“This Is Our World Cup Final”: British TV News’ Biggest Players Reveal How They Are Gearing Up For Election Night
deadline.comWhen UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak took to the sodden steps of Downing Street just over a month ago, the world of British TV news was blindsided that a general election would take place in just six weeks time, an election that – scarcely believably – will be the first on these isles for five years.
In fact, barely anyone in the deeply connected world of British politics and the media seemed to think the election would come so soon, according to those Deadline has spoken with in the past couple of weeks, with all planning having been directed towards a fall poll, at which point Sunak would have had that little bit longer to oversee a predicted economic recovery. “I don’t know anyone who was fully expecting July 4,” says Jonathan Munro, the Deputy Director of BBC News and one of the key orchestrators of the corporation’s coverage on the night, which is now just a week away.
Big players like Munro and Rachel Corp, who runs ITV and Channel 4 news producer ITN, were relieved, however, as Sunak’s call meant that the election wouldn’t clash with the U.S.
presidential race in November — an overlap that hasn’t taken place for six decades. “I’m pleased it’s now rather than the autumn because the U.S.
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