EU referendum debates: What to expect from the final showdown

The biggest debate of the European Union referendum will take place tonight, with thousands of voters expected to attend the final showdown at Wembley Arena in London.

The BBC's Great Debate, hosted by David Dimbleby, will see key campaigners on both sides go head-to-head in front of a live audience of more than 6,000 people.

With just one full day of campaigning left until voters head to the polls on Thursday and with millions still undecided, there is everything left to play for.

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"How great it will be remains to be seen," says the Herald Scotland. "But it's certainly a big production."

Who is speaking?

There will be three campaigners on each side, with Boris Johnson leading the Brexit brigade alongside energy minister Andrea Leadsom and Labour MP Gisela Stuart.

"In recent days Nigel Farage has really dominated the airways for the Leave campaign, but tonight Boris Johnson will be back again," says the BBC's political correspondent Vicky Young.

The Remain camp will be represented by London Mayor Sadiq Khan, leader of the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Ruth Davidson MSP, as well as the TUC's general secretary Frances O'Grady.

How will it work?

Both sides will make opening and closing statements. In between these, the panellists will debate key referendum issues and take questions from the audience. [[{"type":"media","view_mode":"content_original","fid":"96411","attributes":{"class":"media-image"}}]]

There will also be a smaller stage filled with politicians from other parties, as well as major players in business and journalism representing Remain and Leave, as well as the obligatory spin room.

What can we expect?

Immigration and the economy will undoubtedly feature heavily in the debate, as they have throughout the referendum campaign, with both sides making a final attempt to win over undecided voters.

Sparks are likely to fly between Davidson and Johnson, after reports suggested she believes her party would have to break away from Westminster Conservatives if Johnson became prime minister.

"Senior sources close to the Scottish Tory leader said she thinks the former Mayor of London would be toxic to her party's electoral hopes north of the border if he succeeds David Cameron in the wake of a vote for Brexit on Thursday," the Daily Telegraph reports.

Davidson has not been shy in expressing her opinions about the bombastic Brexiter and his fellow campaigners. "Johnson and Farage would be OK; the wealthy are always able to fall back on their pension pot and savings. It would be ordinary workers who suffer," she said recently.

The Telegraph concludes that the tension between two of the Conservative Party's most popular figures "adds an edge to the debate".

EU Referendum – The Great Debate will be broadcast tonight from 8pm until 10pm on BBC One.