Gareth and Kelis pitch up for new singing contest
SOME of the biggest names in music will arrive in Salford this week to start filming new BBC music talent show Pitch Battle.
It will see R‘n’ B star Kelis and choirmaster Gareth Malone joined by a host of stars including charttopping icon Seal and American heart-throb Joe Jonas as judges in BBC One’s brand new Saturday night entertainment music show.
The series will see rival musical groups facing off against each other, and will be filmed at MediaCityUK’s Dock 10 studios at Salford Quays.
Hosted by Bake Off star Mel Giedroyc, Gareth and Kelis will be joined by a different third judge each week.
They will be multi-award winning singer-songwriter Seal, DNCE lead vocalist and performer Joe Jonas, Queen of Funk Chaka Khan, American singer/songwriter Bebe Rexha and Brit Award-winning singer Will Young as they decide which groups progress to the next stage of the competition.
It is the latest TV talent show to be filmed at MediaCity – The Voice UK has filmed in Salford for the BBC and ITV, and the BBC also headed north to film Take That musical talent show Let It Shine last year.
Heading up the judging panel each week will be Gareth, who has presided over a number of successful choirs over the years.
Joining Gareth each week is American singer-songwriter Kelis, who started out singing in a joyful Pentecostal Church Choir before she joined The Girls Choir of Harlem where she learned the true craft of choral singing.
She has gone on to win a Brit Award, with 10 Top 10 UK singles, and over five million record sales worldwide.
Each week, singing groups from across the land will be welcomed to the stage where they will compete head-to-head over a series of choral challenges including Pitch Perfect inspired Riff Offs, a soloists challenge and an A Cappella round. Gareth said: “I’m thrilled and excited to be part of this fantastic new show. There’s a wealth of singing talent in this country and I’m delighted to bring that to BBC One. To me this is about finding extraordinary groups who have the skill and personality to light up our screens.”
Kelis said: “It’s kind of nice when things come full circle.
“I started singing in the choir as a child so it’s always been something special to me. Now here I am 20 years later as a judge on Pitch Battle.”