BBC Huw Edwards and ITV Tom Bradby go head-to-head for Queen's funeral

BBC’s Huw Edwards and ITV’s Tom Bradby will go head-to-head as the two broadcasters battle it out for viewers tuning in to the Queen’s funeral

  • Queen Elizabeth II: The State Funeral will air on both channels on Monday
  • Bradby, 55, and Julie Etchingham, 53, against Edwards and Fergal Keane, both 61
  •  ITV has confirmed there will be no adverts, putting it in direct competition
  • The Queen’s funeral: All the latest Royal Family news and coverage

Huw Edwards and Tom Bradby will go head-to-head as the BBC and ITV battle it out for viewers of their coverage of the Queen’s funeral.

ITV has confirmed there will be no advertisements on its channels on Monday – putting it in direct competition with the advert-free national broadcaster.

From 9.30am, Queen Elizabeth II: The State Funeral will be hosted by Bradby, 55, and Julie Etchingham, 53, while Edwards and Fergal Keane, both 61, will present for the BBC. ITV’s coverage, from 6am to midnight, will be cast on its main channel, five digital channels and ITV Hub.

Both broadcasters will air the funeral service at Westminster Abbey, the procession to Wellington Arch, the Queen’s final journey and committal at Windsor.

Kirsty Young, 53, and David Dimbleby, 83, will help present the BBC’s coverage, which starts at 8am, from Windsor. ITV’s Mary Nightingale, 59, will report from the abbey, with royal editor Chris Ship in London and Windsor.


Huw Edwards (left) and Tom Bradby (right) will go head-to-head as the BBC and ITV battle it out for viewers of their coverage of the Queen’s funeral

On the BBC, reporting will take place from other important areas during the day with Sophie Raworth, 54, in Parliament Square, Anita Rani, 44, at the Long Walk at Windsor and JJ Chalmers, 35, at Wellington Barracks.

Scottish broadcaster Allan Little will offer a first-hand account from inside Westminster Abbey while sports radio presenter Eleanor Oldroyd will be inside St George’s Chapel.

BBC stars including Naga Munchetty, Ken Bruce, Mishal Husain, Emma Barnett, Clive Myrie and Adele Roberts will also commentate from various points along the procession route and royal correspondent Jonny Dymond will provide analysis throughout.

The BBC’s special programme will air from 8am to 5pm on BBC One and iPlayer, while BBC Two will show BSL signed coverage.

BBC World Service English will broadcast the main events of the procession, the funeral and the committal service.

For radio listeners, a special programme presented by Martha Kearney will air on BBC Sounds, BBC Radio 4, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Radio Wales and BBC Radio Scotland.

BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 3 will broadcast the State Funeral Service at 11am, and BBC Radio 3 will also broadcast the Committal Service at 4pm.

All of the BBC’s live stations will observe the two-minute silence during the funeral service.

On ITV, Rageh Omaar, 55, will report from Wellington Barracks with the armed forces, Nina Hossain, 47, will be on the Long Walk in Windsor speaking to people paying their respects, while Charlene White, 42, will be with mourners in London.

ITV’s programming will start with a special edition of Good Morning Britain and the day’s events will be followed by ITV Regional News and an extended Evening News.

Two documentaries will be shown from 7.30pm: Queen Elizabeth II: A Nation Remembers will chronicle the lead-up to the funeral while the second programme narrated by ITV News’ James Mates will focus on the day’s events.

An extended News at Ten presented by Bradby will follow.

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