Coronation: What to watch whether you are celebrating or not
From ceremonial celebrations on the BBC and ITV to Channel 4’s alternative programming, Rachael Davis runs through what is in store on coronation day.
SATURDAY May 6 is to be a monumental and historic day as the King is crowned and the start of a new reign is celebrated.
Across British terrestrial television, the ceremonies and celebrations of the coronation will be broadcasted to the nation, and the world, with millions expected to be watching around the globe.
From the procession through central London to the ceremony at Westminster Abbey, the people lining the streets to the Coronation Concert, broadcasters such as the BBC and ITV will be there every step of the way to bring the best of the festivities to your living room.
The BBC will provide live coverage of the coronation ceremony on Saturday May 6, with an extensive network of cameras giving access to the ceremonial route from Buckingham Palace to Westminster Abbey no matter where you are.
You will be able to bask in the atmosphere on London’s streets, witness historic Coronation Service which will see thousands of guests from around the world gathered to celebrate the King and the Queen Consort, and see the return procession to Buckingham Palace, including the moment the nation welcomes its newly-crowned monarchs and the balcony appearance.
On the day, former Desert Island Discs presenter Kirsty Young will be in a studio at Buckingham Palace, while JJ Chalmers will speak to members of the military as they prepare for one of the largest parades in living history and Clare Balding will commentate the ceremonial route.
Huw Edwards will be providing commentary as the doors of
Westminster Abbey open for the ceremony, with Sophie Raworth outside speaking to guests and Anita Rani joining the crowds gathered to witness this historic event.
The Coronation will be on BBC One across three slots from 07.30 to 15.00 on Saturday May 6, with a signed version on BBC Two .
“I’m very happy indeed to be part of the BBC’s Coronation coverage, as our cameras capture history in the making,” says Kirsty Young, 54.
“Ceremony, spectacle and a right royal celebration – it’s got all the ingredients of a weekend worth watching.”
The celebrations continue on Sunday May 7, with the Coronation Concert.
On BBC One, in a special live broadcast from the grounds of Windsor Castle from 20.00, Kirsty Young will be back to anchor as the Concert sees performances from the likes of Take That, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie.
A 74-piece classical ensemble formed from the strings of the Countess of Wessex’s String Orchestra and woodwind, brass and percussion sections from the Bands of the Household Division will also be performing, as well as the 300-strong Coronation Choir, made up of performers from different backgrounds including Gaelic speakers, deaf and refugee singers, Northern Irish farmers and London cabbies.
Clara Amfo and Jordan Banjo will be backstage with the artists, who will perform in front of 20,000 members of the public.
Also on the BBC on Sunday May 7 will be a special episode of Saturday Kitchen titled Coronation Kitchen Live, which will air at 10.30, and an Antiques
Roadshow Coronation Special, taking a look through the archives at artefacts with royal connections that have appeared on the show at 19.00.
Meanwhile, on ITV audiences will also be able to witness the coronation festivities.
On Saturday, May 6, ITV News-produced King Charles III: The Coronation will be broadcast live from 08.30 to 15-00 on ITV1, with presenters Julie Etchingham and News At Ten’s Tom Bradby, a close friend of the Duke of Sussex, guiding viewers through the celebration.
The ITV team, including Mary Nightingale, Nina Hossain, Charlene White and James Mates, will also be at all the key locations.
In a first for ITV, live audio description of the coronation ceremony will be available through the ITV1 TV coverage, and there will be live signing of the Coronation ceremony on ITV3.
ITV’s coronation coverage follows a jam-packed day of celebration on Friday May 5 that’ll get royal fans excited for the big day, including a Loose Women garden party, a coronationthemed edition of Lorraine, and a 150-minute episode of This Morning featuring Coronation Street, which sees presenters Alison Hammond and Dermot O’Leary host from Weatherfield.
From 06.00 on Saturday, May 6, Good Morning Britain will kick off the day’s celebrations with a special episode that sees Susanna Reid and Ben Shephard host live from Westminster Abbey.
Ranvir Singh will also be outside the Abbey speaking to guests as they arrive, with Kate Garraway live from Buckingham Palace, Charlotte Hawkins with the Armed Forces and Laura Tobin live from the Long Walk in Windsor.
However, if all the pomp and ceremony is not for you, Channel 4 is providing an alternative coronation schedule offering some respite from the royal celebrations elsewhere.
In the run-up to the coronation, Channel 4 will have shown a special episode of comedy The Windsors, a documentary focusing on the Duke of York’s now-infamous Newsnight interview with Emily Maitlis, and Frankie Boyle’s Farewell To The Monarchy, which sees the Scottish comedian take a look back at the monarchy’s history and consider whether the royal family 'has a place in today’s world'.
Then, on the day itself, Channel 4 will provide an escape from the coronation broadcasting with a schedule full of classic comedy, films and even electric motorsport.
From 6.10 to 11.45 on coronation day, Channel 4 is showing classic American sitcoms Everybody Loves Raymond, King Of Queens and Frasier back to back, before Johnny English Strikes Again starts just before midday.
Then there is the Formula E Monaco ePrix from 13.30, followed by the Wheelchair Rugby European Championship at 15.30.
Channel 4 News is on at 17.30, followed by The Italian Job at 18.30, Star Trek Beyond at 20.30, and Con Air at 22.50.
Speaking of the alternative programming, Channel 4’s chief content officer Ian Katz says: “Channel 4 exists to provide viewers with an alternative, so as the nation is engulfed by pomp, circumstance and forelock-tugging, we’ll be offering a rather less reverential slate of programmes including Frankie Boyle’s case against the monarchy and the Windsors’ scabrous satirical take on the Coronation.”