BBC One announces Queen’s death and plays national anthem

News of the Queen’s death was announced by Huw Edwards at 6.30pm on BBC One, breaking into programming on the BBC’s other channels. The broadcaster then played the national anthem, in line with a well-rehearsed plan that has been practised regularly in recent years.

Although a statement had been expected in the early evening, broadcasters had only limited advance warning that the confirmation of her death would be announced at 6.30pm.

The BBC’s news division has been holding regular rehearsals on how to cover this moment, not all of which went to plan. On one occasion, in 2015, a BBC journalist announced on Twitter that the Queen had died after mistaking a training exercise for the real event.

There was particular concern within the organisation to avoid the criticism handed out in 2002 when the newsreader Peter Sissons announced the death of the Queen Mother. He was castigated for wearing a burgundy tie during the broadcast, which certain newspapers decided was not suitably respectful to the royal.

On Thursday afternoon Edwards was wearing a dark suit, white shirt and black tie – in line with the corporation’s on-air dress code for when a royal family member dies – while his colleague Clive Myrie was wearing a blue tie.

Setting the tone of the coverage is the first big test for the new BBC News boss, Deborah Turness, who officially started her job on Monday.

Earlier, the BBC’s main channel had interrupted Bargain Hunt just after 12.30pm to deliver a statement from Buckingham Palace that said doctors were concerned for her health, and it continued with a BBC News special.

ITV also suspended programming on its main channel to provide rolling updates.

The 96-year-old monarch, who broke with tradition to remain at her summer home of Balmoral to greet the new prime minister, Liz Truss, this week, had been suffering from “episodic mobility problems” since last year.

The Queen’s death is expected to disrupt broadcast radio and television schedules for several weeks, with many shows cancelled or postponed.

Broadcasters face a delicate balancing act between marking the historic moment and not causing modern audiences to switch off or turn to other forms of media. Last year the BBC received its highest-ever number of complaints about its wall-to-wall coverage of Prince Philip’s death.

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