Songs of Praise is a BBC television programme based around traditional Christian hymns. With an average of 4 million viewers weekly, and now in its 45th year (jesus, how do we cope?), it is believed to be the most-watched (my arse) and the longest-running religious television programme in the world (probably). It is also the only peak-time free-to-air religious programme in Europe. ^[1] (Its ITV peak-time equivalent, Highway, was dropped in the early 1990s). The British Broadcasting Corporation, usually known as the BBC (and also informally known as the Beeb or Auntie) is the largest broadcasting corporation in the world in terms of audience numbers, employing 26,000 staff in the United Kingdom alone and with a budget of more than GB£4 billion... Christianity is a monotheistic[1] religion centered on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as presented in the New Testament. ... A hymn is a type of song, usually religious, specifically written for the purpose of praise, adoration or prayer, and typically addressed to a god or other religiously significant figure. ... Free-to-air is a phrase used to describe television and radio broadcasts which are available without subscription and without decryption (pay-TV). ... It has been suggested that Channel 3 (UK) be merged into this article or section. ... Highway usually refers to a road, but can also mean: Highway is the name of a 2002 movie starring Jared Leto and Jake Gyllenhaal. ...

Unfortunately it is usually broadcast on Sunday early evenings, and it usually includes bloody annoying god bods from various churches and cathedrals singing famous hymns whilst the presenter explores that week's theme. While focusing on hymns, in recent years the shows have become more diverse in its content, typically with a different theme for each show. It has also had special programmes celebrating the lives of famous British Christians, including the late Dame Thora Hird and Sir Harry Secombe. St. ... A cathedral is a religious building for worship, specifically of a denomination with an episcopal hierarchy, such as the Roman Catholic, Anglican and some Lutheran churches, which serves as a bishops seat, and thus as the central church of a diocese. ... Dame Thora Hird (May 28, 1911 - March 15, 2003) was a veteran British actress born in the Lancashire seaside town of Morecambe. ... Sir Harry Donald Secombe CBE (8 September 1921–11 April 2001) was a Welsh entertainer, a noted fine tenor singing voice and a talent for comedy. ...

Outside the United Kingdom, Songs of Praise is regularly shown in the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.

The first show was broadcast in October 1961 from the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Cardiff, and is now one of the longest-running TV shows in the world. The programme was the idea of the then Assistant Controller of Programmes at the BBC, Donald Baverstock. During its history, Songs of Praise has visited over 1,800 churches, cathedrals and chapels, singing over 12,500 hymns. Cardiff (English:  Welsh: ) is the capital, largest and core city of Wales. ... Donald Baverstock (January 18, 1924 – March 17, 1995) was a British television producer and executive. ...

It has had many different guest presenters over the years including Sir Cliff Richard-a tosser, Alan Titchmarsh- a gardener and Toyah Willcox- a slapper. However the current main presenters are Pam Rhodes- fugly, Sally Magnusson- worse, Diane-Louise Jordan- annoting, Aled Jones- jesus he needs to go down the bar and have a few, Eamonn Holmes- legend and Jonathan Edwards. Jonathan David Edwards CBE (born May 10, 1966 in London, England) is a former British triple jumper and widely regarded as the finest triple jumper of all time. ...

A number of famous people have been interviewed on the show, including Pope John Paul II, Tony Blair- on the show as a great role model to everyone, Frances Shand Kydd, Alan Ayckbourn and members of the British Royal Family. The show also appeared as a feature within an episode of the BBC comedy television series The Vicar of Dibley. Coat of Arms of Pope John Paul II. The Letter M is for Mary, the mother of Jesus, to whom he held strong devotion Pope John Paul II (Latin: , Italian: Giovanni Paolo II) born   [] (May 18, 1920, Wadowice, Poland – April 2, 2005, Vatican City) reigned as Pope of the Catholic... The Honourable Frances Ruth Shand Kydd (20 January 1936 - 3 June 2004) was the mother of Diana, Princess of Wales. ... Sir Alan Ayckbourn CBE (born April 12, 1939) is a popular and prolific English playwright. ... Members of the Royal Family on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the Trooping the Colour ceremony The British Royal Family is a shared royal family. ... The Vicar of Dibley is a British sitcom created by Richard Curtis and written for its lead actress, Dawn French, by Curtis and Paul Mayhew-Archer, with contributions from Kit Hesketh-Harvey. ...

Controversy

On 26 March 2007, in the midst of the premium rate telephone line investigation, it was revealed that the Easter 2007 edition of the show had been recorded at the same time as the Christmas 2006 edition of the show.... WHAT!!!!!???? at Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire in order to cut costs - with simply changes in lighting and flowers to reflect the two major services. You bloody cheating churchy basta*ds. The Bishop of Lichfield said the early recording was not a "deliberate deceit" but would give "an air of unreality" to the Easter programme, while a BBC spokeswoman said it was "common practice" to film two shows at once due to the costs in setting up lighting rigs, especially in a large cathedral. Several newspapers have accused the BBC of "tricking" fans of Songs of Praise, although it is commonly known that the broadcasts are not live.^[2] March 26 is the 85th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (86th in leap years). ... 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the Anno Domini era. ... The West Front of Lichfield Cathedral Lichfield Cathedral is situated in Lichfield, Staffordshire, England. ... Staffordshire (abbreviated Staffs) is a landlocked county in the West Midlands region of England. ... Arms of the Bishop of Lichfield The Bishop of Lichfield is the Ordinary of the Church of England Diocese of Lichfield in the Province of Canterbury. ...

References

External links

• Official Website