The BBC will be reflecting the release of Now And Then – the last song by The Beatles – and celebrating the enduring legacy of the band with a range of programmes on TV, radio and online.

The song was originally written and sung by John Lennon, developed and worked on by Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr and now finally finished by Paul and Ringo over four decades later.

Highlights include:

• The One Show on BBC One – an extended edition on Wednesday 1 November (7pm-7.45pm), with BBC Radio 6 Music’s Lauren Laverne introducing and commenting on the exclusive UK TV broadcast of Now And Then – The Last Beatles Song – a poignant short film, written and directed by Oliver Murray, which tells the story behind the track

• Eras: The Beatles – presented by Martin Freeman and recorded in Liverpool, this new podcast series from BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds is the definitive look at how the most famous band on earth shaped music today. The story is told as never before with extensive archive and in the band’s own words. It features a newly-rediscovered interview with George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr – unheard for almost 60 years – as well as a new interview with Paul McCartney on the making of ‘Now And Then’

• BBC Two and BBC iPlayer will broadcast a night of programming celebrating The Beatles on Saturday 4 November. The range of new and archive programmes will include The Beatles & The BBC, a new compilation featuring performances and appearances from the band and its individual members on programmes such as Doctor Who (1965), A Degree of Frost (1964) and Our World (1967)

Lorna Clarke, BBC Director of Music says: “The BBC’s relationship with The Beatles spans seven decades, with appearances from members of the band woven throughout our extensive archive. This relationship with their music continues today and so to be the first UK broadcaster to show the special film will be a real treat for fans old and new. We’ll be celebrating the band’s continued influence across BBC iPlayer, Sounds, radio and TV.”

BBC Radio and BBC Sounds

BBC Radio 1, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6 Music will all be reflecting the release of the last Beatles song Now And Then, with 6 Music being the first BBC pop radio station to play the track on 2 November.

In the lead-up, BBC Sounds and BBC Radio 2 presents Eras: The Beatles (6 x 30), hosted by actor and Beatles fan Martin Freeman and produced by Cup & Nuzzle. Episodes one-five are available now on BBC Sounds, with a final sixth episode to follow on Thursday 2 November from 2pm.

Eras: The Beatles charts the history of the band that are the foundation of popular music and whose legendary influence – over 60 years since their formation – is still felt across the world. Each episode will shine a light on a different period of The Beatles’ remarkable career.

Rock ‘n’ Roll (episode one) – We meet The Beatles as they work their way to the brink of global superstardom – shaping their sound, honing their iconic look and making the tough decisions that take them all the way to the top.

Riots (episode two) – It’s 1964. British Beatlemania is in full swing but this summer, the Fab Four are about to go global and nothing can stand in their way. The band scales new heights as they enter the pop stratosphere on both sides of the Atlantic.

From silver-screen adventures to the invention of stadium rock, the BBC Archive team have scoured their collection for the interviews that put listeners right at the heart of those months on the road – including a special find that hasn’t been heard since it was first broadcast nearly 60 years ago.

Discovered by BBC archivist Elliot Gibson at the BBC Archive Centre in Perivale, the interview with George Harrison, Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr was originally recorded on 5 February 1964 for the BBC programme Radio Newsreel (1940-1988). The interview captures George, Paul and Ringo at London (now Heathrow) Airport on their return to England after performances in France, and just before they set off for their first visit to the USA. It was a key juncture in their career, as shortly after the interview, the band arrived in New York to mass adulation and made their famous appearance on The Ed Sullivan Show, which was broadcast to 73 million people. The first band to become a global brand, they created new levels of hysteria.

Elliot says: “I found this interview which was originally on a physical reel of tape which contained news clips whilst undertaking a project to digitise 30,000 quarter inch reels from the BBC archive. There’s often something surprising to be found in old archive material when you scratch the surface, but I never expected to find something of this quality – a complete Beatles interview by reporter Reg Abbiss. Initially I assumed it was a copy of an interview that was widely known, so when I checked and discovered it was unique and hadn’t been heard since its broadcast – almost 60 years ago – I was amazed. It’s extremely rare to unearth material this valuable in the archive. What makes it truly great is that it shows The Beatles on top form – playful and quick-witted – and captures them just before their first visit to America which would turn out to be a pivotal moment in their career. Who knows what I will find next!”

This piece of musical history from the BBC’s archive was also broadcast on BBC Radio 6 Music in Craig Charles’ show (1pm-4pm) on 26 October and Craig’s celebrations continue over the next week. On Thursday 2nd November from 2pm – accompanying the first BBC play of the new track ‘Now And Then’ – he will welcome guests and share clips from the newly-released sixth episode of Eras: The Beatles.

Rebellion (episode three) – In 1966, the pressures of fame begin to weigh on the globetrotting lives of John, Paul, George and Ringo. From a close-call with military police in the Philippines, to a religious backlash in the United States, the band starts to question whether being a Beatle is quite so fab after all. Presenter Martin Freeman finds the band at a critical juncture in their story – the extraordinary decision to abandon the live shows that made their name and embrace the potential of the recording studio with the groundbreaking Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band. Featuring illuminating archive from the band and their contemporaries, we’ll follow The Beatles as they shape popular music for decades to come with the birth of the concept album.

Revolution (episode four) explores the pressures that broke the biggest band on the planet and the incredible music that this turbulent era produced. From the high-minded psychedelia of Magical Mystery Tour to the drama of Let It Be, to the masterpiece that was Abbey Road, the BBC Archive team have scoured their collections to bring listeners the interviews that shine a light on a dark period for The Beatles.

Reincarnation (episode five) explores how John, Paul, George and Ringo navigated life after The Beatles. In the aftermath of the split in 1970, recriminations gave way to new beginnings – and each individual Beatle embarked on a successful solo career. Rumours of a reunion swirl – before a senseless act of violence seems to draw a line under their story as a unit. However, a band like The Beatles never goes away – it lives forever in the people who love it and this is a story that never really ends.

Now and Then (episode six) – The final episode (available on BBC Sounds from 2pm on Thursday 2 November) features a new interview with Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, in which they reflect on the decades and discuss the making of ‘Now And Then’. The episode also features insight on the new track from Sean Ono Lennon, Olivia Harrison and Peter Jackson.

BBC Radio 2 will broadcast episodes one and two of Eras: The Beatles on Sunday 29 October (12am-1am) and episodes three-six on Sunday 5th November (12am-2am).

On Thursday 2 November on BBC Radio 2, Jeremy Vine (weekdays 12pm-2pm) will explore and celebrate the enduring legacy of The Beatles from 1.30pm.

Available now on BBC Sounds, The Beatles at the BBC collection offers another chance to hear programmes that have previously been broadcast on BBC Radio networks. They feature reflections on the band and their work from some of greatest songwriters of all time.

Dave Grohl: My Beatles (1 x 60) – the Foo Fighters frontman talks about his unique memories and passion for the music of The Beatles.

The Beatles as Songwriters (1 x 60) – songwriter Guy Chambers analyses each of the Fab Four through their songwriting.

The Beatles at Auntie Beeb: with Craig Charles (1 x 120) – 6 Music presenter Craig Charles delves into the BBC Archives, sharing classic Beatles’ performances and interviews from programmes including Easy Beat, Saturday Club and Pop Go The Beatles. These programmes were all broadcast on the BBC’s Light Programme radio station between 1963 and 1965.

John Lennon at 80 (2 x 60) – Sean Ono Lennon, Julian Lennon, Paul McCartney and Elton John celebrate the musical legend John Lennon on what would have been his 80th birthday.

The Beatles Solo: All Things Must Pass – record producer and broadcaster Tris Penna reviews George Harrison’s All Things Must Pass. Listeners hear from Ken Scott, who recalls working with George on the original triple album; author and daughter of Ginger Baker, Nettie Baker; producer and musician Tony Visconti; broadcaster Annie Nightingale; musician Nitin Sawhney; and writer Daryl Easlea.

Paul McCartney: Inside the Songs – Paul McCartney discusses his life and songwriting through the prism of 10 key lyrics, including from The Beatles’ classics, All My Loving, Eleanor Rigby and Penny Lane.

BBC One and BBC iPlayer

On Wednesday 1 November, BBC One’s The One Show, presented by Alex Jones and Ronan Keating will be joined by 6 Music’s Lauren Laverne, who will introduce the exclusive UK TV broadcast of the short film ‘Now And Then – The Last Beatles Song.’ The short film contains exclusive footage and commentary from Paul, Ringo, George, Sean Ono Lennon and Peter Jackson. It tells the story behind the last Beatles song – one which began in the late 1970s, when John Lennon recorded a demo with vocals and piano at his home in New York’s Dakota building and ends in 2023, with Paul and Ringo re-entering the studio to finally finish ‘Now And Then’.

The short film, with introduction and comment from Lauren, will be available on BBC iPlayer after broadcast.

Also appearing in the studio will be guests including producer, songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist and son of George Martin, Giles Martin.

BBC Two and BBC iPlayer

On Saturday 4 November, BBC Two and BBC iPlayer will celebrate The Beatles from 8pm until late, with new content and classic programmes from the BBC’s archive.

New programmes include:

The Beatles & the BBC – the relationship between The Beatles and the BBC has always been a special and fascinating one. This programme looks back at some key moments that saw the BBC document the band’s journey as they went from Merseybeat heroes with mop-tops and MBEs, to seeing out the sixties as long-haired heroes of the counter-culture. In the early years, an interview on the BBC was something the band would pursue and embrace, but as their fame spread, their TV appearances became increasingly rare. The changing dynamic is captured here through a combination of classic music performances and the very best moments from the BBC’s archives. Moments include: a rare performance of Ticket to Ride on a 1965 William Hartnell episode of Doctor Who; an interview with Paul McCartney on A Degree of Frost (1964) in which he discusses early retirement plans and writing with John Lennon; Blue Peter and Panorama reports from 1965 on The Beatles receiving MBEs; and a rarely seen, six-minute version of All You Need is Love from the famous Our World live broadcast across Europe in June 1967.

Episode four of the current series of Later… with Jools Holland (Saturday 4 November, BBC Two) will reflect the celebration by featuring a guest appearance from Olivia Harrison, who reveals her favourite Beatles song to Jools. The show also features performances from Christone ‘Kingfish’ Ingram, Izo FitzRoy, OMD, Sampha and Willie J Healey.

These programmes will be available on BBC iPlayer for 30 days after broadcast.