BBC unveils Religious Easter
Packed with shows about choirs, the BBC has revealed its TV and radio guide for the Easter period.
Photo courtesy BBC website
The programmes are part of the BBC's Year of Beliefs project for 2019, to bring content about religion and ethics to a wider audience and look at how deeper values shape society.
On Good Friday there will be the first of a two-part programme called 'Britain's Easter Story' where choir masters Gareth Malone and Karen Gibson will tour the UK to discover the narratives behind different Easter traditions and show how music is an important part of the celebration. The second part will air on Easter Sunday.
'Songs of Praise In the Holy Land' will also feature a young choir of Christians who travel to the Garden of Gethsemane and other biblical sites for the first time and there will be Easter Carols from King's.
Dan Walker will also host 'At The Foot Of The Cross' on Good Friday at 8pm on Radio 2, featuring songs based on the day Jesus died.
On Easter Sunday, BBC Radio 2 is live from Canterbury, with Archbishop Justin Welby reflecting on why Easter is the most important day in the Christian calendar, with music from the Grammy-winning Soweto Gospel Choir.
Already airing on TV on Fridays at 9pm is 'Pilgrimage: Road To Rome', the final episode of which will air on Good Friday - where eight celebrities, including Katy Brand, Lesley Joseph, Strictly's Brendan Cole and Greg Rutherford travel to Vatican City and meet the Pope.
The BBC will also play the Pope's Easter message, as well as a live Easter service from St Mary’s in Warwick and Songs of Praise In The Holy Land will air on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday.
Tom McDonald, Head of Commissioning, Natural History & Specialist Factual, said: "We are excited to bring viewers a range of programmes to celebrate the Christian calendar's most important date. Easter is a time of thoughtfulness, introspection and also great joy and we will be reflecting that across our titles."
Christine Morgan, Head of Radio for Religion and Ethics, said: "We have a whole host of different voices, stories, and music to explore the meaning of Easter."
Document Actions