Cambridge Blues - One of the oldest and most prestigious folk festivals in England has been cancelled, for what would have been its 60th anniversary. Organisers of Cambridge Folk Festival said they would use the resources from this year's event to explore new opportunities ahead of its return in 2026.
The annual four-day folk and roots music festival, organised by Cambridge City Council, first began in 1965 and has been hosted on the grounds of Cherry Hinton Hall. Labour councillor for the area, Robert Dryden, said the festival had lost money in 2024, but the cancellation came as a "big shock" that would "disappoint lots of people". The decision to cancel a folk festival in its 60th anniversary year has been described as "surprising" and "disappointing" by fans and musicians.
Singer-songwriter Fran Lusty, who played at the festival for the first time last year, said she was "very shocked". "It's just come as a surprise. It's been going for 60 years and it feels like a funny time to stop," she said.
The festival, which gets average crowds of 14,000, has hosted stars including Robert Plant, Joan Baez, James Taylor, Van Morrison, Nick Cave, Lady Blackbird, Peggy Seeger and Suzanne Vega.
Licence Fee - The BBC will not be funded from general taxation if the TV licence fee is abolished, the culture secretary has said. Lisa Nandy told BBC Breakfast the licence fee was "deeply regressive" and that she was thinking "quite radically and creatively" about alternatives. However, they do not include using money from general taxes to fund the BBC, because that could open up the broadcaster to interference from politicians who would hold the purse strings, she said.
Nandy did not rule out a subscription model for the BBC, but said there was "a whole range" of other possible options. She said the government was "determined to grip this, and I think there is a genuine sense out there in the public that the licence fee was built for a different era". Nandy has started negotiations with the BBC about the corporation's funding after its current royal charter expires in 2027.
In The Saleroom - Bob Dylan's draft lyrics for his 1965 song Mr Tambourine Man have sold at auction for $508,000 (£417,471) in the US. The lyrics on two yellow sheets of paper are three typewritten drafts of the song – but not the final version. The work in progress also features the folk-rock legend's notes by hand in the margin. One month after Dylan released Mr Tambourine Man, The Byrds' version came out. The band's debut single reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one in the UK, making it the first Dylan composition to reach number one in both the US and the UK.
Farewell - Theatres across the West End will dim their lights for two minutes at 7pm tonight (21 January), in memory of actor Joan Plowright who died last week. Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre co-chief executive, Hannah Essex, said: “Dame Joan Plowright was an iconic and deeply respected figure in the world of theatre, leaving an indelible mark on the industry she shaped with her talent and dedication. We are honoured to contribute to the celebration of her extraordinary career and extend our heartfelt condolences to her family and loved ones.”
(Jim Evans)
