BBC confirms US election coverage plans featuring Andrew Neil

By Neil Wilkes, Editor-in-chief | 1mo

The BBC details its coverage plans for US election night, which will mark Andrew Neil's final broadcast for the corporation.

Andrew Neil will co-host the BBC's coverage of the US election night next month in his final assignment for the broadcaster.

The veteran presenter has quit the BBC to take up the post of chairman and presenter on new news channel GB News - due to launch in early 2021 - and will make his swansong with all-night coverage as the polls come in on November 3.

Neil will be stationed in London for the mammoth broadcast, with co-host Katty Kay anchoring proceedings Stateside from a studio in Washington DC.

The coverage will begin at 11.30pm UK time (6.30pm ET) and will be simulcast on BBC One, BBC News Channel and BBC World News and run through until 9am the following morning, with Laura Trevelyan, Matthew Amroliwala and Reeta Chakrabarti then taking over.

"This has been a presidential campaign like no other in the long history of America's democracy," said Neil. "And not just because it's being fought in the midst of a pandemic.

"In many ways it's turned into a referendum on Donald Trump. Do you want to continue with four more years of the Trump rollercoaster?

"Or would you prefer a return to something approaching normal with mainstream Democrat Joe Biden? That's the choice Americans must make on 3 November."

Other presenters involved in the coverage include Emily Maitlis, Jon Sopel and Clive Myrie.