned a position in the queue. Please note, if you click the link earlier than the on-sale time, you will be placed in the waiting room.
We will post regular updates via Radio 1’s Instagram and TikTok accounts to alert you when tickets sell out for any particular day.
Before purchasing, please read the Terms & Conditions (T&Cs).
Friday Event (18+)
We have 31,000 General Admission tickets and 2,960 VIP tickets available to purchase for Friday 22nd May 2026. Friday is an over-18s event only. Entry will not be permitted for anyone under 18.
General Admission Tickets will cost £34.50 (£30.00 + £4.50 booking fee)
VIP Tickets will cost £86.00 (£80.00 + £6.00 booking fee) - Visit the VIP page for more information on what this includes
Saturday & Sunday Events
We have 31,000 General Admission tickets and 2,960 VIP tickets available to purchase per day for Saturday 23rd and Sunday 24th May.
General Admission tickets for those aged 15 and under will need to be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over at all times. If you are under 18 please ensure you have permission from your parent and/or guardian to attend. Those aged 2 and under do not require a ticket but must be in the care of an adult aged 18 or over.
General Admission Tickets for Saturday and Sunday will cost £44.50 (£40.00 + £4.50 booking fee)per ticket, per day.
VIP Tickets for Saturday and Sunday will cost £106.00 (£100 + £6.00 booking fee) per ticket, per day. Visit the VIP page for more information on what this includes
To purchase a VIP ticket you must be aged 18 or over, ID checks will be in place and anyone under the age of 18 will not be permitted into the VIP area
Accessibility
Customers requiring accessible facilities at the event should first purchase a ticket before applying. If you are unable to attend the event without the support from an Essential Companion, you can apply for a complimentary Essential Companion ticket.
Do not buy a ticket for your Essential Companion, as this will not be refunded if they are approved.
Please visit our Accessibility Page for more information.
Ticket Restrictions
You can purchase a maximum of two tickets per transaction, per day, and may attend Friday and one weekend day only (Saturday or Sunday), but not both. This restriction is in place to ensure as many people as possible have a fair opportunity to buy tickets.
Refunds will only be considered if the event is cancelled or postponed. Tickets may not be sold, traded, or offered for sale.
Any transactions that are detected as bot purchases, patrons creating duplicate accounts in order to purchase more than the ticket limit or any action that indicates a suspicious purchase in excess of the ticket limit will be cancelled.
Before purchasing, please read the Terms & Conditions (T&Cs).
Age Restrictions
Friday is an over-18s event only. Entry will not be permitted for anyone under 18.
Saturday & Sunday Tickets
General Admission tickets:
There are no age restrictions for general admission tickets for Saturday or Sunday events.
Anyone aged 15 and under must be accompanied by an adult aged 18 or over at all times.
If you are under 18, please ensure you have permission from your parent and/or guardian before attending.
Children aged 2 and under do not require a ticket, but must remain in the care of an adult aged 18 or over for the duration of the event.
VIP Tickets – Friday, Saturday & Sunday
You must be 18 or over to purchase a VIP ticket.
Under 18s are not permitted in the VIP area.
ID checks will be carried out for all VIP and General Admission ticket holders at entry points.
Accepted forms of ID include:
Valid passport
Valid photocard driving licence
Valid photographic identity card displaying the PASS hologram
We operate the Challenge 25 Policy and all ticket holders may be asked for ID to verify their age when purchasing alcohol.
Anyone breaking the rules and regulations governing the ticket purchase process may have any purchased tickets cancelled without notice.
How are tickets allocated?
General Admission Tickets will be divided into three ‘pots’:
Pot 1 - 30% of General Admission tickets will initially be reserved for Sunderland City Council Residents. Tickets will be reserved in Pot 1 for seven days after being made available, after which any unsold will be offered for general sale.
Pot 2 - 60% of General Admission tickets will initially be reserved for Residents from the wider NECA Region (County Durham, Gateshead, Newcastle, North Tyneside, Northumberland and South Tyneside). These tickets will be reserved in Pot 2 for seven days after being made available, after which any unsold will be offered for general sale.
Pot 3 -The remaining 10% of General Admission tickets being made available for sale will be unreserved and available for anyone in the UK to purchase.
To secure tickets from Pots 1 & 2 you will need to enter the postcode of your home address at the time of purchase. Please enter the postcode without any gaps and in upper case. Anyone breaking the rules and regulations governing the ticket purchasing process may have any purchased tickets cancelled without notice.
VIP Tickets are unreserved and only available to those aged 18 and over.