GB News to broadcast Coronation LIVE and in full as BBC backs down at last-minute - Huge victory for People's Channel

It had warned it could restrict coverage, meaning UK licence fee payers, who have funded the entire event, may not have been able to see the first Coronation in the UK since 1953, while foreign media companies were handed it for free.

A string of UK broadcasters had blasted the corporation, whose charter - which guarantees the controversial £159 licence fee - expires in 2027.

But the BBC finally backed down shortly before 8pm this evening, meaning viewers across the country can now watch the historic ceremony on their favourite channel.

GB News Chief Executive Angelos Frangopoulos hailed the victory.

He said: "We take our responsibility to the British people seriously and are delighted that the full coverage of this historic event will be available to our audiences to watch live, both on TV and online."

Earlier, in a rare joint statement, the News Media Association, Local TV and rivals TalkTV and GB News said: "We are deeply concerned by the BBC’s behaviour in restricting UK media companies access to pool footage of the Coronation of the King, and therefore denying UK citizens the opportunity to enjoy this event of major public interest and national importance on the platform of their choice.

"Given the historic significance of the occasion, all efforts should have been made by the BBC to ensure that the footage - which is created using licence fee payer money - is distributed as widely as possible to allow UK citizens to witness this event, and the BBC has not fulfilled this obligation."

They added: "The decision to charge UK media companies an excessive commercial fee (with no visibility of true costs) seems perverse when the BBC is allowing foreign publishers and broadcasters the same footage for free.

"These foreign broadcasters and publishers will be allowed to stream or broadcast footage in the UK despite restrictions on UK media."

The BBC (together with Sky and ITN) has repeatedly delayed and prevaricated on this issue since the death of Queen Elizabeth in September last year in an anti-competitive manner.

"The BBC must urgently reconsider their position and allow all members of the British public who want to watch the Coronation the choice to access the event where they wish to do so."

The hashtag #DefundTheBBC even began trending on Twitter as politicians, celebrities and viewers of GB News, Talk TV and other UK broadcasters united to blast the corporation over their stance.

Baroness Foster, a prominent member of the House of Lords, said: "I’d expect nothing less.

"We should defund the BBC, now more than ever. Arrogant, childish behaviour."

Political commentator Peter C Barnes added: "The BBC is using taxpayer money to capture this footage, it is not owned by the BBC, it is owned by the public and the public should have the right to view that footage however they wish.

"Disgraceful but hardly unsurprising behaviour from them."

Defund the BBC's Rebecca Ryan told GB News: "The BBC has shown yet again that it is not working in the British people's interests.

"This is a corporation that cares only about securing a media monopoly while bullying vulnerable and reluctant Brits into paying for it.

"By denying other broadcasters access to footage of the Coronation the BBC shows itself to be desperately out of touch.

"The footage is being funded by the British people and must be made accessible to all to watch."