SIR Paul McCartney will close the show as the final headliner at this summer’s Isle of Wight Festival.

The former Beatle will take the long and winding road south to come together with Jay-Z and The Strokes as the big names taking to the Seaclose Park main stage over the course of the three-day event in June.

The announcement comes after weeks of feverish rumour about which big name would fill the final headline slot, which in the past few years has attracted some of the biggest names in rock and pop.

The Rolling Stones, The Who, REM, David Bowie, The Police and Neil Young are among those to close the festival since it was resurrected in 2002.

Sir Paul was heavily tipped to be the final name on this year’s line-up, but festival organisers had refused to comment before he announced details of his UK-wide tour this morning.

The legendary Liverpudlian has said he will play songs from throughout his long career during the performance, including many Beatles classics as well as tracks from his time with Wings and his later solo career.

The Sunday night slot on June 13 is part of a summer tour of Britain and Ireland, and sees him performing days before his 68th birthday.

It is only the second time he has ever played a British festival as a solo artist, having headlined Glastonbury in 2004.