The corporation will mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day with a wide-ranging slate of special programming across television, radio, online and archive and reporting from BBC News. Coverage begins with VE Day 80: The Nation Pays Tribute, a live broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer of the military procession and flypast from London presented by Sophie Raworth on Thursday, May 8th.
Tim Davie CBE, Director-General of the BBC:
“VE Day stands as a powerful reminder of the courage, sacrifice, and resilience shown by so many during one of history’s darkest times. At the BBC, we are proud to bring the nation together to pay tribute to the WWII generation and ensure their legacy is remembered.”
The commemorations continue with The Nation Remembers, a service of thanksgiving from Westminster Abbey, followed in the evening by A Celebration to Remember presented by Zoe Ball, featuring stories of veterans, live performances, and special guests.
In addition on BBC One there will be special editions of BBC Breakfast, Morning Live, The One Show, Antiques Roadshow, The Repair Shop, EastEnders and Saturday Kitchen as well as Who Do You Think You Are, sharing moving personal stories, cherished items, and tributes to wartime resilience.
BBC Two’s VE Day plans include VE Day 80: We Were There, featuring personal accounts from the last surviving veterans of WWII, and Dad’s Army at the BBC, showcasing rare, classic clips of the beloved sitcom’s cast in unique, off-screen moments.
BBC Four presents a reflective season spanning May to August, exploring WWII’s major moments, from Dunkirk to Hiroshima, revisiting landmark documentaries with newly curated insights providing powerful context.
To commemorate VE Day’s 80th anniversary, BBC Radio 2 will feature a special concert on May 8 at the Alexandra Palace Theatre, hosted by Vernon Kay, with the BBC Big Band, BBC Concert Orchestra, and guest vocalists performing wartime classics, including hits by Doris Day and Vera Lynn, and a singalong of British favourites. Additionally, Vernon Kay will host a special VE Day Tea Party in Yorkshire on May 8, while Dermot O’Leary presents Sounds of the 40s on BBC Sounds.
Other Radio coverage includes special editions of Radio 3 in Concert and Friday Night is Music Night, thrilling new drama Victory at Ambridge on Radio 4 as well as live coverage from Canada Gate and Westminster Abbey on Radio 5 Live.
Sophie Raworth:
“VE Day is the moment in which we can reflect on the whole war effort, not just those who fought abroad but also those who served on the Home Front. Many people still remember the day itself, the celebrations on the streets hearing the news that Germany had surrendered and the relief felt by millions that air raids were over.”
BBC Children’s and Education will deliver a range of engaging content for young audiences to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day.
Online, BBC History shares a special digital collection as part of ‘100 Voices that Made the BBC’ capturing the atmosphere of VE Day through broadcast archives and personal testimony. BBC Archive contributes a wealth of curated content, from digitised photographs and rare audio and new Radio 4 documentaries.
