BBC UNVEIL PLANS FOR PLATINUM BEACONS: LIGHTING UP THE JUBILEE SPECIAL

The first day of the Platinum Jubilee - Thursday 2nd June, will be marked by the traditional lighting of beacons across the Nation and Commonwealth and sees communities coming together to light around 3,000 beacons to celebrate The Queen’s 70-year reign.

As the principal beacon is illuminated at Buckingham Palace, Grammy Award-winning, singer-songwriter Gregory Porter will perform a specially composed song “A Life Lived with Grace” accompanied by the London Community Gospel Choir.

Gregory Porter, says “I am so excited to be part of this important celebration of the lighting of thousands of beacons across the UK and the Commonwealth.”

The brand-new song is the winner of the Commonwealth Resounds competition and will be performed by choirs across all 54 Commonwealth countries. The winning song writers are Vincent Atuyei Chinemelu, from Nigeria who composed the music, and Lucy Kiely from Australia who wrote the lyrics.

Platinum Beacons: Lighting Up The Jubilee will be presented by Kirsty Young with reporters across the UK covering this historic celebration, Jermaine Jenas will be based at Buckingham Palace, Gethin Jones in Wales, Carol Kirkwood in Scotland, and Holly Hamilton in Northern Ireland.

The broadcast will also include highlights from the day’s ceremony of Trooping the Colour. For the first time ever, beacons will be lit in every capital city of the Commonwealth.

The Principal Beacon will be lit outside Buckingham Palace by a Senior Member of the Royal Family during the broadcast, which will be on BBC One from 20.00-22.00 BST.

BBC Studios Productions are producing the live broadcast on behalf of the BBC and Buckingham Palace.