Glastonbury 2025 reveals Lewis Capaldi as secret act on day of Survive single release - and he leaves fans in tears
The singer stepped back from performing after his Glastonbury set two years ago.
Lewis Capaldi ended weeks of speculation and made a triumphant return to the Pyramid Stage at Glastonbury on Friday (27th June 2025).
The Scottish singer hasn't performed on stage since his last performance at the Worthy Farm festival two years ago, when he struggled on stage due to a flare-up of his Tourette's Syndrome.
Lewis announced shortly after the set that he would be "taking time away for his mental health" before removing himself from the spotlight for two years.
But on Friday, in a full circle moment marking his return to music, Lewis appeared on stage to thousands of fans, with many watching from home, saying that the performance left them in tears.
The performance was emotional for Lewis too, who told the crowd: "I’m not going to say much up here as I’ll start crying. I’ll be quick, the last three years haven’t been the best.
"This has been my goal, to get back here, doing this."
Tourette's, a neurological condition most defined by involuntary ‘tics’ including rapid movements or verbal outbursts, can also render someone unable to speak, which is what happened to Lewis mid-performance during his 2023 set.
As Lewis struggled to sing his hit track Someone You Loved, the crowd at Glastonbury at the time rallied to support him, performing the song themselves in its entirety.
At the end of his 2023 set, he told the crowd: "Glastonbury, I’m really sorry. I’m a bit annoyed with myself."
Lewis, who has publicly discussed his Tourette's diagnosis in interviews and Netflix documentary How I’m Feeling Now, later apologised to Glasto organisers in a statement that read: "I am really sorry and I hope Eavis will have me back on because this has been a f***ing s**t show.
“I feel like I will be taking another wee break over the next couple of weeks so you probably won’t see much of me for the rest of the year."
The subsequent quieter period has proven to be what Capaldi needed to get back to his best, and even returned with new music, launching new single Survive at midnight ahead of his performance.
Taking to X to share their thoughts on the set, one fan wrote: "Anyone else sat crying watching Lewis Capaldi’s #Glastonbury return?"
"So inspiring to see Lewis Capaldi back on stage and being so open and vulnerable about his mental health struggles," said another, adding: "You can survive and things can get better."
While a third wrote: "GOOSEBUMPS WATCHING LEWIS CAPALDI RIGHT NOW ON BBC IPLAYER!!!! all these people turning up for an unannounced set, right back at Glastonbury where he belongs."
Lewis himself later wrote: "Glastonbury it’s so incredible to be back, thank you so much for having me x"
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Authors
Tilly Pearce is a freelance TV journalist whose coverage ranges from reality shows like Love Is Blind to sci-fi shows like Fallout. She is an NCTJ Gold Standard accredited journalist, who has previously worked as Deputy TV Editor (maternity cover) at Digital Spy, and Deputy TV & Showbiz Editor at Daily Express US.
