Glastonbury 2015: Lionel Richie attracts festival's biggest crowds for Sunday's 'dad slot'

The singer performed during the Sunday afternoon 'legend' slot previously filled by Dolly Parton, Tom Jones and Neil Diamond

Lionel Richie performs live on the Pyramid stage during the third day of Glastonbury Festival (Getty)

Kanye West and Florence + the Machine were among the most anticipated acts at Glastonbury this year, but it was Lionel Richie who pulled in the festival’s biggest crowds.

At least 100,000 people were estimated to have watched the singer on the Pyramid Stage during the traditional Sunday afternoon “legend” slot.

Fans turned up to watch the singer in hand-made t-shirts and flags in his honour, erupting to his hits including “All Night Long”, “Hello” and “Three Times A Lady”.

US singer Lionel Richie performs on the Pyramid Stage at the Glastonbury Festival (AFP)

Security guards at the front of the stage even learned a dance they performed during Richie’s rendition of “Dancing on the Ceiling” (watch below).

Read more: Like to anti-Kanye, Lionel Richie delighted in audience engagement

After the song, Richie looked at the size of the huge crowd and said: “What the hell is going on?”

Claiming to have brought some “Californian sunshine”, he later told the audience: “It’s been a long time coming but I finally made it to Glastonbury.”

Richie’s set was well received, with The Independent’s Emily Jupp writing: “[Richie] was perfect for the Sunday ‘dads’ slot but he might have converted a young new following too…All showed great affection for the musician whose career spans decades.”

The Who headlined the Sunday night line-up at Glastonbury, which also saw Paul Weller and Patti Smith perform on the Pyramid Stage.