EXCLUSIVE Glastonbury crisis as talks with Madonna collapse over fee to bring Material Girl’s live show to the festival

• Talks collapsed after organisers learnt that her performance would be too costly
• Bosses are now scrambling to find a replacement for the Sunday ‘legends’ slot

Glastonbury organisers have been left in chaos after talks with Madonna collapsed after they refused to pay the fee to bring her live show to the festival.

Bosses are now scrambling around to find a replacement for the Sunday night ‘legends’ slot after learning that her performance would be too costly.

Sources say that Madge, 65, wanted to recreate the show she performs on her current Celebration tour, which would require paying a number of dancers and an expensive set.

The star does ‘not to come cheap’ as one of the world’s most loved divas but Emily Eavis, who runs the Worth Farm music extravaganza, was understood to be really keen to sign her up after watching her concert earlier this year.

A Glastonbury source told The Mail on Sunday: ‘To be honest it’s been a real blow not being able to nail down a deal with Madonna.

Glastonbury organisers have been left in chaos after talks with Madonna (pictured) collapsed after they refused to pay the fee to bring her live show to the festival

Sources say that Madge (pictured) wanted to recreate the show she performs on her current Celebration tour, which would require paying a number of dancers and an expensive set

Bosses are now scrambling around to find a replacement for the Sunday night ‘legends’ slot which is usually performed on the main Pyramid Stage (pictured)

‘Emily was so keen to have her play the legend slot. After she saw Madonna’s tour in London in October she raved about her on Instagram, something she rarely does without Glastonbury in mind.

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‘But everyone knows that after last year, and the criticism over the gender balance, we’ve got to have big name females heading the line-up. Dua Lipa is a real catch. Now we need another.

‘There is still some hope it an be resurrected but it’s pretty unlikely. There are money issues at the root of this, it’s a real shame.’

A name which is now being mooted is Bajan R’n’B sensation Rihanna who was linked with a Glastonbury appearance last year, until she announced she was pregnant and not touring.

However, now she has given birth, there is hope she might agree.

Dua Lipa and Coldplay are set to headline at the world famous Pyramid stage on Friday and Saturday night respectively but Madonna’s likely absence has now left organisers desperately searching for another female replacement.

Addressing last year’s absence of female headliners festival co-organiser Ms Eavis said: ‘I’ve always been really passionate about gender split [on festival line-ups] and I think, actually, our problem was that I’d been so outspoken about it that having a year when there wasn’t a female sent people a bit mad – or some people.’

Glastonbury bosses faced criticism that this year’s festival was headlined by male acts Elton John, the Arctic Monkeys and Guns N’ Roses.

A name which is now being mooted is Bajan R’n’B sensation Rihanna (pictured) who was linked with a Glastonbury appearance last year, until she announced she was pregnant and not touring 

Evis had previously confirmed that a ‘really big’ female US solo artist had been in touch with the festival during an appearance on the DJ pair Annie Mac and Nick Grimshaw’s podcast.

It is understood discussions have continued for several weeks over securing Madonna, but Glastonbury have never paid big fees to secure artists, and fear now that the cost of her tour cannot be met.

Ms Eavis has said: ‘As always, there is much speculation and excitement about who is playing at Glastonbury.

‘We are working on the line-up day and night at the moment, but it’s still changing every day.’

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