How to watch and listen to the US presidential election results in the UK

Are you ready? Here it comes: the “too close to call” and “on a knife-edge” US election. For those who don’t want to go to bed and sleep there are plenty of opportunities to watch, listen, or spend all night communally for what could be one of the best, or worst, nights in living memory.

Here is all you need to know about enjoying the US election results coverage after polls close on Tuesday 5 November.

BBC One and iPlayer from 10.40pm – US Election 2024

The BBC’s overnight election coverage will be anchored from Washington DC by US chief presenters Caitríona Perry and Sumi Somaskanda who have, the BBC boldly states, “unrivalled knowledge and experience of the US political landscape”.

They will be joined by special correspondent Katty Kay, social media investigations correspondent Marianna Spring and, on the graphics touchscreen, Christian Fraser. Clive Myrie will join them after he has presented News at 10 from outside the White House.

At 6am, the programme combines with BBC Breakfast with Jon Kay in the studio and runs through to 9.30am.

ITV – Harris v Trump: The Results

Just as he did in 2016 and 2020, the charming, unflappable Tom Bradby anchors ITV’s coverage.

He also anchored ITV’s UK election coverage in 2015, 2017, 2019 and 2024. In a recent interview with the Radio Times, Bradby admitted that “there aren’t many white, male anchors left” and while he didn’t feel worried, perhaps he should.

“You just put your head down, do a good job and try to be as nice as you can to everyone around you. As you get older, you think: ‘Will I be remembered as somebody who was decent to work with?’”

He’ll be helped by correspondents Robert Moore and Anushka Asthana with a guest list that includes Sarah Palin.

At 6am, Susanna Reid and Ed Balls take over with Good Morning Britain, live from Washington, with a guests including Stormy Daniels, Jon Sopel and Trump’s Harris-supporting nephew Fred Trump III.

Channel 4 – America Decides: US Presidential Election

Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Matt Frei, Emily Maitlis and Jeremy Vine will present Channel 4’s coverage from 10pm and they promise an undeniably impressive roster of guests.

They include Boris Johnson, the former Australian prime minister Malcolm Turnbull, Michael Gove, David Miliband, Democrat Carol Moseley Braun – the first African American woman elected to the US Senate – and Republicans John Bolton and Sean Spicer, Trump’s former White House press secretary.

There’s also – and why not? – Rufus Wainwright, Grayson Perry and Brian Cox.

Channel 4 is partnered with CNN meaning, it says, it will be “the definitive way to watch the US election in the UK”.

Sky News – America Votes

Sky News has joined forces with the US network NBC meaning it will have, it says, “the fastest and most accurate race projections” of any broadcaster. It will come from NBC’s Meet the Press studio in Washington DC and be anchored by Mark Austin and Yalda Hakim, helped by US correspondent Mark Stone with Lewis Goodall on the data screens.

BBC Radio

For those who don’t like looking at people, Radio 4, 5 Live and the World Service combine for a 10pm-6am election night special live from DC presented by Nuala McGovern and Ros Atkins. At 6am, Justin Webb, presenting the Today programme from DC, takes over.

Going out

There are a number of in-person US election watch parties with Democrats Abroad UK staging an event in “the Westminster area of London”, which runs from 7pm-11am; and Republicans Overseas UK having its post-election party in Chelsea.

For those who expect line dancing, it’s Honky Tonk Tuesday at Dropkick Murphys in Edinburgh where the frivolities will be followed by a live show of results through to 3am.

The election watch party at the Cambridge Union, 9pm-6am, is open to members of the public, but probably no line dancing.

For a more sober event, head to the US Election 2024 Breakfast organised by the Birmingham chambers of commerce between 8am-9.45am. Definitely no line dancing.