Wireless Festival cancelled after UK Home Office refuses Ye entry

Wireless Festival 2026 has been cancelled after it was announced that Ye, the artist formerly known as Kanye West, will be refused entry by the UK’s Home Office for his scheduled headline appearance at Wireless Festival, according to the BBC.

The rapper was scheduled to headline all three nights of the London festival, which is set to take place between 10 – 12 of July. Several sponsors, including drinks companies Pepsi and Diageo, had already withdrawn from the festival, after Ye was announced as the event’s headliner on March 31.

Following the news that his access was to be rejected, the festival announced that this year’s edition would be cancelled on Instagram, and that all ticket holders will receive full refunds.

Yesterday, April 6, it was revealed that the artist had applied for an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) that would grant him permission to travel the UK, which the government was reviewing. The decision to refuse him entry was reportedly made ​“on the grounds that his presence would not be conducive to the public good”.

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Ye has been widely accused of anti-semitism, following a slew of remarks in recent years, as well as releasing a song in 2025 titled ​‘Heil Hitler’, and selling t‑shirts with swastikas on.

His scheduled appearance had been condemned by members of the British government, with education secretary Bridget Philipson saying that he should be barred from entering the UK, describing his remarks as ​“completely unacceptable and absolutely disgusting”. Jewish groups have also criticised the decision to book him.

In January, Ye took out a full page advert in the Wall Street Journal to apologise for his past behaviour. Titled ​“To Those I’ve Hurt”, the rapper wrote, ​“I lost touch with reality. Things got worse the longer I ignored the problem. I said and did things I deeply regret. Some of the people I love the most, I treated the worst. You endured fear, confusion, humiliation, and the exhaustion of trying to have someone who was, at times, unrecognizable. Looking back, I became detached from my true self.”

He cited his bipolar disorder as a reason for the way he acted, continuing: ​“In that fractured state, I gravitated toward the most destructive symbol I could find, the swastika, and even sold T‑shirts bearing it. One of the difficult aspects of having bipolar type‑1 are the disconnected moments – many of which I still cannot recall – that led to poor judgment and reckless behavior that oftentimes feels like an out-of-body-experience. I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state, and am committed to accountability, treatment, and meaningful change. It does not excuse what I did though. I am not a Nazi or an antisemite. I love Jewish people.” Read his full statement here.

Isaac Muk is Huck’s digital editor. Follow him on Bluesky.

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