The poignant and deeply moving Festival of Remembrance returns to the Royal Albert Hall for 2025, offering the nation a chance to come together in reflection. This annual event, a cornerstone of the remembrance period, will be broadcast live to millions of homes across the UK, honouring the service and sacrifice of the Armed Forces community.
How to Watch the Festival of Remembrance on TV
For those wishing to pay their respects from home, the BBC will provide comprehensive live coverage. The broadcast is scheduled to begin at 9pm on Saturday evening on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.
This places it after popular Saturday night shows like Strictly Come Dancing and The Wheel. Ensuring the event is accessible to all, a version with British Sign Language will be available via the Red Button service and on iPlayer.
Host and Star-Studded Musical Lineup
This year's ceremony will be hosted by the award-winning actress and singer Hannah Waddingham, renowned for her role in Ted Lasso and for co-hosting Eurovision in Liverpool.
The musical performances promise to be both powerful and uplifting, featuring an impressive roster of artists. Attendees and viewers can expect to see Sir Rod Stewart, Blessing Offor, Sam Ryder, Keala Settle, and The Wellermen take to the stage.
As always, military music will form a central pillar of the event, with awe-inspiring displays from The Central Band of the RAF, The RAF Squadronaires, The King’s Colour Squadron, and The Band of HM Royal Marines.
Commemorating Significant Anniversaries
The 2025 Festival will hold special significance as it commemorates the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, paying tribute to the courage of a generation.
Personal stories from more recent conflicts will also be shared, connecting past sacrifices with the present day. A special focus will be placed on the resilience of military children who have experienced bereavement.
Furthermore, the event will mark the 25th anniversary of the UK Government lifting the ban on gay, lesbian, and bisexual personnel serving openly in the armed forces. The Festival will reflect on past discrimination while celebrating the progress made since the year 2000.
The ceremony will reach its traditional, solemn peak as the iconic poppies fall during a two-minute silence, observed by Members of the Royal Family, veterans, and the entire nation in a unified act of remembrance.
