Sunak v Starmer BBC debate - exact time, presenters and how to watch

Rishi Sunak and Keir Starmer are facing a final battle in BBC debate

With just days to go before voters head to the ballot box, election mania is in full swing as Rishi Sunak desperately tries to salvage his nightmare campaign.

Meanwhile Keir Starmer has faced scrutiny over his comments on private health care and Jeremy Corbyn - but he still managed to 'shake it off' at a Taylor Swift concert with his family.

This week we've seen both PM hopefuls face blistering questions on immigration, the NHS and taxes, but there's one story in town that's engulfing the whole campaign: the election betting scandal.

A total of six police offers are now being probed by the Gambling Commission over allegedly betting on the date of the General Election, as well as four Tories. Mr Sunak finally withdrew his support for two Conservatives at the heart of the scandal after a fortnight of flip-flopping, but pressures remain high as the probe gets underway.

There's no doubt the sinking PM will face tough questions on the fiasco during the final televised leaders' debate before July 4. As the Tories grapple with the polls all pointing towards a glittering victory for Labour, Mr Starmer will face Mr Sunak in a head-to-head clash on BBC One.

The two leaders will be plunged back into the one-on-one format for their final debate. It's a full circle moment, as that's exactly where they began in the first TV showdown of the election.

With such a tumultuous campaign for the Tories - from the D-Day disaster to the Sky TV blunder - you'd be forgiven for thinking years have passed since the first leader debate. But it's time to get your popcorn at the ready as we're in for one final battle. Here's everything you need to know about the upcoming BBC special.

When is the Sunak v Starmer BBC debate?

Both leaders will go head-to-head on Wednesday June 26, with just over a week to go before polling day. The live debate follows the Question Time Special last week, which saw four party leaders take a grilling from audience members. But this time it will be Mr Sunak and Mr Starmer fighting it out between themselves.

The debate will be broadcast live from a studio in Nottingham. You can watch it on BBC One or BBC iPlayer, or listen to it on the radio.

What time is the Sunak v Starmer debate on BBC?

The Prime Ministerial debate will kick off at 8:15pm and run until 9:30pm. But the drama doesn't end there, as the broadcaster is hosting a special extra programme right after the debate with analysis from Laura Kuenssberg and Clive Myrie, the presenters of the Beeb's election night coverage. They will be hot on the tails of any live reaction from the debate venue - from 9:30pm until 10pm.

Who is presenting the debate?

The clash will be hosted by the BBC's Mishal Husain, and it's not her first rodeo. The 51-year-old stalwart presenter hosted a seven-way political debate earlier on in the campaign, where Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner and Penny Mordaunt for the Conservatives battled for air time, alongside Reform's Nigel Farage and Daisy Cooper from the Liberal Democrats.

The BBC journalist is used to her interview subjects trying to portray themselves in the best light. In November 2017, Mishal was chosen to give the first broadcast interview with the newly engaged Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. The loved-up couple were ushered into a room in Kensington Palace where they giggled and held hands as they told Mishal about the moment Harry popped the question while they were roasting a chicken for dinner. But years later, both Harry and Meghan would denounce the interview as being part of an "orchestrated reality show", claiming: "We weren't allowed to tell our story."

Are there any other TV debates before the General Election?

The Starmer vs Sunak debate is the final clash we'll see between the Labour and Tory leaders - but there's another special coming up before polling day.

When announcing its Question Time election special line-up for last week's debate, the BBC confirmed that Nigel Farage was not included. The right-wing Reform UK leader publicly lashed out at the broadcaster after not getting an invite.

The Beeb has since announced that it will host an additional Question Time special featuring representatives from Reform UK and the Green Party, on Friday June 28.