Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer have agreed to go head-to-head on ITV next week in the first televised debate of the election campaign.
The Prime Minister and the leader of the opposition had previously agreed in principle to taking part in the event and the specifics are now expected to be sorted out before an official announcement is made by the broadcaster.
Last week, Mr Sunak had challenged Sir Keir to a record six television election debates – one for every week of the campaign before polling day on July 4.
But the Labour leader is said to want to ‘get out on the ground’ instead and is likely only to agree to two TV debates on the BBC and ITV, matching what Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn did in the 2019 election campaign.
Following this announcement, Tories branded him ‘Sir Fear Starmer’ over his perceived reluctance to debate the Prime Minister on live television.
Television debates have become a fixture of general election campaigns ever since 2010 and MailOnline have approached ITV for a comment on the much anticipated first head-to-head of this campaign.
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer (pictured at a campaign event at Airbus Defence and Space in Stevenage today) has agreed to debate Rishi Sunak on ITV next week
The Prime Minister (pictured at a campaign event at the Market Bosworth Bowls Club in Market Bosworth) had challenged Sir Keir to a record six television election debates
The specifics are now expected to be sorted out before an official announcement is made by ITV (file image)
Broadcasters and political parties have been discussing the format and timing of the debates for months, but it is understood no details have yet been finalised.
The task of putting on the TV events had been made more difficult by the fact that the BBC and ITV have large pre-existing commitments to the Euro 2024 football tournament.
Television debates are generally only in the interests of the party behind in the polls, given the number of risks involved.
The Tories trail Labour by 21 percentage points and so Mr Sunak has little to lose by challenging Sir Keir to appear with him on screen.
Tory insiders believe the PM can wrongfoot the Labour leader on the economy, on which the Tories intend to fight their election campaign.
During the 2019 election campaign, Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn held two head-to-head sessions, with other events involving smaller parties.
It is likely that the 2024 campaign will follow a similar pattern.
The debate announcement comes on the same day that the BBC declared that Clive Myrie and Laura Kuenssberg will replace Huw Edwards to lead their election night coverage, as the newsreader admitted it was ‘weird’ reporting on his colleague’s scandal.
Former political editor Kuenssberg, 47, and prominent news anchor Myrie, 59, jointly take over the role from Edwards, who left the BBC in April following a scandal involving alleged payments for sexual images.
Kuenssberg will become the first ever female election night anchor for the BBC, and will be joined on the programme by the current political editor Chris Mason.
It comes as Myrie has revealed how he felt ‘weird’ when reporting on the scandal surrounding Edwards.
Speaking to Radio Times, he said: ‘When you end up doing a story that involves you reporting on your colleagues, it’s weird.
‘That’s actually the best description. It’s just weird.
‘Because you’re not usually there to be talking about the staff in your newsroom.’
Laura Kuenssberg, 47, is the former Political Editor at the BBC and now hosts a Sunday morning politics programme
Clive Myrie, 59, who also hosts Mastermind, will join Kuenssberg as they host the night’s election coverage
Nick Robinson and Rachel Burden will host the corporation’s radio coverage with Henry Zeffman on BBC Radio 4 and 5 Live.
The programme will be broadcast throughout the night of the election on July 4.
Also appearing on the programme are BBC stalwarts including Fiona Bruce, Victoria Derbyshire, Reeta Chakrabarti and Jeremy Vine, whose swingometer will make a reprisal, it is understood.
Sophie Raworth and Jon Kay will take over presenting duties on Friday morning, with deputy political editor alongside them.
There will be separate programmes hosted in Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales will be hosted by Martin Geissler, Mark Carruthers and Nick Servini respectively.
CEO of BBC News Deborah Turness said: ‘In this election, we have one thing on our minds above all else – the voters.
‘Throughout the campaign we’ll be giving them the facts and information they need to make up their own minds.
‘We know the way people are consuming news is changing; we’ll have the most comprehensive ever offer across every platform, so we can be where people are.
‘And once the ballots are cast, a truly fantastic line-up of journalistic talent, headed by Laura and Clive, will bring voters the results and help make sense of them.
‘We’ve assembled a fresh, dynamic team to bring insight, experience – and perhaps a little wit – to audiences for the whole election night and beyond.
‘It’s incredible to have such breadth and depth of expertise to call upon, up and down the country, when it matters most.’
After David Dimbleby’s departure from the election night hot seat, Huw Edwards took over in 2019.
The BBC announced its coverage plans on Tuesday, around five weeks before the day of the election
Laura Kuenssberg had been widely tipped to replace Huw Edwards as the BBC’s election night host
The shadow of the Huw Edwards scandal will hang over the BBC’s election coverage this year through his marked absence
Emily Maitlis has already been confirmed as the face of Channel 4’s general election coverage
Channel 4’s eclectic line-up for its general election coverage will feature (pictured left to right) Cathy Newman, Rory Stewart, Krishnan Guru-Murthy, Emily Maitlis, Alastair Campbell and Clare Balding
Kay Burley will lead Sky News’ coverage of election night – she usually hosts the channel’s early morning breakfast programme
But after leading the UK through some of its most challenging moments in recent history, including the death of the Queen in 2022, he was suspended last July following accusations he had paid a young person for sexual images.
In April, his departure was confirmed from the BBC.
Tuesday’s announcement comes after Sky News declared its line-up earlier this month.
Kay Burley, 63, will take the lead on the show from a 360-degree immersive studio normally used by Sky Sports shows like Monday Night Football.
Burley, who will be covering her 12th general election, will be joined by political editor Beth Rigby, Sir Trevor Phillips and data and economics editor Ed Conway.
Andy Burnham, the mayor of Manchester, will join former Leader of the Scottish Conservatives, Baroness Ruth Davidson, to provide guest analysis.
Channel 4 has confirmed Emily Maitlis will be leading their coverage after her departure from the BBC.
Maitlis, 53, will present the election special alongside Channel 4 News presenter and Strictly Come Dancing star Krishnan Guru-Murthy.
The former newsreader joins a eclectic line-up of presenters including BBC Sport presenter Clare Balding and political analyst Rory Stewart.
Maitlis revealed she was leaving the BBC in 2022 and now co-hosts The News Agents podcast alongside Jon Sopel and Lewis Goodall.
