Scouting For Girls frontman Roy Stride has revealed that a run-in with a sheep near his countryside home studio put an end to his vegetarian diet. The 47-year-old was working on new material for the band when he went into a nearby field and was set upon by an aggressive ram during lambing season.
Stride, who moved from London to the countryside and set up a studio next to his home, described the moment as a "baa'd day" ahead of Y Not Festival. He said: "I used to love sheep and think they were so pretty until I went into the field and this sheep attacked me."
The singer joked the shock was enough to send him back to eating meat, admitting: "I literally started eating meat after that."
Unusual meal in Papua New Guinea
This was not the first time the band had faced an unusual meal. Scouting For Girls previously travelled to Papua New Guinea for the TV show Singing In The Rainforest, where they lived with a tribe, taught them their hit "She's So Lovely" and learned a local song in return.
The trip included a memorable feast featuring cassowary, a giant flightless bird described by bandmate James Rowlands as "the most dangerous bird in the world". Rowlands joked the creature was related to dinosaurs and could "rip you apart". Stride admitted that unusual dish was another reason he eventually became vegetarian.
Y Not Festival 20th anniversary
Stride said Scouting For Girls are now enjoying their career more than ever, with "zero pressure" after years of early success. They brought their feel-good hits to Y Not Festival alongside headliners Dizzee Rascal, Kaiser Chiefs and Scissor Sisters, and are performing across the UK this summer.
In 2027, Y Not Festival will return to the Peak District from 29 July to 1 August for a special 20th anniversary edition. Tickets are on sale Friday 7 August, and a pre-sale sign-up is available at ynotfestival.com/2027-pre-sale.
