Choir of celebrities sings festive classics
- Published: 31 October 2007 12:45
- Author: Liz Thomas
- More by this Author
- Last Updated: 01 November 2007 08:35
ITV1 is to air a two-part seasonal entertainment special featuring a celebrity choir singing viewers' favourite Christmas classics in aid of the Prince's Trust.
Endemol subsidiary Initial has been commissioned to produce Britain Sings Christmas, which the network is billing as a celebration of the music that defines the festive period.
Kate Thornton will host the production, returning to the network months after being axed from her presenting role on The X Factor.
The initial 30-minute launch show sees Thornton announce 10 Christmas songs and ask viewers to vote for their top tune.
In the 60-minute main programme, vocal coaches David and Carrie Grant will lead the 20-strong celebrity choir - featuring stars such as Gaby Roslin, Claire Goose, Kim Wilde, Blue's Antony Costa and Liberty X singer Kelli Young - in performing the 10 festive songs, backed by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. The winning song will be revealed at the end of the programme.
In an added regional element, the performance will be broadcast on big screens in some key cities across Britain.
The public will be invited to go along and join in, with clips from around the regions fed into the main programme.
Guy Freeman, ITV controller of music and events, told Broadcast: "In the past few years, it has seemed as though people have been afraid to even mention Christmas on ITV, so this production is just an unashamed celebration."
The BBC has added to the value of its brand with external productions such as the Proms, and Freeman has said he is keen for ITV to do more event-led entertainment programming out of London.
He added: "ITV's viewing heartland is in the regions and it is great to give people from across the UK the opportunity to interact with what ITV does."
Viewers will be able to download recordings of the celebrity choir's performances on ITV.com. Profits from downloads and telephone voting will go to the Prince's Trust.
