Thetford Forest announces UB40 ft Ali Campbell for Forest Live 2026

Forest Live (Forestry England’s summer concert series presented with Cuffe & Taylor) is to mark its 25th anniversary of gigs in 2026, with UB40 ft Ali Campbell being announced as the first headliners.

Bringing summer reggae vibes, UB40 ft Ali Campbell will be taking to the stages across all four Forest Live venues in June (Forestry England Delamere – 19, High Lodge, Thetford Forest – 21, Westonbirt Arboretum – 26 and Cannock Chase Forest – 27).

Ali Campbell, one of the founders of UB40 and the voice behind the band’s biggest hits, said: “When I first founded UB40 back in 1978, I put everything I had into it – including the compensation money I’d received from a criminal injury claim.

“None of us could have imagined we’d go on to sell over 100 million records and take reggae from Birmingham to the world.

“It’s been an incredible journey, and coming back to play Forest Live in such beautiful surroundings is the perfect way to celebrate with our fans.”

UB40 is a seminal reggae pop band from Birmingham, originally formed by a group of friends from diverse ethnic backgrounds.

From the beginning, the band became known for its socially aware lyrics and laid-back reggae rhythms.

With Campbell’s unmistakable voice leading the way, UB40 blended reggae, dub, and pop into a sound that helped bring the genre into the mainstream.

They achieved international fame in the 1980s with a string of hit singles.

Their reggae covers of older pop and soul songs, including Neil Diamond’s Red Red Wine, I Got You Babe (featuring Chrissie Hynde), and (I Can’t Help) Falling in Love with You, became worldwide anthems.

Beyond covers, original albums like Signing Off (1980) and Present Arms (1981) cemented the band’s reputation, tackling themes of unemployment, political struggle, and racial unity.

In 2008, Ali Campbell departed from UB40 due, he said at the time, to severe financial mismanagement within the band's management.

Keyboardist Mickey Virtue joined him and later, in 2013, vocalist Astro reunited with Ali to complete a new line-up. Together, they formed UB40 ft Ali, Astro & Mickey.

Until his passing in 2021, Astro was a key part of this line-up, and Campbell continues to honour that legacy in every performance.

Support for the shows will come from fellow Brummie and British reggae, lovers’ rock, and ragga singer, songwriter, and producer Bitty McLean.

Known for his UK top 10 hits in the mid-1990s, such as It Keeps Rainin’ (Tears from My Eyes), Bitty began his career singing on his father’s sound system before releasing several albums and touring internationally, collaborating with reggae legends including Sly and Robbie.

Forestry England manage and care for the nation’s 1,500 woods and forests. They use the money Forest Live raises to maintain these beautiful natural areas for everyone to enjoy, run important conservation projects and keep growing trees.

Each year, they plant more than seven million trees and welcomed 313 million visitors in 2024/25.

Everyone in England lives within a one-hour drive of one of the nation’s forests. More than 2.5 million people have enjoyed the Forest Live gigs over the last 25 years.

Tickets will go on general sale at 10am this Friday (26 September).

For more information, visit forestlive.com.