Summary

  • Tens of thousands of music fans descended on Hylands Park in Chelmsford for this year's Radio 2 in the Park

  • The BBC radio station's flagship music was held in Chelmsford - the birthplace of radio

  • Bryan Adams ended Saturday on a high with a set that thrilled the crowd, following the likes of Belinda Carlisle, Jessie J and Ronan Keating

  • Sunday's headliners Def Leppard also brought the roof down, rounding off a day that included sets from Olly Murs, Anastacia and Soul II Soul

  • Watch highlights on BBC iPlayer

Saturday Highlights

Live Reporting

By Alice Cunningham and Shivani Chaudhari. Edited by Stuart Bailey.

  1. Where can we get one of these hats?

    Shivani Chaudhari
    Reporting from Hylands Park

    Four women sit together in a field. They wear matching hats that have blue spikes on them. They have food and drinks in front of them and they are all wearing sunglasses.Shivani Chaudhari/BBC

    Essex girls Emma Hollidge, 41, Tanya Oflynn, 45, Lea Cutting, 55, and Cara Wildman, 48, are at Hylands Park and just look at those hats!

    If they do not light up in the dark, we will be really disappointed.

    The friends say they are excited to have a festival right on their doorstep and most looking forward to Essex's own Olly Murs and Anastacia.

  2. Rivals for the best dressed today?

    Two women wearing matching outfits that are silver and sparkling stand in between two men wearing similar tops. They all wear sunglasses and smile at the camera.Nadira Tudor/BBC

    There is something in the air in Chelmsford because there are so many good outfits at the festival.

    Just look at these matching, sparkling numbers.

    They are worn by John McDonald, 54, Joanne McDonald, 54, Karen Garden, 56, and Grant Garden, 58.

  3. Ellis-Bextor blows a kiss as she says goodbye to the crowd

    And after a stream of hits, Ellis-Bextor wraps up her performance.

    She swings her arms round, kicks her leg in the air and blows a kiss to the crowd.

    "Have the best rest of your day," she says, before smiling her way off stage.

  4. It's Murder on the Dancefloor time

    Of course, she couldn't go without singing it...

    Wrapping up her set, Ellis-Bextor delights the crowd by diving into her iconic hit Murder on the Dancefloor.

    "Do with it what you will," she laughs. "I mean, ideally it’s smiling and dancing, but I’m open to any interpretation."

  5. Backstage view of pop star's performance

    Sophie Ellis-Bextor is wearing a white mini skirt and heels on stage. Behind her is a man playing a guitar. In front is a large crowd watching her.

    Top work from our reporter Shivani Chaudhari to sneak this picture from backstage.

    The atmosphere at Hylands Park is already amazing.

    Just look at that crowd!

  6. Huge hits keep piling on in the main stage

    Great scenes here as Ellis-Bextor coolly slides from her feature on Junior Caldera's Can’t Fight This Feeling into Abba's hit Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight).

    The sun is shining and the crowd are loving it - what a way to start today's festival.

    "Cheers to you, Hylands Park," the singer says to the crowd.

  7. 'You couldn't ask for it to be better,' says stage manager

    Nadira Tudor
    Reporting from Hylands Park

    A man stands backstage at a festival wearing sunglasses and a black T-shirt. He smiles at the camera. Stages can be seen behind him as well as tents and a ferris wheel.Nadira Tudor/BBC

    Spot is the manager of the main stage.

    "I’ve been here since Wednesday and it’s been great - especially when the weather cleared," he says.

    "It’s perfect festival weather; it’s been fantastic.

    "The team we're working with are great; the site is fantastic; the view of the countryside.

    "Yesterday, listening to people singing along to Bryan Adams and Jessie J with the moon having risen, you couldn’t ask for it to be better."

  8. The Devon gang back with their matching outfits

    Shivani Chaudhari
    Reporting from Hylands Park

    A group of eight people wear matching shirts with multicoloured shirts on and bucket hats. They smile at the camera and many of them are wearing sunglasses.Shivani Chaudhari/BBC

    On Saturday, we spoke with Glyn Boallman and Gary Abraham who had travelled from Teignmouth in Devon and were in a group of eight.

    Paul Humphriss, 57, is also in the group and he says the long journey had been "worth it".

    He said he is most excited to watch Soul II Soul because it “takes me back to the early 90s”.

    The group has been here for the whole weekend and say “Jessie J was wonderful” in her Saturday performance.

  9. Hylands Park crowd is 'easy on the eye', pop star declares

    "Oh Chelmsford, I'm about to make things really awkward," the pop star declares.

    "Because I’ve realised I have very strong feelings for you at this moment.

    "You can sing, you can dance, you’re easy on the eye.

    "You’re about to see all these other acts, all these other bands. How am I going to make sure you remember me like I remember you?"

    Stop flirting with us, Sophie!

  10. 'I'm going to take my holidays in Chelmsford', says Ellis-Bextor

    It seems Sophie Ellis-Bextor is right at home here at Hylands Park - and she's loving the weather.

    "I think from now on I'm going to take my holidays right here in Chelmsford," she says.

    "Is this your climate all year round? You've been keeping it under wraps.

    "Sensible, I like it."

    Sorry to disappoint, Sophie, but it's been hammering it down all week.

  11. 'There was lots of toplessness', says Ellis-Bextor

    BBC Radio 2's Scott Mills and Sara Cox caught up with Sophie Ellis-Bextor just before she hit the stage.

    For her, there was a particular element of yesterday's crowd that really stood out.

    "There was lots of toplessness," she laughs.

    Asked about any repeats of this during her performance, the pop star says: "I’m so short-sighted that if it happens, it’ll be lost on me."

  12. Sophie Ellis-Bextor opens Sunday's performances

    A crowd watching Sophie Ellis-Bextor perform on the large orange main stage.

    Here she is! Sophie Ellis-Bextor is on stage and ready to party.

    Wearing a white mini dress, she walks out to excited cheers from the Chelmsford crowd.

    "Wow! There's so many of you and you're such good dancers," she says.

    We can't wait for this...

  13. 'You can't beat it'

    Shivani Chaudhari
    Reporting from Hylands Park

    A group of people, some sitting, some standing, smile at the camera. Some wear pink cowboy hats and sunglasses.Shivani Chaudhari/BBC

    Mel Monday, 52, has come to the festival with her family and friends from just up the road in Chelmsford.

    “We used to go to V [Festival] and we really missed it," she say.

    “I love Radio 2. Being with everyone and enjoying live music you can’t beat it."

  14. 'I'm here to meet my Mr Right... or Pete Wicks'

    Anna Holmes is wearing a blue vest top, sunglasses and is sitting down around many other people. She is holding a blue sign that has clouds on it spelling out "dream".

    Anna Holmes hasn't just travelled to Essex for the music.

    "The people are friendly and I might meet my Mr Right... or Pete Wicks," the 48-year-old from Berkshire says.

    Someone find Anna an Essex boy!

  15. David Gray fan is here ahead of performance

    Jason Collins is wearing a colourful tie-dye T-shirt and a bandana. He is smiling and standing among the crowd near the main stage.

    Jason Collins is here from Cambridgeshire to see Babylon singer-songwriter David Gray.

    "I've seen him so many times," the 57-year-old says, estimating he's seen at least 20 performances.

    Gray will be taking to the main stage at 13:30 BST.

  16. 'Toilets, food and alcohol - what more could you want?'

    Bonnie Stobbs is wearing sunglasses and a black hat. She is smiling while sitting on a camping chair, in front of many others doing the same thing.

    Huge day for Bonnie Stobbs, who's here from Southampton.

    The 62-year-old has been to concerts before, but never a festival.

    What a day to break your duck!

    "It’s lovely and the venue is amazing," she says of Chelmsford.

    "Toilets, food and alcohol - what more could you want?"

  17. What is the weather like today in Chelmsford?

    A large main stage with BBC Radio 2 written on the top of it. A large screen sits in the middle of the stage. People attending the festival sit and stand in front of it.BBC/Shivani Chaudhari

    If you are at the festival today, the weather is looking glorious once again.

    Expect highs of 25C this afternoon before things cool down to about 20C this evening when the music wraps up.

    Make sure you have got sun cream and water on hand.

  18. Watch BBC Radio 2 in the Park live now

    You can now watch BBC Radio 2 in the Park live by clicking the "watch live" button at the top of this page.

    And catch the stars live on BBC iPlayer from the comfort of your living room.

    Not long now!

  19. Radio team hard at work backstage

    Elliot Deady
    Reporting from Hylands Park

    Two women and a man sit behind desks with laptops in front of them in a press tent at a festival. They are all wearing sunglasses, with one of the women wearing headphones.

    Here's a glimpse into what it was like inside the BBC Essex cabin backstage.

    Breakfast radio presenter Sonia Watson, Elliot Deady and Lois Worrow were all plugging away to keep listeners bang up to date with the latest from the festival.

    Sunglasses were mandatory to cover the eye bags developing from two days of working hard (with some partying).

  20. Music lovers start to enter today's festival

    And we're off again!

    Something tells me it's going to be a little busier later on...

    People milling around an area away from the stage. There are food trucks, colourful lanterns and a Ferris wheel.

    Doesn't it look great?

    A small crowd of people standing right in front of the large orange main stage.

    Top dedication here to secure a front row view

    A large marquee covers a stage and area for the crowd. A big screen is projecting "welcome to BBC Radio 2 in the Park" with an orange background.

    Looks like this marquee could provide some crucial shade from the sun