Still on song, six decades on
Voices have been raised for Songs Of Praise for 60 years. MariON McMUllEN looks at the world’s longest-running religious programme
OPERATIC soprano Heather Harper was the first guest singer to appear on Songs Of Praise. She appeared in the opening broadcast from the Tabernacle Baptist in Cardiff on Sunday, October 1, 1961, with actor and singer Cy Grant.
The Reverend Gwilym ap Roberts presented the BBC programme and 60 years later Songs Of Praise is now the world’s longest-running religious programme.
Thousands of hymns and songs have been performed in churches and cathedrals up and down the country as well as at landmark venues such as London’s Royal Albert Hall.
There have been nearly 200 presenters over the years from Aled
Jones and Katherine Jenkins, Katie Piper, Dame Penelope Keith, Sir Harry Secombe, Rev. Kate Bottley, Sir Cliff Richard and chat show host Russell Harty.
Guests along the way have included comedian Frank Skinner, Gyles Brandreth, Downton Abbey creator Julian Fellowes, Pointless
presenter Alexander Armstrong, The Drifters and Dolly Parton. Prince Charles has appeared twice.
Adventurer Bear Grylls also celebrated his faith and his love of the landscape in a very special broadcast from the Wales Coast Path in 2013. He said: “The programme is a television institution viewed with great affection by millions including me and my family.”
Subtitles were introduced to Songs Of Praise in 1992 in response to the demands of viewers who wanted to sing along at home and the programme has even popped up in sitcoms including The Vicar Of Dibley and The Brittas Empire.
JLS singer JB Gill joined the presenting team in 2017 and said: “BBC1’s Songs of Praise has played an integral part in my childhood. I remember growing up watching and singing along to all of the hymns, many of which I’d learned during hymn practice at my Church of England Primary School.”