How to watch the live Katherine Jenkins concert at Royal Albert Hall on VE Day

Jenkins will sing a selection of wartime favourites by Dame Vera Lynn (Photo: Getty Images)Jenkins will sing a selection of wartime favourites by Dame Vera Lynn (Photo: Getty Images)
Jenkins will sing a selection of wartime favourites by Dame Vera Lynn (Photo: Getty Images)

Celebrations to mark VE Day may not be going ahead as originally planned, but there are still ways to honour the historic occasion.

Katherine Jenkins will perform a special concert from behind closed doors at London’s Royal Albert Hall on Friday (8 May) in celebration of the 75th anniversary of VE Day.

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The Welsh singer will record a 30-minute performance in the empty auditorium, which will then be streamed online.

What time can I watch it?

The performance will be streamed on the Royal Albert Hall website, and on the venue’s YouTube channel, on Friday 8 May at 6pm.

The concert will mark the first time an artist has performed behind closed doors in the venue’s 150-year history, and will help to support the Armed Forces charity SSAFA, along with the venue’s fundraising appeal.

The venue was originally meant to host an anniversary concert on Friday (8 May), which would have been streamed live to more than 450 cinemas across the UK.

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However, due to the coronavirus outbreak, it has now been postponed until September.

How is Vera Lynn involved?

Jenkins will sing a selection of wartime favourites by Dame Vera Lynn, including The White Cliffs of Dover and We’ll Meet Again.

The latter song will be performed as a virtual duet with Dame Vera Lynn, whose musical recordings and performances to the British troops were hugely popular during the Second World War.

The iconic song has remained timeless and epitomised the emotions of the war, while helping to bring hope to those who were separated from a loved one during this time.

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The duet will also feature classic BRIT Award winning saxophonist Jess Gillam.

Dame Vera told the BBC: “I'll never forget how We'll Meet Again meant so much to all those soldiers going off to war as well as with their families and sweethearts.

"75 years since the end of the war in Europe, the virus has given those lyrics a whole new meaning."

What does VE Day celebrate?

VE Day, or Victory in Europe Day, is dedicated to commemorating the official end of the Second World War.

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The day celebrates the formal acceptance by the Allies during World War II of Nazi Germany’s unconditional surrender of armed forces, on 8 May 1945.

Millions of people rejoiced the news of Germany’s surrender, and took to the streets in celebration, with parties, singing and dancing.

Crowds gathered in Trafalgar Square in London and up The Mall to Buckingham Palace, where King George VI and Queen Elizabeth appeared on the balcony, overlooking the masses cheering below.

The news of the end of the war was announced by then Prime Minister Winston Churchill, who delivered a rousing speech 75 years ago.

What else will be streamed on VE Day?

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In honour of the 75th anniversary of VE Day, the BBC will present special tribute programming across television, radio and BBC iPlayer on Friday (8 May).

The programming will include readings of diary extracts and poetry, a remembrance of the most pivotal moments, and an address from Her Majesty the Queen at 9pm, the exact time her father addressed the nation three quarters of a century ago.

The broadcast of Sir Winston Churchill’s victory speech, which he made from 10 Downing Street on 8 May 1945, will air on BBC One at 2.45pm on Friday 8 May 2020.