No METALLICA For DOWNLOAD FESTIVAL: Promoter

The organizers of the U.K.'s Download Festival have issued a statement denying rumors that METALLICA will make a surprise appearance at the festival this weekend.

The statement from Clear Channel, the promoters of the Download Festival, reads as follows:

"We are huge fans at Download and would be honored to have them performing at our festival. However, they are not playing at Download. We gather a rumor was started when we added APOCALYPTICA to the bill earlier this week."

METALLICA were previously said to be planning a surprise performance with "a stripped-down and reduced set" on the second stage sometime during the late afternoon on Sunday, June 2.