Dame Helen Mirren, Damian Lewis, Omid Djalili and Tom Cruise lead an all-star cast of British and international talent celebrating Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. This celebratory event will be broadcast live on ITV from the private grounds of Windsor Castle on Sunday 15th May and is the first televised event to mark this historic occasion.
Phillip Schofield and Julie Etchingham will host the live ITV broadcast ‘The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration’ which will feature guests including Adjoa Andoh, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ant & Dec, Dame Joan Collins, Sir Mo Farah, Dame Maureen Lipman, Sir David Jason, Alan Titchmarsh, Dame Kelly Holmes, Moira Stuart and Sir Trevor McDonald with special performances from Keala Settle, Gregory Porter, Katherine Jenkins as they pay tribute to The Queen’s remarkable 70 years of service.
The theatrical arena event will include 1300 performers and 500 horses and is made up of four acts, each overseen by a different event host- confirmed to be Tom Cruise, Damian Lewis, Adjoa Andoh and Alan Titchmarsh respectively. The Celebration will take viewers on a gallop through history, from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I through to the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II, culminating in a grand finale.
Dame Helen Mirren will take on the role of Queen Elizabeth I, whilst a cast of ‘Queen’s Players’ will be introduced by a character called ‘The Herald’ played by Omid Djalili. The Herald will whisk viewers through time linking the acts together, narrating and anchoring the stories and making light of some of the absurdities history presents us with.
Each act will reflect on key moments in history including Elizabeth I’s Tilbury Speech and James I and the Gunpowder Plot. The Commonwealth will also be celebrated as well as the four nations within the United Kingdom. All of this will be interspersed with a number of military and equestrian displays from around the world including Azerbaijan, India, Oman, France, Norway, Switzerland and Trinidad & Tobago.
Music will be provided by a 75-piece orchestra comprised of Tri-Service personnel and augmented with members of The National Symphony Orchestra with special performances from Keala Settle, Gregory Porter and Katherine Jenkins. The Musical Director will be the multi-award winning composer, Debbie Wiseman whilst The Principal Director for Music will be Lieutenant Colonel Jason Burcham RM.
Katie Rawcliffe, Head of ITV Entertainment Commissioning said “We’re thrilled to be broadcasting the first televised event for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee here on ITV. To mark this momentous occasion, we’ll be bringing the nation a celebratory, star-studded show, complete with show-stopping performances and an epic journey through history, told by some of the most well-renowned and respected names in film and television.”
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Celebration has been commissioned by ITV’s Katie Rawcliffe, Head of ITV Entertainment Commissioning and Louise Major, Commissioning Editor, Entertainment. The programme is produced by Penny Lane Entertainment, Spun Gold Television and The HPower Group. From the team behind the BAFTA award Queen's 90th Birthday Celebration, the arena event is created and executive produced by Simon Brooks-Ward whilst the broadcast event is executive produced by Sue Andrew, Lee Connolly and Nick Bullen. The arena event will be directed for television by Chris Power, whilst the presentation transmission will be directed by Simon Staffurth.
The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee will be broadcast live from the private grounds of Windsor Castle on Sunday 15th May on ITV and ITV Hub.
