A complete guide to the Coronation celebrations on the BBC, ITV and Sky – including Sunday’s concert

As gun salutes ring out across the land to mark the Coronation of the King, the broadcasting big guns will be doing battle on the box as the BBC, ITV and Sky go toe to toe in the ratings war…

SATURDAY 6 MAY 

THE CORONATION OF HM THE KING

7.30 AM-3PM, BBC1 AND iPLAYER

As befits one of the most significant days in recent British history, the BBC has assembled a crack team of expert presenters to guide us through the proceedings.

After her sterling work over the Platinum Jubilee weekend, Kirsty Young will anchor the early coverage from a studio at Buckingham Palace, where she’ll be joined by guests and experts including the Mail’s Robert Hardman.

Anita Rani will be mingling with the crowds and eliciting royal stories from them.

Former Marine JJ Chalmers will also be on hand, speaking to members of the military as they prepare for the King and Queen’s processional return to the palace and Sophie Raworth will collar some of the famous faces among the 2,000 or so guests as they arrive at the abbey.  

At 10.15am events begin in earnest, with Clare Balding providing commentary for the King’s Procession as it makes the journey to the abbey, and Huw Edwards will talk us through the ceremony itself, which starts at 11am. 

From 1pm coverage will follow King Charles and Queen Camilla’s journey back to the palace.

There will be a signed version of the event on BBC2 for deaf viewers.

‘I’m very happy to be part of the BBC’s coronation coverage as our cameras capture history in the making,’ says Kirsty Young.

The newly crowned Charles and Camilla will make their way back to the palace at 1pm. They will be celebrated by crowds in The Mall, pictured

GOOD MORNING BRITAIN 

6AM-8.30AM, ITV1 AND ITVX

ITV coverage kicks off early as Susanna Reid launches the big day with a special edition of GMB live from Westminster Abbey alongside Ben Shephard. 

Guests will be dropping in to share their thoughts, including former Spice Girl Mel B, who’s worked with Camilla, and Jonathan Dimbleby, a man with considerable knowledge of the King having written and presented two acclaimed documentaries about him.

Ranvir Singh will be outside the abbey speaking to guests as they arrive while Kate Garraway will be at Buckingham Palace ahead of the procession. 

Charlotte Hawkins will be with the Armed Forces as they prepare to play their part.

KING CHARLES III: THE CORONATION

8.30AM-3PM, ITV1 AND ITVX

News At Ten presenters Tom Bradby, a man with close royal connections, and Julie Etchingham take over from GMB from a studio outside Buckingham Palace where they’ll anchor six and a half hours of output including the ceremony itself from 10.45am, and the return procession from 1pm.

Mary Nightingale provides commentary as events unfold outside the abbey, and Nina Hossain will be chatting to the gathering crowds on The Mall. 

Charlene White will be reporting from RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire, where the Red Arrows will be preparing for their flypast as the Royal Family appear on the palace balcony. 

At the abbey, James Mates is tasked with explaining some of the traditions and rituals associated with the service, including the anointing of the king’s hands, head and breast with holy oil.

‘It’s a significant moment in our country’s history and one that will take place in a special building,’ says Julie Etchingham. 

‘The sacred centrepiece at Westminster Abbey stretches back through the centuries. It’ll be the setting for a day to remember.’ 

Julie’s also confident that ITV can triumph as the three main broadcasters do battle.

‘We’ll bring you all the best pictures and we’ll be joined by unrivalled experts providing all you need to know. From the build-up in the morning to the balcony moment and the flypast – you won’t miss a thing.’

Julie, who’s covered all the major state occasions of the last decade for ITV, believes the Coronation will provide a moment for the nation to reflect on its past – and look ahead with confidence to its future. 

‘It will be a time of contemplation,’ she says, ‘A chance to consider the past but also to think about life in the future, in our country, under our new king.’

An hour-long highlights show will be available to view on ITVX on Saturday evening and there’s live signing of the coronation ceremony on ITV3 for deaf viewers.

THE CORONATION

6AM-5PM, SKY NEWS

While the BBC has long been considered the nation’s broadcaster of choice for major state occasions, Sky reckons it can more than match its rival for insight and expert analysis. 

Its impressive line-up of special guests during a marathon 11-hour broadcast includes Dame Joanna Lumley – who will join the Sky team both before and after attending the ceremony in person as a guest of King Charles and the Queen – and Sir Anthony Seldon, biographer of five recent British prime ministers.

Sky News royal commentator Alastair Bruce will cover the ceremonial service itself from 11am.

News anchor Kay Burley will be outside Westminster Abbey from 6am, with Anna Botting live from the palace from 9am. Her guests include Patrick Harrison, who was Charles’s press secretary for 11 years.

Mark Austin will take over for the first part of the evening shift (which runs from 5pm-11pm), looking back at the key moments; from 8pm Gillian Joseph presents highlights of the Coronation and how it was marked around the UK; and Jonathan Samuels narrates a highlights package at 9pm.

SUNDAY 7 MAY

CORONATION KITCHEN LIVE

10.30AM-12NOON, BBC1 AND iPLAYER

Chef Adam Byatt, pictured meeting Charles in 2021, will be on Coronation Kitchen Live at 10:30am on Sunday

The future king was disappointed when he visited Trinity restaurant in Clapham, south London, in summer 2021. 

‘One of my team offered him a glass of water and he declined it, saying he was upset it wasn’t gin,’ laughs Trinity owner and chef Adam Byatt. ‘It showed what a great sense of humour he has.’ 

Now the award-winning chef has the chance to re-create some of the savoury canapes he served to Charles that day on Coronation Kitchen Live, while Irish chef and Morning Live regular Anna Haugh will create dishes offering a modern twist on some historical royal recipes. 

Matt Tebbutt, the regular host of Saturday Kitchen, rustles up goodies he reckons will be perfect for the Coronation Big Lunch. 

Matt will also cook the official dish, Coronation Quiche, while the Mail’s wine expert Helen McGinn offers the perfect tipples to toast the new king with.

SONGS OF PRAISE: A CORONATION CELEBRATION

12NOON-12.30PM, BBC1 AND iPLAYER 

Hosted by Katherine Jenkins, Songs of Praise: A Coronation Celebration will explore how the King’s faith and spirituality will shape his reign

To mark the Coronation, host Katherine Jenkins visits the magnificent Hampton Court Palace as she explores how the King’s faith and spirituality will shape his reign.

Meanwhile, long-time Songs Of Praise presenter Pam Rhodes will be speaking to broadcaster and friend of the King Jonathan Dimbleby about how Charles’s Christianity and interest in other faiths may influence his role as monarch.

CORONATION: THE UK CELEBRATES – LIVE

12.30PM-2.05PM, BBC1 AND iPLAYER

Familiar BBC faces including Breakfast’s Jon Kay and Carol Kirkwood will be dropping in on Big Lunches and street parties from Mortlake to Morecambe, talking to revellers about their festivities and no doubt sampling a few Coronation Quiches along the way.

ANTIQUES ROADSHOW: ROYAL TREASURES

7PM-8PM, BBC1 AND iPLAYER 

Antiques Roadshow’s Fiona Bruce will host a special episode dedicated to regal moments in the programme’s 44-year history

Remember when a piece of the Queen’s wedding cake, valued at £1,000 by expert Marc Allum, appeared on Antiques Roadshow during the special Diamond Jubilee edition in 2012? 

It’s just one of hundreds of precious items with a royal connection that have been valued during the show’s 44-year history, and this glorious ramble down memory lane presented by Fiona Bruce will look at some of those special regal moments.

The episode will also explore the tradition of royal presents, including exquisitely crafted treasures that have been given by kings and queens to trusted members of staff such as a gold bracelet gifted by Queen Victoria to a lady-in-waiting.

THE CORONATION CONCERT

8PM-10PM, BBC1, iPLAYER, RADIO 2 AND BBC SOUNDS 

Now a slimmed-down trio of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen following the departures of Robbie Williams and Jason Orange, Take That  will be playing live for the first time since 2019’s Odyssey tour

Katy Perry, who is an ambassador for the British Asian Trust charity founded by the then Prince Charles in 2007, will also be playing at the Coronation Concert taking place at Windsor Castle 

Lionel Richie is the first global ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, and fans can expect to hear some slick soul music, with Dancing On The Ceiling and Hello among his biggest crowd-pleasers

With a world-class bill that includes veteran superstars, young gunslingers, an American soul icon and a ground-breaking collaboration between some of Britain’s best-loved cultural institutions, the Coronation Concert is shaping up to be a mouthwatering dish to set before a newly crowned king, writes the Mail’s music critic Adrian Thrills.

Hosted by Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville, the spectacular is being staged in front of 20,000 on the East Lawn at Windsor Castle. 

One of the prime attractions of the evening are Take That. Now a slimmed-down trio of Gary Barlow, Howard Donald and Mark Owen following the departures of Robbie Williams and Jason Orange, they will be playing live for the first time since 2019’s Odyssey tour. 

Given the occasion, Greatest Day may well be one hit getting an airing.

A singalong is also virtually guaranteed by Lionel Richie. The American singer is the first global ambassador for the Prince’s Trust, and fans can expect to hear some slick soul music, with Dancing On The Ceiling and Hello among his biggest crowd-pleasers.

Another US star with a royal connection is Katy Perry, an ambassador for the British Asian Trust charity founded by the then Prince Charles in 2007. 

Currently in the middle of a Las Vegas residency that runs until November, Perry is one of pop’s consummate showgirls. 

On the evidence of her last tour in 2018, which I saw, Windsor Castle should ready itself for Day-Glo dancers, fireworks and hits such as I Kissed A Girl and Roar.

Hosted by Downton Abbey star Hugh Bonneville, the concert is being staged in front of 20,000 on the East Lawn at Windsor Castle

Gareth Malone, Motsi Mabuse and Amanda Holden (right-left) mentored the 300 amateur singers selected from the nation’s keenest community choirs to form The Coronation Choir

Elsewhere the line-up is eclectic. There’s a duet from opera star Andrea Bocelli and Welsh bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel, and another from classical pianist Alexis French and BRIT School graduate Freya Ridings, a rising pop singer and the daughter of actor Richard Ridings. 

There’s also a collaboration between the Royal Ballet, Royal Opera, Royal Shakespeare Company, Royal College of Music and Royal College of Art, who have created a show-within-a-show featuring excerpts from Shakespeare – with actors Ncuti Gatwa (the next Doctor in Doctor Who) and Mei Mac – plus music from West Side Story.

The night will also be graced by The Coronation Choir – an ensemble of 300 amateurs from the nation’s keenest community choirs, who’ve been mentored by choirmaster Gareth Malone, Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse and Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden.

With such a stellar cast, there are plenty of performers capable of rising to the occasion. Hugh Bonneville says he couldn’t quite believe it when he was asked to act as host. 

‘I’m delighted to be taking part in this unique event,’ he says. ‘Celebrating the best of musical entertainment in honour of His Majesty’s Coronation. In true British style, come rain or shine it will be a night to remember.’

DID YOU KNOW?

Lighting Up The Nation, the Coronation Concert’s centrepiece, will illuminate iconic UK locations with projections, lasers and drone displays.

JOANNA’S OUR SECRET WEAPON… 

Kay Burley (right) reckons Dame Joanna Lumley could prove to be Sky’s secret weapon, providing insider knowledge after attending the ceremony in person

Kay Burley believes it’s the glittering array of guests Sky will parade on the day that will give it the edge over its rivals, as well as the technology at their disposal. 

‘You’ll be able to see our coverage in ultra high definition,’ she says. ‘That means the diamonds in the Sovereign’s Orb will sparkle just that little bit brighter and the anxiety and then relief on the King’s face will be just that little bit more sharply defined.’ 

She says she hasn’t been suffering from anxiety herself, but is not taking anything for granted, despite more than 40 years of covering royal events, back to Charles and Diana’s wedding. 

‘I’m very aware of the challenge and the work one has to do to prepare. I say to the Sky team, “You are only ever going to need ten per cent of your research but you have to do 100 per cent because you don’t know which ten per cent you’ll need!’ 

Kay says the diamonds in the Sovereign’s Orb will sparkle just that little bit brighter on Sky thanks to their coverage being in ultra high definition

Kay has toured Westminster Abbey with Sky’s royal expert Alastair Bruce, and has been looking out for gems of knowledge that might come in handy on the day. 

‘I’ve absorbed every sort of intelligence I can from all sorts of different places,’ she reveals. ‘There’s been a lot going on.’ 

She reckons Dame Joanna Lumley could prove to be Sky’s secret weapon, providing insider knowledge after attending the ceremony in person. 

‘I was privileged to host the Platinum Jubilee with Joanna, who has that extra depth of knowledge and colour because she knows the Royal Family well. And some of her stories are straight out of the Patsy playbook! ‘She’s very, very knowledgeable and funny in equal measure.’ 

If it were Patsy Stone, Joanna’s Ab Fab character, in Sky’s studio the Bolly would be flowing, but Kay will be sticking to Earl Grey tea. 

‘I need to have my earpiece in so I can hear what my director’s saying, but I also need my cup of Earl Grey in my special Kay Burley At Breakfast mug… with milk because I’m northern. With those two things in place, away I go!’

IF THE WEATHER STAYS FINE, YOU’LL SEE GLAMOUR-RANI!

Anita Rani’s been at so many recent regal events her mum and dad are starting to think she’s part of the extended Royal Family. 

Countryfile and Radio 4 Woman’s Hour host Anita Rani will be talking to people along the procession route about their encounters with the King

‘After covering two royal weddings, the Platinum Jubilee and Her Majesty’s funeral I think they’d have been surprised if I wasn’t working on the Coronation,’ she says. 

‘But just because I did those events it doesn’t mean I won’t be nervous ahead of the Coronation – it’s such a huge occasion. On the day I’ll just focus on the task at hand, and make sure the people I’m going to be talking to feel comfortable. I won’t be flapping.’

Anita will be talking to people along the procession route about their encounters with the King. 

The Bradford-born Countryfile and Radio 4 Woman’s Hour host hasn’t met him, but she has spent time with other members of the Royal Family. 

‘I met the Queen at an event at Buckingham Palace and she made everybody lining up to meet her feel totally at ease by disarming us with her charm. 

‘I also met William, Kate, Harry and Meghan at a charity event I hosted. And Camilla’s a friend of Woman’s Hour, and both she and Charles love Countryfile so they know me, even if I don’t know them!’

Anita says she’s taking no chances on the procession route when it comes to supplies… and outfits. 

‘I’ll have sweets, fruit and water, with Yorkshire Tea on tap – and an umbrella,’ she laughs. ‘And I’ll have various jackets for all eventualities. So some glamorous attire – possibly a sari – but also some more practical clothing.

‘People could see Glamour-Rani if it stays fine, or Countryfile-Rani if it gets wet or cold – quite possibly both at different times of the day!’