Reading and Leeds Festival is under fire for removing the BBC Introducing stage this year08:03, 25 Jul 2026Loyal punters heading down to Reading and Leeds Festival will see some pretty big changes this year, including the famous BBC Introducing stage being scrapped.‌The stage has been a welcome platform for musicians over the years, including this year's headline acts, Florence + The Machine, Raye, Charli xcx, and Dave all cutting their teeth there.‌I've been going to Leeds since 2022 and have seen some incredible acts make their festival debut on the smaller stage. My favourite performance, however, has to be Only The Poets, who I've now seen live too many times to count.‌They played the Introducing stage back in 2023 and attracted a large crowd, playing tracks such as Over & Over, two years before they had even released their debut album.‌After hearing that the Introducing stage had been taken down this year, I was rightfully very annoyed. It's rare to see so many emerging artists performing at mainstream festivals such as Reading and Leeds, so the Introducing stage is the perfect way to help musicians hone their craft and pursue their dreams.‌I'm a music lover above all else; my happy place is either at a gig or in a festival field with a pint in my hand with friends, and discovering new artists is the highlight of my summer months. I stumbled across Sam Fender early in his career after witnessing his first-ever headline slot at a festival (Tramlines), and interviewed him before he went mainstream – now look at him.Speaking after hearing that the stage was no longer part of the festival, Tommy Longhurt, frontman of Only The Poets, told the BBC: "We hold those memories so highly, and it was such a poignant moment for us to get to play a festival that inspired us to start the band."For me, I think we're taking a huge opportunity from up-and-coming artists." Tommy said it was "such a shame" and said that the slot was "an amazing opportunity."‌So while I understand people are upset over the Introducing stage being taken away, please take time to properly look into this, because I can promise you – it hasn't been axed in malice.‌If anything, I believe Festival Republic's plan is even better than the introduction stage.Reading and Leeds will still host up-and-coming artists on an even bigger, better stage, in my opinion. Festival Republic have launched The Canopy Stage, which will now be the home to breaking artists. Fresh music has been fundamental to Reading and Leeds Festival from the very start, and in 2026, The Canopy will introduce a new era for emerging talent - with a stage devoted to festival-goers' next favourite acts.This year it will showcase the likes of Violet Grohl, Villanelle, December 10, Camille Blackman, Kibo, Finessekid, Cruz Beckham and The Breakers and more.‌A spokesperson for Festival Republic said: "This year, we launched The Canopy, our new music stage for emerging artists. We have increased both its size and production level, enhancing the live experience for performers and audiences alike. Previously, only artists who had been selected by the BBC were qualified to play the Introducing Stage - now, we are able to open up this important platform to a much wider pool of emerging talent and book any new music artist for the stage."The change is fundamentally about supporting a more diverse range of up-and-coming artists, who will hopefully go on to headline the festival in years to come. Festival Republic continues to work with BBC Introducing across other festivals in our portfolio, including Latitude Festival this week, where they are hosting a stage featuring a strong lineup of emerging artists, as well as at The Great Escape."So, please do not worry – the name "BBC Introducing Stage", may be gone – but upcoming artists are very much still at the heart of Reading and Leeds – and I'll be at The Canopy next month!Article continues belowLike this story? For more of the latest showbiz news and gossip, follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.