The BBC marks Remembrance Week 2026

The BBC will once again mark the significance of Remembrance Week 2026 with a wealth of programming across the organisation. This includes live coverage of the Royal British Legion’s Festival of Remembrance at the Royal Albert Hall and the National Service of Remembrance at The Cenotaph, featuring senior members of the Royal Family.

This year’s theme is Places of Remembrance, which aligns with the BBC’s mission of bringing people together, and will be represented in all facets of our coverage. Audiences can follow events across BBC News, BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds, as well as live on BBC One.

Matt Brittin, the BBC Director General says: “Remembrance Sunday is such an important moment of pause and reflection. Our programming aims to bring people together, to pay tribute to the bravery and sacrifices of members of the armed forces, past and present.”

Audio Described commentary of the live events is available via the Red Button and BBC iPlayer, while commentary-free coverage of the live events at the Cenotaph will also be available on iPlayer.

BBC Press Office

TV and BBC iPlayer

The Royal British Legion's Festival of Remembrance 2026

Senior members of the Royal Family join veterans, serving personnel and their families at London's Royal Albert Hall for the Royal British Legion's Festival of Remembrance.

Hosted by Clive Myrie, the evening features performances from an outstanding line-up of musical talent, including Alfie Boe, James Emmanuel, Mica Paris, Rita Wilson and Tom Odell, alongside stirring performances from The Band of The Royal Air Force Regiment and The Bands of HM Royal Marines Portsmouth (Royal Band) and Collingwood.

Through powerful personal stories, the Festival reflects on the experiences of those whose lives have been shaped by conflict. In a year marking significant anniversaries of operations in Bosnia, the end of the Gulf War and the Iraq War, we hear from those who served, those who lost loved ones and the families who continue to live with the impact of military service. Their experiences resonate with those of serving families today, as they share the realities of deployment and separation in 2026.

This year's Festival will spotlight Places of Remembrance, exploring how the places we associate with those we have lost can hold profound personal meaning. From national memorials and familiar landmarks to gardens, football pitches and quiet corners of everyday life, people from across the UK share the places where they remember and feel close to loved ones who are no longer with them.

As the Festival draws to a close, the Royal Albert Hall observes a two-minute silence, as poppies fall in a moving tribute to all those who have served and sacrificed.

Accessible commentary will be available by selecting Audio Description on your TV or BBC iPlayer. A version with British Sign Language will also be available on Red Button and iPlayer.

The Royal British Legion's Festival of Remembrance 2026 is made by BBC Studios Events Productions for BBC One and iPlayer. The Executive Producer is Rosheen Archer and the Commissioning Editor is Mark Harrison.

Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph

Sophie Raworth and Petroc Trelawny present live coverage from London as members of the Royal Family lead the Remembrance Sunday commemorations at the Cenotaph.

Senior members of the Royal Family will be joined on Whitehall by leading UK politicians, alongside representatives of the armed forces, the Commonwealth, and faith communities, for the two-minute silence at 11 o’clock and the National Service of Remembrance.

This is followed by the annual wreath laying and the historic march past of 10 000 veterans as the nation remembers all those who have died serving their country.

Accessible commentary will be available by selecting Audio Description on your TV or BBC iPlayer. A version with British Sign Language will also be available on Red Button and iPlayer.

Remembrance Sunday: The Cenotaph is made by BBC Studios Events Productions for BBC One and iPlayer. The Executive Producer is Amanda Lyon and the Commissioning Editor is Mark Harrison.

BBC News

National Service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph

Sunday 8 November, BBC World Service, 10.30am - 11.30am

Paddy O’Connell sets the scene in London's Whitehall for the solemn ceremony when the nation remembers the sacrifice made by so many in the two world wars and in other more recent conflicts.

The traditional music of remembrance is played by the massed bands. After the Two Minutes Silence and Last Post, wreaths are laid at the foot of the Cenotaph by members of the British Royal Family, political leaders and representatives of Commonwealth countries, before a short Service of Remembrance.

Wednesday 11 November, 11am

The News Channel will broadcast the two-minute silence, held across the country at 11am on Armistice Day, with coverage across BBC News, BBC Breakfast and BBC News at One.

Radio and BBC Sounds

Radio 2

Good Morning Sunday

Sunday 8 November, 6am-9am

The Reverend Kate Bottley and Jason Mohammad reflect on Remembrance Sunday with Pause For Thought from the Bishop of Manchester, The Right Reverend Dr David Walker.

Radio 3

Words and Music: Sounds of Silence

Sunday 8 November, 7.45pm – 9pm

To mark Armistice Day, Words and Music explores the theme of silence in music and literature, with readers Sian Clifford - seen on TV this summer in the latest series of Ludwig - and Ray Fearon, who has just appeared on stage in the production of August Wilson’s Fences currently touring the UK.

Radio 3 in Concert: Britten’s War Requiem from Coventry Cathedral

Wednesday 11 November, 7.30pm – 9.45pm

Marking Armistice Day, Mark Forrest presents Benjamin Britten’s War Requiem live from Coventry Cathedral. The performance features an international line-up of soloists and choruses, alongside the orchestra which gave the work’s first performance, the City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Kazuki Yamada.

Olga Peretyatko (soprano)

Andrew Staples (tenor)

Christian Gerhaher (baritone)

CBSO Chorus

CBSO Youth Chorus

Trinity Boys' Choir

City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra

Kazuki Yamada (conductor)

Radio 4

Ceremony of Remembrance from the Cenotaph

Sunday 8 November, 10.30am - 11.45am

Paddy O’Connell leads live coverage from Whitehall of the solemn Ceremony of Remembrance when the nation remembers the sacrifice made by many in the two world wars and recent conflicts.

The traditional music of remembrance is played by the massed bands. After the Two Minutes Silence and Last Post, wreaths are laid at the foot of the Cenotaph by members of the Royal Family, political leaders and representatives of Commonwealth countries, before a short Service of Remembrance. During the March Past, those involved in conflicts throughout the world share their thoughts.

BBC Local Radio

This Remembrance Day, BBC Local Radio will mark the two-minute silence across all local stations. Commemorations will also include contributions from serving members of the Armed Forces, reflecting on the significance of the day and honouring those who have served.

Children’s and Education

Poppies (Cbeebies and CBBC)

Sunday 8 November, 11am / Wednesday 11 November, 11am

A beautiful animation following a young rabbit through the poppy fields. Watch together to commemorate Remembrance Day with a message of peace and hope.

CBeebies

My First Festival - Remembrance Day

Sunday 8 November, 11.02am

We follow Alicia and her family as they learn about and observe Remembrance Day. They start with a walk, where they count all the poppies that have been put around their village - how many will there be? Later, they visit a camp where they learn what it was like to live in the UK during World War II. An air raid siren goes off, and they practice running into an old Anderson shelter!

The family then visits an air museum, where Alicia is shown lots of amazing aircraft from the war. Alicia finds out what it was like to fly them when she meets a 99-year-old World War II pilot John. They go flying together and have a fantastic time! John then shows her his medals and tells her his amazing stories of being a pilot in the war.

Before heading home, Alicia and her family pay their respects to those who have served in the line of duty by laying a wreath at the Armed Forces Memorial in the National Memorial Arboretum. They remember everyone who has served to protect us whilst a bugler plays The Last Post.

Time for School – Remembrance Assembly

Wednesday 11 November, 11.02am and 3.10pm

It’s a special day at school as the children take part in a Remembrance assembly. Leon and Jud make a handprint poppy wreath with help from Year 6 pupil Hania.

CBBC

Operation Ouch – Goes Back in Time

Sunday 8 November, 11.03am

Dr Chris and Dr Xand turn back the clock and look at what medicine was like in the First World War. They meet a Paralympian runner who swaps her awesome blade for a World War I leather leg, and they look at the little critters that infested the trenches. Then they set up a massive experiment to demonstrate how soldiers' bodies had to cope with the pressures exerted by huge explosions.

Horrible Histories – Heroic Home Front

Sunday 8 November, 11.30am

Marking the eightieth anniversary of the outbreak of World War II, Horrible Histories looks at how the war affected those left back home in the UK, on the home front.

We start with the initial panic following the declaration of war and the measures taken at home to prepare for an imminent Nazi invasion, which didn't actually turn out to be that imminent at all. However, the Nazis are busy planning their invasion - Operation Sea Lion is being carefully orchestrated to avoid damaging places in the UK that they have previously been to on holiday.

We see how the blackout during the Blitz affected everyday life, and also how King George and Queen Elizabeth refused to leave Buckingham Palace while London was being bombed, despite being advised to head to Canada by their staff. We meet the 'ATA Girls' - the heroic women of the Air Transport Auxiliary led by Pauline Gower. It was their (horrendously dangerous) job to fly broken planes around the country, so that they could be fixed and put back into battle. The planes had no manuals, were often very badly damaged and had nothing in the way of guns mounted on them, so this was a hugely brave undertaking.

We see how things on the home front change when the American GIs arrive, bringing with them items like chocolate and nylon tights, which had not been seen on these shores for some time! German spies were also a real concern for those on the home front, but we tell one real tale of a set of spies who were caught after they washed up in Scotland in possession of radios, guns and, most tellingly, German sausages.

Finally, we chart the path to allied victory, including Churchill holding conversations with American president Roosevelt in his secret loo, and a barnstorming song as the nation celebrates VE Day

Nations

BBC Cymru Wales

BBC Radio Wales

Sunday 8 November, 7.30am and 7.30pm

Radio Wales will present a Remembrance Sunday edition of Celebration, presented by Andrew Jones.

BBC Radio Cymru

Sunday 8 November, 12pm

They will air a special edition of Yr Oedfa on Remembrance Sunday. This edition of Yr Oedfa will be led by Nia Catrin Williams, a former Armed Forces chaplain who is now the new Dean of Bangor Cathedral.

BBC Northern Ireland

Sunday 8 November

Remembrance Sunday will be marked by BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle’s Morning Service, from The Cathedral Church of St Anne in Belfast Cathedral. The service will be led by the Dean, the Very Reverend Stephen Forde, with an address by Father Eugene O’Hagan, Chancellor of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Down and Connor and music led by the Cathedral Choir.

The live Service of Remembrance will also be broadcast from 10.30am.

At 5pm, Sounds Sacred presented by Richard Yarr, will feature hymns of Remembrance from artists including Dame Vera Lynn, and The Dambusters March will be featured as Remembrance Sunday’s organ interlude.

BBC News NI will be reflecting Remembrance events in their coverage.

Wednesday 11 November

BBC Radio Ulster/Foyle will mark the two-minute silence at 11am.

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