CNN has confirmed that it plans to stay on the air, live, for 40 consecutive hours to cover Super Tuesday and its aftermath.

This year's Super Tuesday will see 24 states of the union - the largest number in history - hold primary or caucus elections for one or both parties to help determine who will go forward and stand in this year's US presidential election.

Coverage on CNN will kick off with American Morning at 6am on the day itself. Results are expected to start coming in at around 7pm in the East, when a New York-based team of anchors including Wolf Blitzer and Anderson Cooper will analyse returns. After midnight, coverage will return to the network's global headquarters in Atlanta and continue live until 11pm on Wednesday.

"It won't really stop," Sam Feist, CNN's political director, told The Hollywood Reporter.