Radio 1 to host free festival for Olympics

Hackney Weekend will feature Leona Lewis and Plan B

Chris Eustace - 23 May 2011

BBC Radio 1 will host a huge free music festival in East London next year in the run-up to the Olympics.

Radio 1's Hackney Weekend will be held on Hackney Marshes on 23-24 June 2012, and will feature six stages.

With 100,000 people able to attend, it will be the BBC's biggest ever free-ticketed live music event.

Locals Leona Lewis and Plan B have already been confirmed to perform at the event, which will replace Radio 1's Big Weekend for next year.

As with the Big Weekend, tickets will be distributed by ballot, with the majority going to those living nearby.

Further ticket and line-up announcements are expected in the coming months.

This year's Big Weekend, in Carlisle, saw Foo Fighters and Lady Gaga headline.

Click here for our Big Weekend review.