BBC Music presents U2 - Live on the BBC at Tate Modern

BBC Music has revealed further exciting details about its exclusive U2 programming to be broadcast on the BBC, including on BBC Two and Radio 2. 

Later this month, following a summer of live music across the BBC, BBC Music will broadcast U2: Live on the BBC at Tate Modern, an exclusive concert recorded at London’s Tate Modern on Tuesday 3 November.

Presented by Radio 2’s Jo Whiley, it saw the 22-time Grammy Award-winning band perform songs from across their extensive catalogue, including ‘The Unforgettable Fire’, ‘Bad’ and ‘With Or Without You’, alongside new tracks ‘The Greatest Show On Earth’ and ‘Can’t Stop Us Now’ from upcoming studio album, Carnaval De Luz. The performance is visually accompanied by 77 Million Paintings, artwork by the producer and artist Brian Eno. The band invited the audience to join them in celebrating their longtime friend and collaborator, with Bono telling the room, as Eno joined U2 onstage - “A lot of rock and roll bands went to art school… U2 didn’t go to school, we went to Brian Eno.”

The select audience at Tate Modern was made up art students from the Royal College of Art, Central Saint Martins, Chelsea College of Arts, Slade School of Fine Art, and Norwich University of the Arts; as well as young artists and creatives from both Tate Collective and BBC Music Introducing; plus Radio 2 listeners who had gained tickets through a ballot, and guests including Lily Allen, Noel Gallagher and Richard Curtis. 

U2: Live on the BBC at Tate Modern (1x60”), produced by BBC Studios Music, will be broadcast on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on Saturday 28 November at 10.10pm.The concert will also be simulcast outside the UK on BBC Music’s YouTube channel.

Jonathan Rothery, Head of BBC Popular Music TV says: “U2 are one of the world’s most loved bands, so it was a privilege to have them perform such a special session for the BBC. Their music has been connecting with audiences for decades and this exclusive performance, to sit within a dedicated evening on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer, promises to be a real treat for fans.”

The concert will also be broadcast on BBC Radio 2 (the UK’s most listened to radio station with 12.7m listeners each week - RAJAR Q3, 2026) and BBC Sounds on Monday 30 November (7pm-9pm), alongside a new interview with members of the band, within Jo Whiley’s show. 

Jo Whiley says: “U2’s performance at Tate Modern was truly memorable. I don’t think I’ve heard them in better form, and to see them once again push the boundaries of performance, this time honouring their long term collaborator Brian Eno in such a creative and unique way, was thrilling for all to see.”

U2 will also join Vernon Kay on his Radio 2 Show (weekdays, 9.30am-12pm) for Tracks of My Years, which sees Bono, The Edge, Adam Clayton and Larry Mullen Jr. choose ten songs that have soundtracked their lives and careers. The episode will be available on BBC Sounds and BBC iPlayer from 6am on Sunday 15 November, and broadcast Monday 16 - Friday 20 November in Vernon’s show.

Vernon says: “U2 are absolute titans of the music world, so to sit down with Bono, The Edge, Adam and Larry and hear them tell stories about their favourite songs (including some that their fellow bandmates had never heard before), was an absolute pleasure.”

The BBC Two and BBC iPlayer broadcast on Saturday 28 November will be the centrepiece of a night of programming, dedicated to U2.

The other programmes are:

U2 at the BBC (8.25pm) 

A new compilation bringing together some of the band's most memorable BBC performances, including the band’s UK chart breakthrough ‘Fire’ (from U2’s debut Top of the Pops appearance in 1981), ‘I Will Follow’ (from a 1982 appearance on Something Else), and ‘Two Hearts Beat as One’ (from a rarely seen visit to The Kenny Everett Television Show in 1983).

Other highlights include their 2011 set at Glastonbury, which featured classic tracks ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’, ‘Where The Streets Have No Name’ and ‘Pride (In the Name of Love)’, and a 2009 performance of ‘Vertigo’.

U2: Tracks of My Years (11.10pm)

The band join Radio 2’s Vernon Kay for a visualised edition of Tracks of My Years. The feature sees the band choose ten songs that have soundtracked their lives and careers.

U2 Play Belfast 1981 (11.55pm) 

Broadcast in full for the first time since 1981, and for the first time ever outside of BBC Northern Ireland, U2 is captured in an early performance at Queen’s University, Belfast, performing tracks including ‘I Will Follow’ and ‘11 O’Clock Tick Tock’.

All programmes will also be available on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds after broadcast.

Tracks from U2: Live on the BBC at Tate Modern will also be available on BBC iPlayer and BBC Music’s YouTube channel in the lead-up to the TV broadcast.

U2: Live on the BBC at Tate Modern follows a summer of live music on the BBC – an unmissable season of performances, documentaries, festival coverage and special programming across TV, BBC iPlayer, radio and BBC Sounds, with highlights including Madonna & Graham; 40 Glastonbury Gems; 6 Music Artist in Residence: AAA featuring Foo Fighters, Honey Dijon, James Blake, beabadoobee and Robyn; Charli xcx: Live at the BBC; Calvin Harris: Live from Scotland, WHAM! 10 Days in China; and Radio 2 in the Park in Stirling, featuring headliners Chaka Khan and Simple Minds.

Additional recent programming highlights include: Sam Smith: Live at the London Coliseum (BBC One and Radio 2) in which global star Sam Smith took to the stage for an intimate night of music at the iconic venue; Amy Winehouse: Back to Black at 20 (BBC Two and Radio 2), a broadcast of special concert at Camden’s Roundhouse in London to mark 20 years since the release of Back to Black; Jungle… Live at the BBC on BBC iPlayer; BBC Four and 6 Music’s broadcast of the 2026 Mercury Prize; and series 69 of BBC Two’s Later… with Jools Holland.

• Find our more about the U2 programming on the BBC

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