Live 8 makes way for Wimbledon final on BBC One

by Sam Matthews, Brand Republic 17-Jun-05, 15:30

LONDON – The BBC has unveiled the Live 8 schedule with coverage kicking off on BBC Two at 1pm allowing the Ladies Wimbledon final to get precedence on BBC One.

The UK concert, presented by Jonathan Ross, will then move to BBC One at 4pm after the ladies final.

Radio 1 DJ Jo Whiley and 'Top of the Pops' presenter Fern Cotton will be following the action backstage and interviewing stars like U2's Bono, Madonna and Coldplay's Chris Martin, while Ross reports from a specially built pod set up above the main stage.

When the UK event finishes at 9.30pm, BBC One will go straight to US to follow the action from the Philadelphia event, which will include 50 Cent, P Diddy, Kaiser Chiefs and Bon Jovi.

Graham Norton will be hosting the corporation's television coverage from the US while rapper and 'Men in Black' star Will Smith presents the US live gig.

The corporation will also screen the UK Live 8 on BBC Three from 7pm for viewers who missed the event earlier and US show on July 3, also from 7pm.

Covering the event for Radio 1 is Sara Cox, Vernon Kaye and Chris Moyles. Radio 1's Newsbeat will also be reporting live from Paris, Berlin and Rome, while Chris Evans, Davina McCall and Dermot O'Leary will cover the event for Radio 2.

Live 8 is taking place in the London, Philidephia, Rome, Paris and Berlin on July 2 in an attempt to force western countries to relieve third-world debt, ahead of the G8 conference of world leaders to be held in Gleneagles, Scotland starting July 6.

Today more cities are set to be added to the original five with Live 8 concerts in Johannesburg, Toronto and Tokyo.

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