BROADCASTS.com

Synonymous with Glastonbury Festival, Michael Eavis is the bearded impresario of one of the biggest parties on earth. But this is no hedonistic figure: in reality, Eavis is a near-teetotal Method-ist who happily admits that his beloved herd of cows comes before the celebrities, rock and roll... or even the show itself. As more than 100,000 revellers descend upon Worthy Farm in Somerset, Mark Coles profiles this complex individual. Through his early battles with authority, financial setbacks and personal tragedy, we learn what drove Eavis to turn the land his family have owned for 150 years into the home of an iconic music festival. We hear from his GP son, the best man at his wedding and a host of famous DJs and musicians who have known him. From naked morning swims on the farm - every day of the year - to a ferociously competitive table tennis tournaments, we get beneath this skin of this individual and learn what makes him tick. World famous bands have graced his property and David Bowie's stayed in his farmhouse; yet at home Eavis is more likely to listen to Methodist Hymns or Elvis Presley (the latter for his gospel songs) than the many household names to have played Glastonbury. We speak as well to one of Mr Eavis's opponents over the years. We hear how his politics and commitment to unilateral nuclear disarmament have shaped both his life and the festival itself. And at 81 years old - with Glastonbury Festival still going strong - we learn whether this driven workaholic is likely to retire any time soon.