TV schedules suspended following death of Queen Elizabeth II
TV schedules have been suspended in the wake of the death of Queen Elizabeth II.
News broke at 6:30PM that Her Majesty passed away earlier today (8 September).
The news was broken across TV and radio stations, with Huw Edwards making the sad announcement live on BBC One.
In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon.
“The King and the Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.”
In wake of the announcement, programming has been suspended across the BBC One and Two, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5.
BBC Three and BBC Four are not airing while all BBC radio stations are broadcasting an ongoing news special.
At the time of writing, regular scheduled programming is continuing on digital channels including ITV2 and E4.
There’s no word yet on when schedules will return to normal with significant changes expected over the next couple of weeks at least.
In a joint statement, BBC Chairman Richard Sharp and Director-General Tim Davie said: “On behalf of everyone at the BBC we offer our deepest condolences to the Royal Family following the death of Her Majesty The Queen.
“Her Majesty was the absolute embodiment of public service. She was a unifying figure across generations, communities and borders, who represented the very best of our nation.
“We are grateful at the BBC to have witnessed, recorded and shared so many of the special moments in her long life and reign.
“She will always be remembered with the greatest affection and admiration.”
Acceding to the throne on the death of his mother, King Charles III, said: “The death of my beloved Mother, Her Majesty The Queen, is a moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family.
“We mourn profoundly the passing of a cherished Sovereign and a much-loved Mother. I know her loss will be deeply felt throughout the country, the Realms and the Commonwealth, and by countless people around the world.
“During this period of mourning and change, my family and I will be comforted and sustained by our knowledge of the respect and deep affection in which the Queen was so widely held.”
