SOME of the biggest names in the music business will star at Bestival in Dorset this year.

Indie pop band London Grammar will perform a UK festival exclusive set on the Saturday night of the event which returns to the Lulworth Estate from Thursday, August 2 to Sunday, August 5.

The band’s Dot Major said: “We are so excited to be coming back to Bestival this year.

“Our show there back in 2014 was one of our favourite shows we have done on home shores.”

Rising star Jorja Smith will headline on the Thursday. Last year Smith picked up three Mobo award nominations and was the winner of the critics’ choice award for the 2018 BRIT Awards.

Female rapper M.I.A will close the show before the fireworks finale on the Sunday evening. The Anglo-Sri Lankan artist has been called ‘pop’s most fascinating radical’ by Rolling Stone magazine.

This will be the second year Bestival has been staged in Dorset after it was moved from the Isle of Wight last year. Some 35,000 festival-goers are expected. A headliner for the Friday night will be revealed soon.

The Castle Stage will feature singer, actress and fashion icon Grace Jones, BRIT award winner Plan B and soul legend Chaka Khan.

DJ and festival founder, Rob da Bank, runs Bestival and also its sister festival, Camp Bestival, now held earlier in the summer on the same site.

He said: “I think this year’s line-up has got real depth and breadth, we’ve got old school acts like Chaka Khan and Grace Jones, a good range of disco and pop and then rising stars like Jorja Smith.”

Rob said: “We love doing this in Dorset. Last year there was a bit of uncertainty of what it would be like after the move here. People seem to love the lay-out and people love coming to the Jurassic Coast.”

He added that Bestival was moved to August from September for convenience.

“We were getting a bit fed up being the last festival of the summer because everyone was already out there having lots of fun. Having it in the summer holidays will make it easier for students and teachers and now it’s much more in the festival season.”

Other acts include Mura Masa, Sundara Karma, Thundercat and Jimmy Cliff. See bestival.net for more details.