The BBC has set out its plans to mark the 80th anniversary of D Day – one of the most pivotal moments in World War 2.
On June 6th 1944 the Allies launched Operation Overlord, the largest seaborne invasion in history, in which tens of thousands of soldiers crossed the Channel and established a foothold across the French coast – a necessary first step in the battle to liberate northwest Europe from the Nazis.
To commemorate the occasion, the BBC will be running a range of programming across its TV and Radio networks plus iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
Highlights include: D-Day 80: The Allies Prepare, a national commemorative event broadcast live on BBC One on 5th June; D-Day 80: Tribute to The Fallen will honour those buried at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Bayeux War Cemetery; and D-Day: The Unheard Tapes in which actors lip sync eyewitness accounts from those who experienced D-Day first-hand.
BBC Radio 5 Live will be commemorating the anniversary with special live coverage and updates from events across the country and in Normandy while D-Day: The Last Voices from Radio 4 will feature audio testimonies and interviews featuring those who fought in the invasion of Normandy to tell the story of D-Day as it unfolded.
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There will also be tie-in episodes of popular BBC TV and formats, including The One Show, Countryfile, Antiques Roadshow, Bargain Hunt and Sunday Night is Music Night.
Unveiling the broadcaster’s plans, BBC Chief Content Officer Charlotte Moore said: “The 80th anniversary of D Day is an important moment to reflect and pay tribute to those who were involved in 1944.
“We have a wide range of distinctive programming that will bring people together to commemorate across the BBC, including full live coverage of events from both sides of the Channel as well as special documentaries and editions of some of our most popular programmes on television and radio.”