The Queen visited the set of ITV drama Trigger Point and attended a reception with ITV stars, and staff working behind the scenes, in the first significant event to mark 70 years since the 1955 launch of ITV.
The visit is the start of ITV’s 70th celebrations, marking 70 years of significant investment in UK originated, world leading programming, with seven decades of making what matters to audiences, now and into the future, as well as 70 years of TV advertising in the UK.
Her Majesty visited the set of Trigger Point which is currently being filmed on location in London and follows a team of bomb disposal officers, known as Expos, as they dedicate themselves to keeping the capital safe from explosive devices and terrorist threats.
Accompanied by Dame Carolyn McCall, Chief Executive of ITV and Executive Producer Jed Mercurio OBE, The Queen met cast and crew involved in the upcoming third series including Vicky McClure MBE and a bomb disposal expert advising the production. Her Majesty observed the team in action while a scene is filmed showing Lana Washington (Vicky McClure) sprinting towards a building just as an explosion rips out from a balcony high above her.
Trigger Point Series two which aired in 2024, averaged 8.1m viewers and was streamed 30m times on ITVX, making it the second most watched drama on ITV that year behind only Mr Bates vs The Post Office.
Her Majesty then joined a reception attended by ITV colleagues and well known faces from ITV’s biggest programmes including actors Brenda Blethyn, Shaun Evans and Monica Dolan, Eden Taylor-Draper and James Chase from Emmerdale and Cait Fitton and Channique Sterling Brown from Coronation Street.
Susanna Reid, Dermot O’Leary, Christine Lampard, Dr Hilary Jones MBE and Lorraine Kelly CBE represented ITV Daytime, with Factual presenters Ellie Simmonds OBE and Olivia Attwood, and Mark Pougatch, Oli Bell and Seb Hutchinson representing ITV Sport.
National news was represented by Mary Nightingale, Charlene White, Paul Brand and Cree-Summer Haughton, and ITV Regional News by Amy Lea and Gamal Fahnbullah.
Her Majesty also viewed a display looking back on Royal moments in ITV’s 70-year history and also showcasing ITV’s range of programming from drama, soaps, factual, entertainment, daytime, news, sport and advertising as well as a short film. Additionally, she met ITV colleagues behind the scenes over the years.
Following a speech by Dame Carolyn McCall, The Queen cut a clapperboard-shaped cake to mark the occasion and was presented with a personalised clapperboard.
Dame Carolyn McCall said: “It is a great honour to have Her Majesty join us for the launch of ITV’s 70th celebrations.
“Over that time, we have transformed from a UK broadcaster into a global media and entertainment company. But even as we evolve, we are proud to be an integral part of British culture.
“We bring the nation together in their millions, be it through sport, or entertainment and reality shows. Across all genres we produce distinctively British content which reflects and champions the diversity of our nations, regions and communities – mirroring and shaping culture and having a positive impact.
“It is the many talented people who are the heart of ITV and who help us make what matters. All of them help to create the shows which resonate with millions of viewers, in the UK and around the world.”
Her Majesty’s visit is the first significant event marking a milestone year for ITV which launched as the UK’s first commercial television network on the 22nd September 1955. ITV1 was recently named Channel of the Year at both the 2025 Broadcast Awards and 2024 Edinburgh TV Festival.
ITV will be celebrating its impact of making what matters for the past 70 years for viewers, advertisers, customers and colleagues in the lead up to September both on and off screen with events and initiatives including:
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A day of special programming on ITV1 to mark the 70th in September, exploring 70 years on ITVX with ITV classics from across the decades and ITV3 will also be celebrating by showing theme weeks featuring some of ITV’s biggest crime dramas
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A nationwide campaign to encourage people to volunteer to support charities in their area
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Internal events to recognise and celebrate with colleagues
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A celebration in the iconic Great Hall at Guildhall around the date of the 70th itself. The Guildhall is symbolic for ITV because the first ever programme shown on opening night in the London area was an outside broadcast of a dinner from the Guildhall, to celebrate ITV’s launch.
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ITV’s commercial team will be celebrating 70 years of iconic TV advertising, showcasing the very best creative ads since ITV’s launch
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Special branding across ITV’s channels and platforms celebrating 70 years
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ITV News will be diving into the rich and varied archive from the last 70 years of some of the biggest moments in history as documented by our news team – the fall of the Berlin Wall, 9/11, the Gulf Wars, genocide in Bosnia, through to recent political events, Royal babies, weddings and coronations. ITV News has given viewers a front seat.
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In the seven months leading up to ITV’s 70th celebrations in September, nations and regions news teams will dedicate each month to a different decade, with features which highlight the lasting legacy of local commercial television coverage in their part of the UK.