The BBC has announced that Rick Astley will give an interview spanning his career for their series Reel Stories. The show will see the pop star discuss his career, the his time as the drummer and vocalist in the soul band FBI, and his rise to fame.
Astley will be interviewd by Dermot O’Leary for the show, which will air on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer in February 2026 and will also feature his Glastonbury 2023 set on the Pyramid Stage.
Rick Astley said, “I loved doing Reel Stories with Dermot O’Leary, what a treat to be taken back to the start and come right through to today. Dermot is the perfect companion to go on that rollercoaster of emotion, love and thanks, Rick x.”
O’Leary said, “What a pleasure to spend time with Rick and hear him talk so openly about his memories from over the decades. I’ve long been a fan of his, and after recording this Reel Stories episode, have even more admiration for him as a performer and a person.”
“There’s so much more to his story than we know, a really interesting and interested person. A true gent, wise soul and real talent. I hope that viewers enjoy this extended interview as much as I did.”
Previous interviewws on the show have included Rod Stewart, Kylie Minogue, Dave Grohl, and Noel Gallagher.
Rick Astley launched his career in 1987 with his debut single ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’, which spent five weeks at No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart. The song led him to perform tours in the late-1980s around the UK, where he became a regular arena headliner. He followed this decades later with albums such as ‘50‘ in 2016 and ‘Are We There Yet?’ in 2023. He has also made headlines for collaborations with Foo Fighters and Blossoms.
After a long break, Astley returned to touring in the mid-2000s, including sold out UK theatre and arena tours, and later headlined major festivals such as Glastonbury. He has also won Best Act Ever at the MTV Europe Music Awards as well as received BRIT Award recognition for his influence and commercial success in his career.
Astley has recently announced plans for a UK tour in 2026, with Gabrielle joining him as a special guest. Remaining tickets are available here.
He is also set to perform the the Isle Of Wight Festival next year alongside the likes of headliners such as The Cure, Lewis Capaldi, and Calvin Harris. Remaining tickets for the festival are available here.
