What time is The ITV Election Debate on TV?
Everything you need to know about the seven-way election debate hosted by Julie Etchingham
We’ve had the C4 climate scrum, an ITV Corbyn v Johnson showdown and now it’s time for perhaps the biggest TV event of the 2019 general election campaign so far: The ITV Election Debate.
Set to host representatives from the Conservatives, Labour, the Liberal Democrats, the SNP, the Brexit Party, the Greens and Plaid Cymru, this seven-way debate is set to see all major parties grilled in front of a live studio audience.
But how exactly will the debate work? Who are the party representatives? And what time is it on?
Here’s all you need to know…
What time is The ITV Election Debate on TV?
The ITV Election Debate starts at 7pm on Sunday 1st December, ITV.
The debate will air for two hours. The hashtag throughout will be #ITVdebate.
Is Nigel Farage going to be on The ITV Election Debate?
Yes. Although not featuring in other TV debates, Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage will appear on stage.
Which parties are going to be on The ITV Election Debate?
Viewers can expect the following representatives to feature in the debate…
- Nigel Farage – Brexit Party leader
- Sian Berry – Green Party co-leader
- Adam Price – Plaid Cymru leader
- Nicola Sturgeon – Scottish National Party leader
- Jo Swinson – Liberal Democrats leader
Party representatives for Labour and the Conservatives are still to be confirmed.
You can find out more about each politician here.
Who will host The ITV Election Debate?
Julie Etchingham will lead the debate. The Veteran ITV anchor previously hosted TV debates for the 2015 and 2017 general elections, as well as chairing an ITV debate centring on the EU referendum in 2016.
What is the format of The ITV Election Debate?
Each representative will be given one minute for their opening statement and each closing statement will be 45 seconds.
Each party’s representative will stand behind podiums on the stage in the order of (L-R) Labour, SNP, Conservatives, Brexit Party, Plaid Cymru, Green Party, Liberal Democrats. The order of closing statements will be Brexit Party, Conservatives, Labour, Plaid Cymru, Green Party, Lib Dems, SNP.
Between the opening and closing statements, the politicians will have to answer queries from ITV viewers who responded to a call for questions on news bulletins throughout the UK and online. ITV say these viewers “broadly reflect a range of society, from different political backgrounds”.
The debate will take place in front of a live studio audience.
Are there any more TV debates before the General Election?
Yes, viewers can expect two more major TV debates on screen…
- The BBC Prime Ministerial Debate, Friday 6th December, 8.30pm, BBC1
- BBC Question Time special for under-30s, Monday 9th December, 8:30pm, BBC1
Party representatives for each debate have yet to be confirmed.
Remind me: when is the General Election?
The General election is set to take place on Thursday 12th December 2019.
The ITV Election Debate is on 7pm on Sunday 1st December, ITV
Authors
Thomas is Digital editor at BBC Science Focus. Writing about everything from cosmology to anthropology, he specialises in the latest psychology, health and neuroscience discoveries. Thomas has a Masters degree (distinction) in Magazine Journalism from the University of Sheffield and has written for Men’s Health, Vice and Radio Times. He has been shortlisted as the New Digital Talent of the Year at the national magazine Professional Publishers Association (PPA) awards. Also working in academia, Thomas has lectured on the topic of journalism to undergraduate and postgraduate students at The University of Sheffield.