Pepsi has confirmed it will withdraw as the main sponsor of the Wireless Festival in London this summer, following the announcement that Kanye West will headline the three-day event.
The US rapper, now known as Ye, has faced sustained backlash in recent years over a series of antisemitic remarks, for which he issued a public apology in January.
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer previously described the decision to book West as “deeply concerning”.
In remarks first reported by The Sun on Sunday, Sir Keir said the artist had been confirmed as a headliner “despite his previous antisemitic remarks and celebration of Nazism”.
“Antisemitism in any form is abhorrent and must be confronted firmly wherever it appears,” the prime minister said.
“Everyone has a responsibility to ensure Britain is a place where Jewish people feel safe.”
West, 48, was earlier announced as the headline act for all three days of the rap and R&B-focused Wireless Festival, scheduled to take place in north London in July.
The event has been marketed under the banner “Pepsi presents Wireless”, with the beverage giant serving as its primary sponsor.
Meanwhile, drinks conglomerate Diageo has also withdrawn its support for the festival “as it stands”. Two of its major brands, Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan, had previously been listed as official partners.
“We have informed the organisers of our concerns and as it stands, Diageo will not sponsor the 2026 Wireless festival,” a company spokesperson said.
As of Sunday evening, the festival’s official website continued to display Pepsi, Johnnie Walker and Captain Morgan as partners. However, a section detailing sponsorship information appeared to have been removed, instead showing an error message stating: “There’s nothing to see here.”
Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, said the government should consider banning West from entering the UK, arguing that “we need to get tougher on antisemitism” and describing the situation as “extremely serious”.
The UK Home Office has yet to receive a formal application from West to enter the country, according to reports.
Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch told LBC that rising antisemitism globally required firm action.
“That does mean not platforming people who make antisemitic statements or who put out anything that will incite violence and hatred towards Jews,” she said.
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, added: “Personally I wouldn’t buy a ticket.”
West’s controversies extend beyond the UK. Last year, he was barred from entering Australia following the release of a song titled “Heil Hitler”, which was widely condemned for glorifying the Nazi leader.
Earlier in the year, he declared himself a Nazi, later retracting a prior apology over antisemitic remarks. He also faced backlash for selling clothing featuring swastika imagery on his website.
In November 2025, West reportedly met Rabbi Yoshiyahu Yosef Pinto, where he apologised for his past comments. The following January, he published a full-page apology in the Wall Street Journal.
“I am not a Nazi or an antisemite,” he wrote.
West also cited bipolar disorder, stating that during manic episodes “you don’t think you’re sick” and that he had “lost touch with reality”.
“I regret and am deeply mortified by my actions in that state,” he added.
His account on X was suspended multiple times in 2022 after posts that violated platform rules, including offensive content referencing Jewish people.
That same year, he drew criticism for wearing a “white lives matter” T-shirt during Paris Fashion Week.
The fallout led sportswear giant Adidas to sever ties with the artist, stating it does “not tolerate antisemitism and any other sort of hate speech”.
West has not performed in the UK since 2015, when he headlined the Glastonbury Festival.
Three tracks from his latest album “Bully,” released in March, have entered the UK’s top 100 singles chart.
Organisers of Wireless have promoted the July 10–12 event as a “three-night journey through his most iconic records”.
Earlier this week, the Board of Deputies of British Jews, the UK’s largest Jewish representative body, said West should be barred from entering the country.
A spokesperson for London Mayor Sadiq Khan said: “We are clear that the past comments and actions of this artist are offensive and wrong, and are simply not reflective of London’s values.
“This was a decision taken by the festival organisers and not one that City Hall is involved in.”
Festival organisers Festival Republic, along with representatives for West, have been approached for comment.
