Hits Radio’s Tom Green goes backstage at Isle of Wight Festival

Hits Radio was at the Isle of Wight Festival over the weekend, where Tom Green spoke to artists including Niall Horan, Ella Henderson, Anne Marie and George Ezra.

On Sunday ahead of his main-stage performance and “first big UK festival” playing new material, Niall Horan spoke to Tom about his new album The Show hitting Number 1.

“To get the news that we went to Number 1 on Friday was pretty special,” Niall said. “There’s no better feeling, knowing that you’ve worked so hard on something, and the outcome is the best it possibly can… and I get to celebrate it at one of most famous festivals on the planet!”

Talking about his celebrations, Niall continued: “Tonight’s the one! … I’ve got a few days off after this, Robbie Williams is the start of the madness. Blondie and Robbie Williams are on after me, we’re going to enjoy.”

When Tom suggested that a session with Niall and Robbie would be superb, Niall agreed saying “Yeah I’m sure it would!”

Elsewhere, Ella Henderson gave Tom the details of her upcoming music video for her new single: “I’ve got the new track out with Nathan Dawe and Joel [Corry], 0800 Heaven,” she revealed. “We’re going to Ibiza to perform that together for the very first time and shoot a video which is going to be very fun.”

She also told Tom about her first festival memory, at Leeds Festival: “It was my first time, and probably only time, where I’ve been in the thick of a festival as a full-on punter and I was desperate for a wee.

“They had this thing – and I can’t swear but it starts with P and sounded like ‘hiss’ – called the ‘hiss poncho’ and you had to put this long poncho on and release… I couldn’t do it as I had wee fright.

“The next thing you know, Kendrick Lamar came on and he did this thing where he was like ‘everybody to the left, left left’ and everyone’s trying to jump to the left as I’m trying to release a wee. But I couldn’t do it in the end, I got really bad wee fright, so I held it the whole time until the very end of the festival and I made it to a portaloo! It’s really bad for your bladder, don’t try it kids,” she added.

On Saturday, Anne-Marie spoke to Tom about her recent single UNHEALTHY with Shania Twain, saying: “I’ve always wanted to write a country song because I love their melodies, but I never thought it was the right time.

“This one came, kind of country/pop, and I was thinking ‘who would I collaborate, if I was to, who would it be?’ And obviously, it was Shania Twain.

“We asked her, and she was like ‘I’m in London for one more day and then I’m going home, so come to the studio’ … It was one of the most amazing moments for sure, in my life, that I will never forget. She is brilliant, her personality is so excitable, she made me feel like it was alright to be weird.”

She added that she “saw her again the other day in Nashville” where they shot the music video together, and it’s coming out soon.

George Ezra also described how he often dresses up in disguise at festivals so he’s not recognised: “I will do a bit of a disguise after the gig to go out into the show… Once, I did festival security, and was genuinely asked a lot about where the toilet was, where to get refreshments,” he revealed.