TV Guide: Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebration

Tom Cruise, Dame Helen Mirren, Damian Lewis, and Omid Djalili lead an all-star cast paying tribute to The Queen’s remarkable 70 years of service in the premiere television event, Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebration, 8.30pm Friday on Channel Seven, 7two and 7plus.

Filmed in the private grounds of Windsor Castle, this celebratory show will feature 1300 performers and 500 horses across four acts, taking viewers on a journey through history, from the reign of Queen Elizabeth I to the Coronation of Queen Elizabeth II.

Other special guests include Adjoa Andoh, Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber, Ant & Dec, Dame Joan Collins, Sir Mo Farah, Dame Maureen Lipman, Sir David Jason, Alan Titchmarsh, Dame Kelly Holmes, Moira Stuart, and Sir Trevor McDonald with special performances from Keala Settle, Gregory Porter, and Katherine Jenkins.

Dame Helen Mirren will take on the role of Queen Elizabeth I, whilst a cast of “Queen’s Players” will be introduced by a character called “The Herald” played by Omid Djalili. The Herald will whisk viewers through time linking the acts together, narrating and anchoring the stories and making light of some of the absurdities history presents us with.  

Each act will reflect on key moments in history including Elizabeth I’s Tilbury Speech and James I and the Gunpowder Plot. The Commonwealth will also be celebrated as well as the four nations within the United Kingdom. All of this will be interspersed with a number of military and equestrian displays from around the world including Azerbaijan, India, Oman, France, Norway, Switzerland, and Trinidad and Tobago. 

Music will be provided by a 75-piece orchestra comprised of Tri-Service personnel and augmented with members of The National Symphony Orchestra with special performances from Keala Settle, Gregory Porter and Katherine Jenkins. The Musical Director will be the multi-award winning composer, Debbie Wiseman, while The Principal Director for Music will be Lieutenant Colonel Jason Burcham RM.

This theatrical arena event is created by the team behind the BAFTA award-winning Queen's 90th Birthday Celebration.

Her Majesty The Queen's Platinum Jubilee Celebration, 8.30pm Friday on Channel Seven, 7two and 7plus