The line-up of special shows and presenters for the TV coverage of the Queen's Platinum Jubilee has been revealed by the BBC and there Welsh presenters will be front and centre as part of the celebrations. The milestone, which celebrates Queen Elizabeth II's 70 years on the throne, will be marked across television, radio, BBC News, iPlayer and Sounds with content from all over the UK.
Llanelli-born Huw Edwards will be one of the main presenters during the coverage as he hosts a series of special programmes, including Platinum Jubilee: Trooping the Colour and Platinum Beacons: Lighting Up The Jubilee. Meanwhile, Kirsty Young and Roman Kemp will lead coverage of the Platinum Party at the Palace. The biggest names from across the BBC will also host a variety of programmes celebrating The Queen’s extraordinary 70-year reign.
As part of the celebrations, the country will have a four-day weekend with a special bank holiday to celebrate the platinum jubilee, too. The spring bank holiday will take place on Thursday, June 2, followed by the extra one, called the platinum jubilee bank holiday, on Friday, June 3. The bank holiday is marking an unprecedented anniversary as it is the first time a British monarch has reached a platinum jubilee on the throne.
During the Platinum Party at the Palace, reporters from across the country will cover the historic celebration - including Morning Live's Gethin Jones in Wales. Gethin is no stranger to royal coverage as he previously played a part in the Queen's 80th Birthday celebrations in 2006. There will also be special programmes throughout the Jubilee weekend including The Queens Jubilee Pudding: 70 Years in the Baking, Bargain Hunt and The Repair Shop specials, and a Songs of Praise Jubilee special featuring Caernarfonshire's Aled Jones.
A special episode of EastEnders will also air, on Thursday, June 2, with the Albert Square residents pulling out all the stops for a street party.
BBC Chief Content Officer, Charlotte Moore says, “The BBC is marking The Queen’s momentous Platinum Jubilee in spectacular style with an unprecedented range of special programming. In celebration of Her Majesty’s seventy years of service the BBC will bring the people of the UK together with something for everyone to commemorate this historic anniversary culminating on the extended bank holiday weekend.”
BBC Wales News services will reflect how communities across Wales are marking the event and have commissioned special reports to provide analysis and the historical context to the Jubilee from a Welsh perspective.
On BBC Radio Wales - The Queen and Wales programme will mark the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen's accession to the throne; and Felicity Evans will take a look back Her Majesty’s life through archived sounds and personal memories of her many trips to Wales.
Children's telly will also be marking the weekend as CBBC celebrates with a Blue Peter Jubilee takeover special at 5pm on Friday, June 3 as well as two Saturday Mash-Up Jubilee specials on the weekend of June 4 and 5, from 9am.
Some key Welsh jubilee TV moments
- Platinum Jubilee: Trooping the Colour - Starting off the special extended Bank Holiday Jubilee weekend on BBC One, Huw Edwards, Kirsty Young and JJ Chalmers will present the Jubilee Special of Trooping the Colour, from Buckingham Palace along The Mall to Horse Guards Parade where the military spectacle will take place. The morning’s events celebrate Her Majesty’s 70 years on the throne with an expected appearance of members of the Royal Family expected on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. (June 2)
- Platinum Beacons: Lighting up the Jubilee - The first day of the Platinum Jubilee will be marked by the traditional lighting of beacons across the Nation and Commonwealth. Around the country, communities will be coming together to light more than 1,500 beacons to celebrate The Queen’s 70-year reign, and a principal beacon will be lit at Buckingham Palace. Presented by Kirsty Young, with reporters across the country to cover this historic celebration, including Jermaine Jenas at Buckingham Palace, Gethin Jones in Wales, Carol Kirkwood in Scotland, and Holly Hamilton in Northern Ireland. (June 2)
- Alex Jones leads the The One Show and the team will be putting together two special shows for the Platinum Jubilee on Thursday and Friday, looking ahead and celebrating all the different events being held in communities up and down the country. As well as being a guide to everything that will be coming up over the weekend with great guests and exclusive behind the scenes content. (June 2)
- On BBC Radio Wales, The Queen and Wales, will mark the 70th anniversary of Her Majesty The Queen's accession to the throne; Felicity Evans looks back on her life through archived sounds and personal memories of her many trips to Wales. From her most recent Senedd visit right back to the charming scale model of a Welsh cottage donated to her as a young girl. It’s a chance to view her long and colourful reign through the Welsh national perspective.
Are you excited for the Queen's Platinum Jubilee celebrations? Let us know in the comments.
