Glastonbury organisers have been trying to book U2 for 32 years.

The Irish rockers headline the world-famous festival tonight (24.06.11) – a year after they pulled out when frontman Bono suffered a back injury – and the event’s founder Michael Eavis is “thrilled” the show will finally go ahead.

Michael said: “I’ve been chasing that lot since 1979. I thought I was going to get them to play all those years ago – until I realised the man I’d been talking to wasn’t their tour manager as he claimed to be!

“So when Bono phoned to say they were in for last year, we were all over the moon. But then with his operation, he phoned me from his hospital bed and said there was no way he could perform. He sounded genuinely sorry.

“I asked if he would be up for it this year but he wasn’t sure what U2 would be doing, so when he got on the phone to say he’d love to do it, we were thrilled.

“All the world are interested in what U2 are doing. It’s going to be a brilliant night.”

Performing before U2 on the Pyramid stage this evening is legendary singer Morrissey, but Michael admits he wasn’t his first choice for the slot.

He explained in an interview with The Sun newspaper: “We were hoping to get Kanye West but he’s doing other stuff so we gave Morrissey a ring.

“He wasn’t bothered last time we asked but he was very keen this year. It was a last-minute thing and tickets had already been sold before anyone knew anything about him, so it was a nice little extra for us.”