Bob Geldof once said that 95% of all television sets on Earth were tuned into Live Aid in 1985.

Almost four decades later, and the world is a little different. When Global Citizen Live takes over our TVs, phones, laptops, tablets, watches, smart fridges (is that a thing?), and more on Sept. 25, it will be a once-in-a-generation moment of unity.

And it’s a moment that can be shared by everyone — with Global Citizen Live being broadcast and streamed all around the world.

First up, some stuff you might already know: on Sept. 25, Global Citizen Live will bring together the world’s biggest artists from across seven continents for one massive 24-hour broadcast event to drive action to defend the planet and defeat poverty.

While Live Aid was famously hosted by two cities — London and Philadelphia, with Phil Collins flying on Concorde to perform at both — Global Citizen Live will be beamed from London, Lagos, Paris, New York City, Rio de Janeiro, Seoul, Sydney, Mumbai, Los Angeles, and more. 

And in London, some true legends are on the bill: including Nile Rodgers and Chic, Kylie Minogue, and Duran Duran. They join some of the world’s biggest artists donating their time and talent to support the Global Citizen Live campaign and event. You just have to check out this lineup.

Now for some stuff you might not know: like how Kylie Minogue’s chart-busting disco banger Can’t Get You Out of My Head turned 20 last week! This century really has stretched on forever.

What’s more, you might not yet know exactly how to tune into Global Citizen Live. Whether you’re snug on your sofa or watching it on the move, there’s a tonne of ways you can watch it from the UK. We’ve rounded them up below.

1. Watch Live on BBC One.

This is the big one: from 5.30 p.m. BST on Sept. 25, you can watch Global Citizen Live on BBC One. There will be a very brief stoppage for the country to watch Strictly Come Dancing around 7 p.m. BST and then the show will get straight back to it across the BBC until 3 a.m.

If you’ve got plans on Saturday night, there will also be a special highlights show airing on BBC One on Sunday at 4.30 p.m. BST.

2. Twitter

If you head to Global Citizen’s UK Twitter channel on Sept. 25, you’ll be able to find all the action live streamed from the pinned post at the top of the page from 6 p.m. BST.

This is the entire 24-hour extravaganza — every artist, every continent. It’s worth noting that this will be a different experience to the BBC One show. The televised version will be condensed, whereas you won’t miss a single moment with the livestream on Twitter.

Strap yourselves in, there’s a lot of stuff to show you!

3. YouTube

Similarly, the whole 24-hour livestream will be available to watch on our YouTube channel. Once again, it will run from 6 p.m. on Sept. 25 until 6 p.m. on Sept. 26.

This will be the same show as you’ll see on Twitter. But with the advantage that you get all those lovely YouTube comments. The thrills! The hot takes! The perpetual fandom requests for set times! The booming, beckoning calls for pop stars to jump on the first plane to Brazil! (Fear not: Global Citizen Live is actually coming to Brazil!)

If that’s your thing, you now know where you need to be. God speed.

4. Watch on the Global Citizen Website.

There's no place like home(page).

You can get straight to the heart of all the action by tuning into the live stream on the Global Citizen website. The feed will be live on the day here.

And while you're in the neighbourhood, why not scroll through the rest of the site to learn about the issues we're campaigning on, and take action to achieve them? Just a thought.

5. Listen on BBC Radio 2

You’re slowly easing into Sunday evening with a mint tea, relaxed from your weekend digital detox. You’ve been so good, you lean across your sofa to open your phone, and take the quickest glance at what the internet’s been up to the last few days. The FOMO starts to sink in.

Thankfully, no screens are necessary for you to get stuck into Global Citizen Live. You can put your phone down, turn off your TV, and set your stereo to BBC Radio 2 on Sunday Sept. 26 for a highlights show with Trevor Nelson from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.

And if you’ve got a taste for the activism of the weekend, head to BBC Radio 1 on Sept. 26 between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. for a special Life Hacks show with Vick Hope and Katie Thistleton. They’ll be taking you on a journey through the issues raised by the show, and play out some sets from Global Citizen Live too.

6. Catchup on BBC iPlayer.

And finally, whether you want to tune in for the first time or simply relive the excitement, you’ll be able to catch Global Citizen Live on BBC iPlayer for 30 days after the broadcast.

You can also head to BBC iPlayer during the show itself to watch extensive coverage of Global Citizen Live in Paris.  

And don’t forget that however you tune in, or wherever you’re watching from, you can take action to defend the planet and defeat poverty here. That’s what it’s all about, after all.


You can join the Global Citizen Live campaign to defend the planet and defeat poverty by taking action here, and become part of a movement powered by citizens around the world who are taking action together with governments, corporations, and philanthropists to make change.

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Demand Equity

6 Ways Brits Can Watch Global Citizen Live From the UK

By James Hitchings-Hales