How do I watch the US election from the UK? When coverage will be broadcast on BBC, Sky News and ITV

This year’s electoral race is the most hotly contested in recent memory – how can viewers in the UK keep up to date on events?

2020’s US election race has been fraught with drama (even more so than usual), and with incumbent president Donald Trump proving more divisive than any politician in memory, more eyes are going to be locked on the outcome of this year’s race than ever.

Will Trump secure the “four more years” his supporters incessantly chant, or will Democratic hopeful Joe Biden get into the White House?

Here’s how you can watch events unfold live in the UK.

(Photo: Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)(Photo: Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)
(Photo: Sarah Silbiger/Getty Images)
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What time will the result be announced?

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The result of the election is usually announced on the night of the vote, which this year falls on Tuesday 3 November.

The final declaration can roll in late, however, and given the time difference between the UK and the other side of the Atlantic, expect the next president of the United States of America to be confirmed on the morning of Wednesday 4 November in the UK.

(Photo: JIM WATSON,SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)(Photo: JIM WATSON,SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)
(Photo: JIM WATSON,SAUL LOEB/AFP via Getty Images)

In 2016, the election was called by 7.30am in the UK, so we can expect to know the result around a similar time this year.

But even before the winner is confirmed, we may be able to get a sense of which way the vote is going to go.

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All polling stations will close by 9pm ET on 3 November (2am GMT on 4 November), after which US media outlets will attempt to predict which candidate has won each state.

These estimates are provisional while mail-in ballots are counted, however.

Whichever coverage you plan to tune in to, you’ll be kept up to date on just where the contenders are in the race.

How can I watch the results?

In the UK, every major news broadcaster will be carrying in depth coverage of the results live.

Here's a round-up of what you can expect from each:

BBC

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Katty Kay and Andrew Neil will present the BBC’s US Election 2020 results night programme from 11.30pm on 3 November, across BBC One, the BBC News channel, BBC World News and BBC iPlayer.

Kay will be broadcasting from Washington, with Neil providing interviews and analysis from London, as Jon Sopel and Clive Myrie join the Trump and Biden campaigns on election night.

BBC reporters including Emily Maitlis and Nick Bryant will also be in the crucial battleground states, and a panel of expert political strategists will assess how the night unfolded.

US Election 2020 – BBC One/News Channel – 11.30pm onwards

Sky News

Sky will be bringing us its special results programme ‘America Decides’, which will be broadcast overnight from 10pm into the next day.

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Dermot Murnaghan will anchor proceedings, and will be joined by US Correspondent Cordelia Lynch, former aide to Donald Trump, Omarosa Manigault Newman, and the former British Ambassador to the US, Sir Kim Darroch. There will also be the academic and polling expert Ashley Koning.

Sky News will have real-time results from every county in every key state across the US, as well as the results of the National Exit Poll.

The broadcaster claims it will have access to “the most comprehensive election data ever used by the team”, thanks to a close collaboration with NBC News.

America Decides – Sky News – 10pm onwards

ITV News

ITV News’ coverage begins in earnest at 11pm, with Tom Bradby presenting live analysis of the US Presidential election through the night from Washington DC.

Throughout the night, he’ll be joined by ITV News reporters, expert analysts and special guests.

Trump Vs Biden: The Results – ITV – 11pm onwards

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