Glastonbury Festival founder Michael Eavis has revealed the iconic music event may not return until 2022.

The festival’s 50th anniversary edition, which was due to feature Paul McCartney, Taylor Swift and Kendrick Lamar, was cancelled earlier this year due to the coronavirus pandemic.

And while the event has been re-scheduled for next summer, Eavis has warned people they could be made to wait another 12 months before the Somerset festival is back open for business.

“500 people is ok isn’t it. But my job, 250,000 altogether is too many people I suppose isn’t it really," he told ITV News West Country.

"I’m still hoping I’m going to be running next year and I’m going to be moving heaven and earth to make sure that we do. But that doesn’t mean it will necessarily happen. That is just wishful thinking really."

Eavis was then asked whether the coronavirus pandemic could lead to the ending of the festival altogether.

He defiantly responded: "No I do not worry at all, I am so confident that it will survive. The only certainty I think is the year after, 2022. To be perfectly candid, so we might have to wait for two years maybe.

"But I am still hoping and we are fighting and working at it all the time to make sure it happens next year."

Those who purchased a ticket for the cancelled 2020 edition of the festival will automatically have their ticket carried over to the 2021 event.

Refunds are also available until September for those who will not be able to attend next year.