‘A proud moment for British broadcasting!:’ GB News viewers react with joy as TV channel begins its daily viewing with National Anthem for first time
- GB News played the National Anthem this morning at 5.59am before live show
- The move comes following calls for the BBC to do so from Tories last week
- Video footage of sights across the UK at dawn accompanied the iconic tune
GB News honoured its pledge to play the National Anthem every morning today, airing God Save the Queen over a drone-shot montage of scenery just before 6am.
The stirring 5.59am broadcast came before Eamonn Holmes and Isabel Webster’s breakfast show.
It followed calls from Tory MP Andrew Rosindell last week for the BBC to do so.
The news channel is now the only TV news broadcaster to play the anthem after the corporation stopped doing it 24 years ago.
It was welcomed by Mr Rosindell, who got up to be able to watch it live, approvingly tweeting ‘Good Morning, Britain!’
He had excitedly trailed it at 11pm last night, exclaiming: ‘A proud moment for British broadcasting! At 5.59am GB News will start the day with the National Anthem of our country, whilst showing magnificent scenery from around the United Kingdom.
‘What a beautiful way to begin this historic Platinum Jubilee year!’
And other fans were similarly enthused by hearing the famous anthem so early.
Ryedale councillor Nathan Garbutt-Moore said: ‘Great to wake up to the National anthem and some scenic images this morning. Nice one GB News.’
Others said it simply with shorter reactions of ‘fabulous’, ‘nice one’ and ‘well done’.
MP Andrew Rosindell tweeted of his excitement at the National Anthem being broadcast
Nathan Garbutt-Moore was pleased to have the traditional song back on the airwaves
Other Twitter users simply used a few words to express their joy at the anthem’s return
There was overwhelming approval at the new addition to the GB News broadcasting schedule
Clips capture sights from the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland, the Chepstow Castle in Wales, Runswick Bay on the Yorkshire coast and other sites
Tory MP Andrew Rosindell in 2018. At culture questions earlier this month, he asked: ‘Will the minister take steps to encourage public broadcasters to play the national anthem?’
The anthem was also be played on GB News’ radio service.
Clips capture sights from the Glenfinnan Viaduct in Scotland, the Chepstow Castle in Wales and Runswick Bay on the Yorkshire coast.
Dartmoor, Bristol at dawn and Pen y Fan in Wales are also featured.
The anthem is still played nightly on radio channels like Radio 4, and was previously played at the end of broadcast on television channels.
But since the late 1990s BBC One has run the BBC News Channel overnight from around 1am, while BBC Two plays repeats of daytime shows in the small hours.
Dartmoor, Bristol and Pen y Fan in Wales are also featured in the video clips taken at dawn
Romford MP Andrew Rosindell said the public broadcaster and other television companies should be encouraged to play the patriotic number more often in the year of the Queen’s platinum jubilee.
At culture questions earlier this month, Mr Rosenidell – sporting a Union Jack lapel badge – asked: ‘I know the minister will agree that the singing of the national anthem is something that provides great sense of unity and pride in our nation.
‘So in this year of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, will the minister take steps to encourage public broadcasters to play the national anthem and ensure the BBC restores it at the end of the day’s programming before it switches to News 24?’
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries could be heard saying ‘fantastic’ and Culture Minister Chris Philp told MPs: ‘We fully support the signing of the national anthem, Her Majesty the Queen and other expressions of patriotism – including the flying of the Union Jack.
Chepstow Castle in Wales, pictured in GB News’ national anthem video which will be played every morning
‘The more that we hear the national anthem sung, frankly, the better. Organisations like schools are free to promote it and the more we can do in this area the better it’ll be.’
Newsnight presenter Gavin Esler pointed out it was played on the radio every day.
He tweeted: ‘Dear Mr Rosindell If you have what’s known as ”a wireless” and are capable of tuning it to the excellent BBC Radio 4, you may find that the National Anthem is played at the end of every day.
‘God save the Queen (and the country) from posturing parliamentarians.’