Bob Vylan No Longer Represented by UTA Following Glastonbury Performance

UTA Ends Representation of Bob Vylan

UTA has ended its professional relationship with Bob Vylan, the punk duo, following their performance at Glastonbury Festival.

It is understood that UTA executives made the decision over the weekend to part ways with Bobby Vylan and Bobbie Vylan after reviewing the statements made during their set.

During their performance on Saturday, Bobby Vylan made several statements, including the phrase “death to the IDF” and comments regarding working for a “Zionist.”

The set also included the slogan, “from the river to the sea, Palestine must be, will be, free,” which was delivered during their appearance on the West Holts stage and was broadcast live by the BBC.

UTA representatives are reported to have agreed with Glastonbury organizers, who stated that Bob Vylan's comments exceeded acceptable boundaries. UTA did not provide a public comment, but the band's profile has been removed from the agency’s website.

Glastonbury Organizers' Response

In a statement, Glastonbury chief Emily Eavis said:

"We are appalled by the statements made from the West Holts stage by Bob Vylan yesterday. Their chants very much crossed a line and we are urgently reminding everyone involved in the production of the festival that there is no place at Glastonbury for antisemitism, hate speech or incitement to violence."

Bob Vylan's Response

On Instagram, Bobby Vylan stated that his phone was receiving a high volume of messages with varied reactions after the performance. He indicated continued support for his on-stage statements, writing that it was important to encourage children to advocate for their beliefs.

In a message titled “I said what I said,” Vylan added:

"Let them see us marching in the streets, campaigning on ground level, organising online and shouting about it on any and every stage that we are offered."

BBC's Response

The BBC received criticism, including from Prime Minister Keir Starmer, for streaming Bob Vylan’s set on iPlayer. In a statement on Monday, the broadcaster expressed regret for airing the set live.

"The BBC respects freedom of expression but stands firmly against incitement to violence. The antisemitic sentiments expressed by Bob Vylan were utterly unacceptable and have no place on our airwaves," the BBC said in a statement.

The BBC further stated:

"The team were dealing with a live situation but with hindsight we should have pulled the stream during the performance. We regret this did not happen."

Additional Context

Bob Vylan’s set was broadcast live while the BBC was focused on another act, Kneecap, who were not shown live due to concerns over hate speech. Bob Vylan’s performance subsequently led to significant public discussion. Some individuals have called for legal action against BBC management regarding the broadcast of Bob Vylan’s remarks.