Channel 4 reveals broadcast plan instead of Queen’s funeral as BBC, ITV and Sky air event live-Meghna Amin-Entertainment – Metro

The Queen’s funeral takes place on Monday (Picture: CARL COURT/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Channel 4 has announced broadcast plans during the Queen’s funeral on Monday, as Sky, ITV and BBC are set to air the event live.

The late monarch will be laid to rest on Monday, September 19, at Westminster Abbey, London, 10 days after her death on Thursday, September 8.

In the UK, coverage of Her Majesty’s funeral will air on BBC One, BBC News, and BBC iPlayer, while ITV will air the event live and uninterrupted on its main channel and simultaneously on all of its digital channels.

But, Channel 4 will not be broadcasting the funeral, and instead will show 1953 documentary A Queen Is Crowned.

The technicolour programme, narrated by Sir Laurence Olivier, was previously nominated for an Oscar.

A Channel 4 spokesman said to Metro.co.uk: ‘On the day Britain says farewell to its longest serving monarch, Channel 4 will be airing A Queen Is Crowned, the classic 1953 documentary about her coronation, so that viewers can experience both the beginning and end of her remarkable reign.

‘Following the service, Channel 4 will also broadcast two extended editions of Channel 4 News as well as the 1943 Vera Lynn film, We’ll Meet Again.’

The Queen’s coffin lies in state in Westminster (Picture: Christopher Furlong / POOL / AFP) (Photo by CHRISTOPHER FURLONG/POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

BBC, Sky and ITV will be airing the funeral live (Picture: Odd ANDERSEN / POOL / AFP)

Channel 4’s TV schedule for September 19 will also see the broadcaster observe the two-minute silence.

There will be two 90-minute Channel 4 News broadcasts during the day, with a special edition at 1.25pm and a second programme at 7pm, and from 8.30pm onwards the schedule includes Jamie’s One Pan Wonders, First Dates and Walter Presents: Sisterhood.

Since the announcement of the death of the Queen, Channel 4 has broadcast a number of extended editions of Channel 4 News, documentaries and a specially-commissioned live discussion programme hosted by Andrew Neil.

It is predicted that more than 4billion viewers will be tuning in to watch the Queen’s funeral.

Carolina Beltramo, TV analyst at WatchTVAbroad.com, predicts: ‘Such is the love and admiration for Queen Elizabeth II around the world that her funeral is destined to be the biggest live TV event in history.

‘Generations of people across the globe won’t have been alive the last time pomp and pageantry were seen on this scale. While it’s a sad occasion, they can be forgiven for being enthralled by a spectacle that echoes throughout history. For that reason alone they’ll be drawn to witness the dawn of this new age in their billions.

‘No fewer than 4.1billion people are expected to tune in on Monday to witness this historic moment as half the people on planet Earth pause to pay their respects.’

Prince Philip’s funeral, which took place on April 17, 2021, was watched by over 13 million people in the UK.

Prior to the Duke Of Edinburgh, the last major royal funeral to be televised was that of the Queen Mother in April 2002.

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In that instance around 5.1m viewers watched on BBC One while 2.7 million watched on ITV – however her funeral took place on a Tuesday morning, while Philip’s was on a Saturday afternoon, at a time when more people were able to watch.

Princess Diana’s funeral in September 1997 was also televised, and was watched by over 32 million people.

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