GUIDE: Iconic Isle Of Wight Festival Performances To Be Screened On Sky Arts

It's that time of year when thousands of us would be making the journey to Seaclose Park in Newport to enjoy a weekend of fun and frolics at the Isle of Wight Festival.

The Isle of Wight Festival 2021 line up has now been released - but if you can't wait until then, you can catch of the festival's most iconic performances from years gone by on Sky Arts.

This weekend, the Isle Of Wight Festival was due to kick things off in style, with Lionel Richie, Lewis Capaldi, The Chemical Brothers and Duran Duran among the headliners performing.

But instead of calling things off completely, instead we're getting an Isle Of Wight greatest hits at home, with some of the biggest sets from the archive being played on TV and radio across the three days.

It can be all too easy to focus on what we're missing out on at the minute, but think about it - a dream line-up, no bar queues and (hopefully) much cleaner toilets.

Hosted by Edith Bowman and Will Best, 30 performances from acts including The Prodigy, Jay-Z, Fleetwood Mac, David Bowie, Coldplay and Amy Winehouse can be relived from the comfort of your sofa.

Sky News caught up with Edith to get her tips on the sets not to miss out on, and for creating the festival experience at home.

Making the best of a bad situation

"Oh my God, the bands we've got on this show! I mean, it's like when you ask people about their dream line-ups.

"You look at this line-up and it's everybody from David Bowie to Jay-Z to Blondie… what a lovely thing to be able to give people. And you can sit at home and watch it on the telly or even just have the sound on whilst you and the family are going about your weekend.

"That's what's going to be nice, it's really bringing that festival environment and excitement to your house. That's the only way we were going to be able to do it this year so it's the closest thing we're going to get to the real thing."

Choosing the ultimate Isle Of Wight line-up

"Well thankfully, that's not my job! Obviously, we'd love to show everybody, but there are some bands and artists that we can't get clearance to show their performance, for whatever reason.

"I know that the team here who work in the production side of things have had an incredible job on their hands going back through the archive and working out who we can get.

"You look at this list and it's pretty extraordinary actually."

Personal festival highlights

"Coldplay are always a really big band for me at festivals, and across a number of festivals. But festivals for me are a mixed bag in terms of what I take away… it's a place to go and discover new things and find new artists that I love. Someone like Bombay Bicycle Club, I remember seeing for the first time at a festival and I just absolutely fell in love with them.

"Then it is also a place to see those acts that don't tour a lot, like Iggy Pop. It was only a couple of years ago he played Isle of Wight but he still came with this incredible energy and this attitude... he's topless, kind of writhing across the stage - it's what you dream of and it's what he delivers. So that's a big moment for me.

"And I remember being at the Isle Of Wight and watching Blur play one of the first gigs that they did when they came back. I'd seen them live before they kind of split up, and never [thought] that was ever going to happen again.

"Then you have those really bittersweet moments as well, like Amy Winehouse; such a huge talent. I saw her play at so many festivals over the years, and at festivals she really brought something different to her shows.

"There's the slight bittersweetness of replaying that performance and just how much she's missed, both as an artist and as a person."

Festivaling at home

"Now that we can have friends and family in our gardens, social distancing, you can have a few people around and have the music cranked up and almost create your own little festival in your garden.

"And it's free! Also, you can toddle off whenever you want. You can go and have a kip and come back whenever you want. You can replay stuff if you want. It's yours to do what you want with. Throw yourself into it as much as you want.

"I'm really going to miss [festivals] this summer. But this is a great opportunity to remind yourself. I think that's another thing as well… there's so much we take for granted and this situation is really making me be more appreciative for things I do take for granted. Festivals are definitely one of them.

"[I've just watched clips of] Groove Armada and Jay-Z. And it's like, 'Oh, to be in a field and watch those performances'. But even just watching them on the telly, the hairs on our arms were standing on end."

What to wear

"Isle Of Wight has a tradition every year where there's a fancy dress day so I hope that's something people will embrace and get involved in. I don't think there's a theme this year, but I think it's almost just pick a year and go with a fancy dress theme for it.

"You've probably got all that stuff in your wardrobe that you have had to attend previous festivals, whether it be your little flower garlands in your hair, or cut-off denim shorts and your wellies. And I mean, we're not going to need wellies this year. That's the other great thing as well. Like, sod the weather! Who cares?"

Don't miss

"Bowie, for sure. Amy Winehouse, definitely. Fleetwood Mac as well. I got to interview Stevie Nicks and Mick Fleetwood for this particular performance and the dressing rooms at Isle of Wight... it's the Premier Inn, they take over the Premier Inn as the kind of dressing room area. So Stevie Nicks's dressing room was a Premier Inn bedroom.

"I remember going in there and she had... [on] the table top was her little buffet of food and then she had her wardrobe cabinets open, she had a little bluetooth speaker that was blasting out Kelly Clarkson, and she had her slippers on.

"Then cut to them being on stage and playing all those songs - Go Your Own Way and Dreams and The Chain - it was incredible.

"There's a good bit of dance in [the Greatest Hits line-up] as well so something like Faithless, your classic festival [act], God Is A DJ and Insomnia and all that. So Faithless are definitely one that are up there.

"And then maybe Biffy [Clyro]. I'm a big fan of Biffy and they're a really great festival band. They were headliners last year and excuse my language but holy sh*t they brought their A-game and the stage production was insane. So keeping it Scottish as well I would say a bit of Biffy."

Watch Isle Of Wight Festival - Greatest Hits from 7pm - midnight on Friday 12, Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 June on Sky Arts