BBC One and iPlayer to Air Exclusive Sam Smith Concert at the London Coliseum This Month

BBC One and iPlayer have officially set the broadcast date for an exclusive performance from pop icon Sam Smith. Captured during the UK leg of their To Be Free residency, Sam Smith: Live at the London Coliseum will air on Wednesday 23 September at 10.40pm on BBC One and BBC iPlayer.

The television special, filmed on 9 September at the iconic West End venue, offers viewers a rare, intimate look at the five-time Grammy winner in concert. The broadcast lands alongside a multi-platform BBC rollout celebrating both Smith’s career and emerging UK musical talent.

Key Highlights & Broadcast Schedule

• BBC One & iPlayer Premiere: Wednesday 23 September at 10:40 PM.
• BBC Radio 2 & BBC Sounds Broadcast: Thursday 24 September (7–9 PM) during Jo Whiley’s show, featuring performance highlights and a brand-new interview with Sam. On-demand streaming will follow on BBC Sounds.
• Venue & Date: Filmed live on Wednesday 9 September at the historic London Coliseum as part of an eight-night run.
• New Album Era: The UK residency follows the release of Smith’s latest album, Hazel Eyes, released in August.
• BBC Introducing Collaboration: Smith personally selected 10 rising UK acts from over 1,500 submissions to open across their Manchester and London residency dates.

Spotlighting Emerging UK Talent

As part of the residency, Smith teamed up with BBC Introducing to champion rising stars across pop, folk-rock, R&B, and neo-soul. Following a shortlist curated by a BBC Introducing panel, Smith personally handpicked the final 10 artists to take the stage.

Date	Selected Opening Act	Regional BBC Introducing Chapter
Thursday 3 September	Nyah Grace	BBC Introducing in Manchester
Friday 4 September	Will Parker	BBC Introducing in York and Humberside
Tuesday 8 September	Bradley Jago	BBC Introducing in Hampshire, Dorset and the Isle of Wight
Wednesday 9 September	Becky Sikasa	BBC Introducing in Scotland
Friday 11 September	Sebastian Schub	BBC Introducing in London
Saturday 12 September	Tia Gordon	BBC Introducing in Kent
Tuesday 15 September	Taylor Bleu	BBC Introducing in London
Wednesday 16 September	Josie Oliver	BBC Introducing in Shropshire, Stoke, Hereford and Worcester
Friday 18 September	Tamzene	BBC Introducing in Scotland
Saturday 19 September	Tyler Lewis	BBC Introducing in London

In addition to opening Smith’s residency shows—which include two dates at Manchester’s Albert Hall before an eight-night stand at the London Coliseum—the 10 acts are receiving dedicated support and broadcast coverage across the nationwide BBC Introducing network.

Industry & Artist Statements

Sam Smith says: “My ‘To Be Free’ residencies across the world have been such incredible live experiences. I’m delighted to invite some wonderful new artists onto the stage for these shows and share in the moment with them.”

Jonathan Rothery, Head of BBC Popular Music TV says: “Sam Smith is one of the UK’s most distinctive musical voices, and someone who we’ve championed on the BBC for many years. I’m delighted that we’ll be able to bring what I know will be a powerful and uplifting night of music to audiences.”

Kelly Betts, Editor of BBC Introducing says: “BBC Introducing exists to champion and elevate emerging artists, so we’re thrilled to bring together one of the world’s biggest stars with ten brilliant Introducing acts. Each artist has demonstrated exceptional talent and potential, and we’re proud to have supported them on their journey so far. We hope this opportunity opens doors to new audiences and helps take their careers to the next level.”

A Global Career in Numbers

With over 64 million equivalent album sales, 396 million single sales, and 57 billion streams, Smith remains one of the UK’s most successful musical exports. The artist holds two Guinness World Records: one for the most consecutive weeks in the UK Top 10 Album Chart with their 2014 debut In the Lonely Hour, and another for recording the first James Bond theme (Writing’s on the Wall) to reach No. 1 on the UK Singles Chart.

Share this article with someone who might like it: