The boss of Wireless Festival has issued a personal statement defending his decision to book Kanye West as a headliner for all three nights of this summer’s event — as major sponsors withdraw and the UK government considers whether the rapper should be allowed to enter the country.
Melvin Benn, managing director of Festival Republic, released the statement on Monday evening in response to the mounting backlash following West’s announcement as headline act for Wireless Festival 2026, taking place on 10, 11 and 12 July at Finsbury Park, London. The full statement reads:
“I am a deeply committed anti-fascist and have been all my adult life. I lived on a kibbutz for many months in the 1970’s that was attacked on October 7th, am pro Jew and the Jewish state, while being equally committed to a Palestinian state.
“Having had a person in my life for the last 15 years who suffers from mental illness, I have witnessed many episodes of despicable behaviour that I have had to forgive and move on from. If I wasn’t before, I have become a person of forgiveness and hope in all aspects of my life, including work.
“What Ye has said in the past about Jews and Hitler is as abhorrent to me as it is to the Jewish community, the Prime Minister and others that have commented and — taking him at his word — to Ye now also.
“Ye’s music is played on commercial radio stations in this country. It is available via live streams and downloads in this country without comment or vitriol from anyone and he has a legal right to come into the country and to perform in this country. He is intended to come in and perform. We are not giving him a platform to extol opinion of whatever nature, only to perform the songs that are currently played on the radio stations in our country and the streaming platforms in our country and listened to and enjoyed by millions.
“Forgiveness and giving people a second chance are becoming a lost virtue in this ever-increasing divisive world and I would ask people to reflect on their instant comments of disgust at the likelihood of him performing (as was mine) and offer some forgiveness and hope to him as I have decided to do.”
West — who performs under the name Ye — was announced in late March as the headline act for all three nights of Wireless 2026, marking his first UK performance in 11 years. He last appeared in the UK at Glastonbury in 2015 and last headlined Wireless in 2014. Tickets are from £140.50 per day, with the three nights billed as a journey through his catalogue from The College Dropout (2004) to his new album Bully, released on 28 March 2026.
The controversy has already hit the festival’s commercial relationships hard. Drinks giants Pepsi and Diageo, along with Rockstar Energy and PayPal, have all withdrawn their sponsorship of the event. Pepsi’s exit is particularly visible — the festival had been branded “Pepsi MAX presents Wireless” in recent years.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer described the booking as “deeply concerning”, while Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has called for West to be refused entry to the UK altogether. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is now reported to be actively reviewing whether West should be permitted to enter the country — a decision that could effectively end his festival appearance before it begins. Australia banned West from entering the country last year following widespread public and political pressure.
The Board of Deputies of British Jews accused Wireless of “profiteering from racism”, while the Jewish Leadership Council described the booking as “deeply irresponsible.” The criticism stems from West’s behaviour over the past year, which included releasing a song titled Heil Hitler and selling clothing branded with swastikas. West later apologised and attributed his actions in part to his bipolar disorder — a position Benn addressed directly in his statement.
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In this article: Wireless Festival, Festival Republic, Kanye West, Finsbury Park, London, The College Dropout, PepsiCo, Diageo, Rockstar, PayPal, Keir Starmer, Ed Davey, Shabana Mahmood, Board of Deputies of British Jews, Jewish Leadership Council, Australia, Liberal Democrats. Generated by Wikidata Schema Link Builder.
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1 comment
Well done Melvin, that BBC radio interview was a masterclass in pushing your authority on those who think you are an idiot. You were deeply unpleasant when I had dealings with you, and it seems the years have not matured you.