Sam Fender and Cage The Elephant have pulled out of their slots at this year’s Isle of Wight Festival with less than a week to go.
Disco and pop group Friendly Fires and rocker Yungblud will replace the pair on the line-up.
Newcastle-based Fender, 22, the winner of the Critics’ Choice prize at last year’s Brit Awards, was forced to drop out due to illness.
We're getting ready for you… #IOW2019 pic.twitter.com/UvFJLuoXJo
— Isle of Wight Fest (@IsleOfWightFest) June 11, 2019
Pop-punks Cage The Elephant announced earlier today that they were cancelling all upcoming UK tour dates after their guitarist Nick Bockrath hurt himself on stage.
Bockrath injured his leg while performing at Sweden’s Pinkpop Festival last weekend.
A statement of the group’s social media said: “Sadly, our guitarist Nick Bockrath had an accident on stage at “PINKPOP” and injured his leg badly (ruptured PCL, torn ACL, fractured tibia, damaged meniscus).
Tour update 🇳🇱🇬🇧🇫🇷 pic.twitter.com/WCh9IJkQl2
— Cage The Elephant (@CageTheElephant) June 12, 2019
“He tried to play through two shows, but he now requires immediate surgery and is currently getting the medical attention he needs.”
Friendly Fires and Yungblud will perform on Saturday June 15 on the Big Top stage.
This year’s event sports a controversial all-male trio of headliners, with Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds, George Ezra and Biffy Clyro topping the bill.
The festival runs from June 13 to 16.
Fender’s management has been approached for comment.