Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall live streams announced - elbow and Manic Street Preachers
- 6 days ago
- 7 min read
Friday 20th March 2026: With the legendary Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall concert series upon us, curator Robert Smith has announced live-streamed performances, star comperes and a surprise artist to appear each night.
From March 23-29, the headliners selected by The Cure legend will be elbow, Mogwai, Manic Street Preachers, my bloody valentine, Garbage and Wolf Alice, as well as a night of Robert Smith's Comedy Favourites. The headline set by the Manic Street Preachers on Thursday 26 March will be the 150th show.
It has been announced today that the performances by Elbow and Manic Street Preachers will be live streamed via Player+. The price is £15.99 and all profits go to the charity. Fans can visit www.WatchTeenageCancerTrust.com now to book to watch the performances by these iconic bands.
In addition, young people around the country benefitting from Teenage Cancer Trust's vital services will be able to see the concerts live and for free.
Lined up to compere the shows are BBC radio's Shaun Keaveny (elbow headline show), Mary-Anne Hobbs (Mogwai), John Kennedy (Manic Street Preachers), Flo Dill (my bloody valentine) and Jack Saunders (Wolf Alice), as well as Absolute Radio's Sarah Champion and Ben Burrell (Comedy Favourites) and Danielle Perry (Garbage).
It is a big year for the Wednesday headliner, Glasgow post-rock titans Mogwai, who last month celebrated the 30th anniversary of their debut single, "Tuner"/"Lower", which was released on their own Rock Action Records. Last year they released their 11th album, The Bad Fire, to great acclaim. Tickets are available here.
Mogwai's Stuart Braithwaite said: "We are extremely excited and privileged to be playing at the Royal Albert Hall in aid of the Teenage Cancer Trust. It's 20 years since we last played there and to be asked by Robert Smith is an honour as The Cure have always been a huge influence on our music."
The latest addition to the line-up, playing around the venue each night, will be celebrated accordionist Nihad Hrustanbegovic, who has released 10 albums including The Best of Concert Accordion, Live in Het Concertgebouw Amsterdam, The Four Seasons Vivaldi and Mediterraneo. With more than 1000 solo concerts and music performances in Europe Hrustanbegovic has played with Al Di Meola, Flairck and Corpus, including in Notre-Dame Cathedral-du-Puy France, Hall of Knights – The Hague, Sacred Heart Cathedral Sarajevo and in Croatia at Art Janez days event under the patronage of Robert Smith.
Nihad Hrustanbegovic said: "Friendship with Robert Smith is something infinite for me. I've been listening to British pop music since elementary school, but The Cure was always something special. Somewhere during the pandemic years, I lost the joy of my heart and music for a while, and when I heard last year the version of the song 'Just Like Heaven' from the 40th Anniversary Concert of The Cure, I felt joy again after a long time and I was happy. For me, he is more than an artist and a friend; for me, he is someone who is a kind of guideline for how you should behave as an artist. Next level. I performed last year at Janez Art Days on the island of Brac in Croatia where Robert Smith is the patron because the Bagatelle sculpture by Janez Pirnat became the art work of the album The Songs of the Lost World, and that's how Robert Smith found out about me and my connection with music. I have been reading a lot about The Cure and Robert Smith during the preparations for that concert, Mediterraneo, classical, pop, and jazz music on the solo accordion. Then, among other works of Vivaldi's The Four Seasons Summer, Asturias of Albeniz and Clair de Lune from Debussy, I played also The Cure's 'Just Like Heaven'. Robert Smith is for me the most important living artist on the planet."
Cancer kills more teenagers and young adults in the UK than any other disease, yet cancer care wasn't made for young people. Teenage Cancer Trust is the only UK charity dedicated to providing specialised nursing care and support for young people with cancer, funding specialist nurses, youth workers and 28 hospital units within the NHS.
Its Royal Albert Hall fundraising concert series was launched and curated by Teenage Cancer Trust Honorary Patron Sir Roger Daltrey, who was knighted for services to charity and music earlier this year, from 2000 to 2025.
This year's curator Robert Smith is the first in a series of guest curators who will take on the mantle of raising money for this vital cause in future.
Robert Smith said: "Teenage Cancer Trust does absolutely amazing work, and l am very proud they asked me to be 'Cureator' of their March 2026 concerts at the RAH. I wanted to make it a truly unforgettable, unmissable week - a run of shows to dream about - and I am so grateful to all the artists who accepted my invitation to perform. These will be very special events; every band, both headliners and special guests, and every comedian too, is either legendary or at the top of their game... indeed in most cases, they are both! It is going to be a fabulous 7 nights, and I can hardly wait to experience it all. See you there!"
As ever, the Ultimate Backstage Experience will be run for young people from across the country who are being supported by Teenage Cancer Trust. Every day, these groups will visit the Royal Albert Hall to enjoy an unforgettable experience. From the moment they arrive, they'll enjoy access and opportunities that money can't buy, before taking their place in some of the best seats in the house to watch the shows in style.
Quotes about Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall 2026
James Ainscough OBE, Chief Executive of the Royal Albert Hall, said: "We're incredibly proud to have hosted Teenage Cancer Trust's annual shows for a quarter of a century, supporting this vital and groundbreaking work that improves the lives of young people with cancer every day."
Jules Worrall, Interim Chief Executive of Teenage Cancer Trust, said: "The Royal Albert Hall gigs are pivotal in helping Teenage Cancer Trust change the lives of young people with cancer.
"For more than 20 years, our Honorary Patron Sir Roger Daltrey curated star-studded lineups year after year. For 2026, that baton has passed to Robert Smith, and wow, what a job he has done.
"Once again, some of the biggest names from across the music and entertainment industry will be making us sing, dance and laugh – but more importantly they will be raising essential funds and shining the brightest spotlight on the needs of young people with cancer. We are so grateful for Robert's support, to every artist performing and everyone who buys a ticket.
"Here's to an astonishing week of legendary gigs, and getting young people with cancer the specialised care and support they need."
Rob Ballantine, Director of S.J.M Concerts, said: "SJM concerts have for over two decades been privileged to pull together the week of fund raising shows for Teenage Cancer Trust at the Royal Albert Hall.
"This year working with Cureator Robert Smith has been a real pleasure and we have seen first hand how hard and how diligently he has worked to bring together such a high calibre line up of artists. The respect he commands in the industry is obvious and we would like to add our name to that long list and thank him for such an amazing job. We know the fans will support these shows as they do every year and we hope to raise much needed funds for this amazing charity. Thank you to all the artists and their representatives who have made this happen, we look forward to an incredible week of shows at the Royal Albert Hall next March."
Jane Ashton, Head of Music and Entertainment at Teenage Cancer Trust, said: "Once again, the music and entertainment industry has come together for a fantastic cause. Money raised from the Royal Albert Hall shows changes lives by funding specialist care and support for young people with cancer. We can't thank the legend that is Robert Smith enough for all the time and energy he has given to curating this epic line-up.
"The 2025 series raised a wonderful record-breaking £2.05 million, but we'd love to beat it! The urgent need to support young people when they hear the devastating words 'its cancer' remains. Thanks to the unwavering support of artists, managers, agents, promoters, crew, and our generous audiences, Teenage Cancer Trust can help them get through cancer, rebuild their life and shape their own future."
Player Plus
Platform: Player Plus (stage.playerplus.com)
Player Plus is a premium TV streaming platform bringing live events straight to audiences around the world, working with world-renowned bands including Duran Duran, Jamie Cullum, KALEO, and many more. Delighted to support Teenage Cancer Trust as the platform of choice as they bring select shows from a week of programming to audiences at home around the world.
Pricing: £15.99 / USD $19.99. All profits go to Teenage Cancer Trust.
Live stream links
The shows are also proudly supported by:
Aldi
Aldi is the headline sponsor for this year's Royal Albert Hall series. The supermarket giant has partnered with Teenage Cancer Trust since 2017 and has raised over £12 million for the charity to date.
Domino's:
Domino's has partnered with Teenage Cancer Trust for ten years, has raised £8 million for the charity, and is the official sponsor of the Ultimate Backstage Experience.
American Airlines
American Airlines has generously donated many millions of air miles to support our event series at the Royal Albert Hall.
Royal Albert Hall Show Dates:
Monday, March 23: Elbow and MRCY
Tuesday, March 24: Robert Smith's Comedy Favourites - Maisie Adam, Bridget Christie, Jack Dee, Andy Hamilton, Dom Joly, Miles Jupp, Athena Kugblenu, Stewart Lee and Dara Ó Briain
Wednesday, March 25: Mogwai, Craven Faults and Annika Kilkenny
Thursday, March 26: Manic Street Preachers and The Joy Formidable
Friday, March 27: my bloody valentine and Chvrches (stripped back performance)
Saturday, March 28: Garbage and Placebo (rare, stripped back performance)
Sunday, March 29: Wolf Alice and Nilüfer Yanya
Tickets:
For line-up and ticketing information please visit:
@teenagecancer
Exclusive Resale Partner:
Your ticket is not valid if offered for sale or resold unless it's through our official face value resale partner Twickets.
Please note that Viagogo are not official ticket partners and are in no way connected with these shows. Tickets purchased from Viagogo or any other seller not listed above will be cancelled and will not be valid for the shows. Teenage Cancer Trust supports the FanFair Alliance.
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