What’s coming up this week

Did you manage to score tickets to this year’s Glastonbury festival? No worries if not; you can still enjoy it from the comfort of your own home on BBC iPlayer.

But that’s just the beginning of what the next week has to offer.

Squid Game will conclude with its third season, while Brad Pitt races into UK cinemas with his latest film F1, and acclaimed game designer Hideo Kojima debuts the sequel to Death Stranding.

Read on to discover what else is in store this week…

By Mark Savage, music correspondent

The UK’s largest festival kicks off this Wednesday, as fans gather at the Pyramid Stage to watch headline performances from The 1975, Olivia Rodrigo, and Neil Young.

If you missed out on tickets among the approximately 140,000 available, you can still enjoy all the action from home. BBC will provide live coverage throughout the week across television, radio, and iPlayer, featuring over 90 hours of music.

To pique your interest, a Glastonbury Hits Channel is already live on iPlayer, showcasing classic tracks from previous festivals, with highlights from artists like Oasis, Little Simz, The Who, and Lady Gaga.

And if you’re attending the festival, consider checking out the Avalon field, which might just boast the best lineup this year.

You can relive those indie disco nights of the 2000s with acts like Hard-Fi, The Fratellis, and Ash, discover new indie talents such as Orla Gartland and Rachael Chinouriri, and pay tribute to Amy Winehouse with a special hour-long set from her former band.

After captivating audiences worldwide, Squid Game is wrapping up this Friday.

Since its debut in 2021, the first season has garnered over 265 million views, marking it as Netflix’s most-streamed show. The second season also gained a significant following, with around 192.6 million views, placing it third on the platform.

The plot centers around Seong Gi-hun, who competes in fatal children’s games for a chance to win a prize substantial enough to eliminate his debts.

Creator and director Hwang Dong-hyuk, who experienced significant stress during the show’s production, described the finale as “bittersweet.” Although he initially envisioned a five-season arc, he discovered a natural conclusion while writing.

He remarked, “I feel a sense of relief escaping the Squid Game universe, but I also have to say goodbye to many fond memories, which brings a tinge of sadness.”

Lead actor Lee Jung-jae mentioned, “It’s hard to comprehend. When I see how fans react, maybe then I can be prepared to say goodbye to Squid Game and Seong Gi-hun.”

By Tom Richardson, Newsbeat reporter

Depending on who you ask, Hideo Kojima is regarded as either a visionary or a self-indulgent filmmaker wannabe. Regardless, he is undeniably one of the most important video game developers in history, and his latest title releases this week.

The sequel, Death Stranding 2, debuts on PlayStation 5 this Thursday, continuing the journey of Sam Porter Bridges, a delivery personnel traversing precarious terrain in a post-apocalyptic landscape.

Due to our limited space, we won’t attempt to summarize the intricate plot (Kojima’s narratives and penchant for lengthy cinematic moments are often deemed “self-indulgent”), but early indications suggest a richer, more varied gaming experience.

Moreover, although criticized by some, Kojima’s scripts have predicted real-world occurrences like the rise of misinformation and even the Covid-19 pandemic with astonishing foresight. So, maybe skipping those cutscenes, featuring an impressive cast including Norman Reedus, Léa Seydoux, and Elle Fanning, isn’t such a good idea.

Brad Pitt is going all out to bring Formula 1 to the cinema screen.

He and his co-star Damson Idris have been seen racing actual cars around Silverstone during the 2023 and 2024 Grand Prix.

Pitt takes on the role of Sonny Hayes, a washed-up racer pulled back into the sport to assist a fictional team named APXGP.

Director Joseph Kosinski, known for Top Gun: Maverick, is dedicated to ensuring the film resonates authentically with motorsport fans, featuring an impactful score by Hans Zimmer, breathtaking visuals of international circuits, and realistic high-speed crashes that will leave audiences gasping.

F1 enthusiasts will enjoy spotting many Easter eggs throughout the film, which is packed with cameos from drivers like Lewis Hamilton and commentators David Croft and Martin Brundle.

The film officially releases in theaters on Wednesday.

• Jordan Gray’s Transaction premieres on ITV2 and ITVX on Tuesday
• Ironheart, a new Marvel series, launches on Disney+ on Wednesday
• Amol Rajan Goes to the Ganges, airs on BBC One and iPlayer on Wednesday
• The Bear, season 4, all episodes drop on Disney+ on Thursday
• Lorde’s album Virgin is released on Friday
• M3GAN 2.0 hits theaters on Friday
• 24 Hours in Police Custody premieres Sunday on Channel 4