BBC: Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Coverage
The BBC is to broadcast an array of television coverage for The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee from Friday 1st June to Tuesday 5th June.
“A series of epic events in 2012 will make this an unprecedented year for the country and for the BBC,” said George Entwistle, Director of BBC Vision.
“Our coverage will aim to bring the whole nation together and deliver all the excitement of having a front row seat for every moment.”
Friday 1st June
A Jubilee Tribute to The Queen by The Prince of Wales, 8pm – 9pm, BBC One
As part of the Diamond Jubilee weekend, BBC One will broadcast a personal tribute to Her Majesty The Queen by His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. In this unique film The Prince will reflect on various public events and private family moments during the 60 years of The Queen’s reign, and will explore previously unseen photographs and cine films from Her Majesty’s private collection – many of them shot by The Queen herself.
Saturday 2 June
How To Paint A Queen – A Culture Show Special, 8:20pm – 9:20pm, BBC Two
Our galleries abound with paintings of Kings – thrusting, strident displays of dominance, power and the divine right to rule – the royal portrait is a crucial tool of propaganda and control. But painting a queen is a trickier proposition. How do you harness all the powers of the image when your monarch is female? How do you create a portrait of a ruler that meets the exacting criteria for what a respectable woman should be? How can you be passive but dominant? Beautiful but warlike? How do you represent an older woman as a powerful ruler? The world of Queenly portraiture is replete with contradictions.
Through several portraits of Elizabeth II and looking back at images of six previous British queens, Alastair Sooke will examine how artists have tackled these questions over the last 500 years and tell the story of Britain’s changing ideas about women, the monarchy and power. This programme will be shown on BBC Two on Saturday 2 June.
Sunday 3 June
The Diamond Jubilee Thames Pageant, 1:30pm – 6pm BBC One, BBC News Channel.
Huw Edwards, Matt Baker and Sophie Raworth will host live coverage of one of the biggest events of the year, the diamond jubilee Thames pageant.
For the first time in 350 years, a flotilla of 1,000 boats will sail down the River Thames from Battersea to Tower Bridge in celebration of Her Majesty the Queen’s 60-year reign.
The Queen will lead the floating procession in an ornately-decorated royal barge.
A team of presenters will be reporting on this historic event from bridges, banks and boats along the seven-mile route.
Special guests include Sue Johnston, Omid Djalili, Griff Rhys Jones, Frank Skinner, Richard E Grant, the Horrible Histories team, and some of the many people from across the UK and the Commonwealth who have made their way to London to take part in this extraordinary pageant.
Gary Barlow: On Her Majesty’s Service, 7:30pm – 8:30pm, BBC One
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Gary Barlow are working together to compose a special song to celebrate The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, which will feature artists and contributors from the UK and the Commonwealth.
The result of their collaboration will be performed at the star-studded Diamond Jubilee Concert outside Buckingham Palace on 4 June.
To help create this unique piece of music, Gary has embarked on a journey around the world to discover what The Queen means to the ordinary people of the Commonwealth.
The challenge will be to not only explore the different musical cultures and traditions of these Commonwealth nations, but he will also look at the importance of The Queen to the Commonwealth.
Monday 4th June
Diamond Jubilee Concert, 7:30pm – 10:45pm, BBC One
The BBC and Gary Barlow are bringing together a galaxy of great musicians from the last 60 years of rock, pop and classical music, on a stunning stage built around The Queen Victoria Memorial, right in front of Buckingham Palace.
Along with The BBC Concert Orchestra, artists taking part include Shirley Bassey, Alfie Boe, Renée Fleming, Jools Holland, Jessie J, JLS, Elton John, Grace Jones, Tom Jones, Lang Lang, Annie Lennox, Madness, Paul McCartney, Kylie Minogue, Cliff Richard, Ed Sheeran, Robbie Williams and Stevie Wonder – all performing their most popular songs. Hosts include Lenny Henry, Miranda Hart, Rob Brydon and Lee Mack.
Tuesday 5th June
Service of Thanksgiving and Royal Procession, 9:15am – 1pm, then 1:30pm – 3:45pm BBC One, BBC News Channel
The final day of the Diamond Jubilee weekend, Tuesday 5 June, is a State Occasion and will be marked by a National Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral, attended by The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh together with other members of the Royal Family.
Commentary from St Paul’s will be provided by James Naughtie. Sophie Raworth will be reporting from St Paul’s; Fiona Bruce will be at the Palace of Westminster; and Chris Hollins and Sonali Shah will be in The Mall. Fearne Cotton and Jake Humphrey will be taking a lighter look at the events of the day; and Clare Balding will be at the Knightsbridge Barracks meeting new trainees of the Household Cavalry who have been learning to ride in time for this historical day.
Following a reception at Mansion House and a Diamond Jubilee lunch in the Palace of Westminster, the route from there to Buckingham Palace will be lined by thousands of well-wishers as The Queen and other senior members of the Royal Family travel in a formal carriage procession. The King’s Troop RHA pays tribute with a 60 gun salute from Horse Guards Parade.
The Royal Family will appear on the balcony to and watch the RAF fly past and a Feu de Joie – a cascade of rifle fire by The Queen’s Guard.
The coverage will be anchored by Huw Edwards, who says: “The Diamond Jubilee weekend is set to make the summer of 2012 one of the best ever. I am delighted to be playing my part in the BBC’s comprehensive coverage of the events. Our only goal is to engage and entertain our viewers, who watched the BBC in such massive numbers last year for the Royal Wedding.”
Rolf Paints… The Diamond Jubilee, 6:30pm – 7:30pm, BBC One
In celebration of HM The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, BBC One’s Rolf Paints… The Diamond Jubilee, sees Rolf Harris with Anneka Rice and a team of 60 inspiring artists as they try to capture 60 years of Royal history on canvas.
Rolf will be throwing open the doors of his specially constructed ‘Pop Up Art School’ to artists of all ages and abilities as, for one day only, they set up easel and pick up their brushes to pay tribute to our Queen.
Joining Rolf is amateur artist Anneka Rice. Not only will she be painting, but she’ll also face a huge challenge; because as soon as the artists put down their brushes she will need to work through the night to transform the venue into a free Pop Up Art Gallery ready for the public to view the paintings over the Jubilee weekend.
