British Summer Time festival reveals final headliner

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Duran Duran have been revealed as the British Summer Time festival’s final headliner.

The New Romantic group will celebrate 40 years together with a show on Sunday July 12.

They join Post Malone, Little Mix, Kendrick Lamar, Pearl Jam and Taylor Swift on the bill for the event in London’s Hyde Park.

Support comes from disco veterans Nile Rodgers and Chic, and US pop star Gwen Stefani.

Led by vocalist Simon Le Bon, they are best known for hits including Hungry Like The Wolf, Rio, Girls On Film, and A View To A Kill.

Le Bon said: “I look at film of The Rolling Stones at Hyde Park back in ’69 and think of all the great acts who’ve performed there since.

“It really is an honour to add the name Duran Duran to that roster, and to play our music at one of the world’s greatest inner-city locations at BST Hyde Park.”

Duran Duran’s bass player John Taylor said: “On July 16 1980, Duran Duran debuted its latest line-up at the Rum Runner club in Birmingham.

“Locals Nick Rhodes, John Taylor and Roger Taylor were joined by a pair of new musical friends: Andy Taylor, who had come from Newcastle by train with only a suitcase, guitar and combo amplifier; and Simon Le Bon, from Middlesex, who had been attending drama classes at the university, and now found himself the frontman with a local band of futurist post-punkers.

“It’s almost unbelievable to us that 40 years later we are celebrating this anniversary with a show at BST Hyde Park.

“Making it all the more special is the presence of our old friend and collaborator Nile Rodgers, and Gwen Stefani, a favourite gal pal of ours since No Doubt.

“It will be a special day for us, and, hopefully, for our audience who have followed us faithfully for so many years now. Please, come celebrate our long and ragged journey!”

It will be Duran Duran’s first London show in five years.

Stevie Wonder, The Rolling Stones, The Strokes and Black Sabbath are among the artists to have performed at the festival since it began in 2013.

Tickets are on general sale from Friday March 13 at 10am.

Courtesy Hampshire Chronicle