‘There’s so much packed in we’ll be gasping to take a breath!’

Phillip Schofield on teaming up with Julie Etchingham to host ITV’s big Sunday broadcast to mark Her Maj’s 70 years on the throne…

How does it feel to be hosting such a momentous event? PHILLIP SCHOFIELD, 60: Celebrating the 70-year reign of a British monarch has never happened before, so it’s an honour and a joy to be involved in a key part of history that the British public will look back on for years to come. What can we expect?

Something for everybody – musical performances, the Commonwealth partaking in a huge spectacle and, of course, some brilliant A-list names, such as Dame Helen Mirren and Tom Cruise, taking us on a journey through history.

Tell us about your role on the show…

Myself and Julie [Etchingham] will be guiding the nation through the proceedings as smoothly as possible, and we’ll also get to interview some of the biggest names attached to the show. l think we make for a great presenting pair; you don’t want to miss this!

How does this event compare to hosting This Morning?

Live events are never easy! And something of this scale of course comes with its challenges. Presenting all of the different elements live to the nation with thousands of onlookers is a bit different to being sat in the usual comfort of the This Morning sofa. But in both circumstances, I’m blessed by the presence of a wonderful co-host.

Is there anything you’re really looking forward to?

I think Dame Helen Mirren as Queen Elizabeth I will be such a fantastic moment to see live. It’s also great having Omid [Djalili] as the Herald, he brings such a brilliant humour and wit to proceedings, which is a really nice touch.

What do you think the Queen will enjoy most?

I hope she’ll enjoy the event from start to finish; there is so much packed in that Julie and I will be gasping to take a breath! I hope she’ll feel touched at the presence of so many people from far and wide coming together in unity to celebrate for her.

Have you ever met the Queen? I’ve been lucky to meet the Queen on a number of occasions and I’ve always been struck by how she puts everyone at their ease. She is very quick-witted and incredibly well informed – and she has great skin!

And finally, what makes Windsor Castle such a special venue?

We are being welcomed into the home of the monarchy. It’s such a beautiful location, and we’ll be within the castle grounds at the centre of the action – which means the nation will have a front-row seat at all proceedings from the comfort of their own living rooms. Windsor Castle is completely synonymous with the Queen – it wouldn’t make sense to have it anywhere else.