Songs of Praise

enough but I mean I've revised that as I've got older I like it a lot more now than I did then but but at the time I wouldn't have been like oh especially if it was on on a Sunday night you know I wouldn't be tripping over myself to make sure that I saw it

fair enough you'd be watching songs of praise and then going and having dutifully having your bath and then coming down in time for that's life

Yeah, yeah.

Trying to sneak a look at Spitting Image and if I was really lucky, maybe get to watch Hot Metal or

On BBC One, Antiques Roadshow, of course.

Of course.

Then Songs of Praise, then Open All Hours.

A repeat of Elizabeth R.

So it's a thrill for me.

Bob Chilcott speaking to me earlier and Young Chorister of the Year 2026, marking 40 years, will be available today on BBC Sounds and Songs of Praise on BBC One.

A series of Houthi missile attacks on Saudi Arabia this week has activated a newly created defence alliance the country has formed with Turkey and Pakistan.

Known as the Mecca Pact, it was signed in the Holy City this summer and is modelled on Article 5 of the NATO agreement, stating that an attack on one is deemed an attack on all.

And then he retired.

When he retired, he became the host of Songs of Praise, which is the BBC's longest running television show.

And it's a Sunday morning praise television show.

So he was one of the most well-known Christians in the UK at the time.

Love Boat, because you were just desperate for something to watch, weren't you, between all the God stuff.

And then I remember after tea, see, after Bullseye, And your Sunday dinner, you always had a choice between Songs of Praise and Highway, didn't you? It was

awful.

Do you

Sunday evening about six o'clock

yeah

and obviously you know you've got songs of praise and highway to choose from so it was a bit of a

it was hard

In France, a book has been dropped from consideration for a prestigious literary prize after allegations that AI was used in its writing.

But how can you tell? And Pam Rhodes celebrates 65 years of the BBC's Songs of Praise program and its older Welsh inspiration.

Here in the UK, diesel prices are creeping close to £2 per liter tonight.

In France, €2 a liter has already been reached.

I'm pretty sure they haven't been, but, [inhales] you know, um, there but by the grace of God.

The literary editor at The Spectator, Sam Leith.

Next month, Songs of Praise will have been on air continuously for sixty-five years, beaten only by its Welsh equivalent, which began broadcasting nine months earlier and was the inspiration for the program.

On BBC One on Sunday lunchtime, Songs of Praise celebrates its anniversary with a special edition that includes a duet between two of its presenters, Aled Jones and the late singer and actor Sir Harry Secombe.

Yeah, I'm thinking of predicting the future for you, Paddy.

BBC Network have a long history of casting somebody who's Welsh with a great singing voice in the Songs of Praise slot on a Sunday evening.

Harry Seacombe, Aled Jones.

Yes.

I bet you it'll never be Charlotte Church because Charlotte occupies ideological positions that would feel uncomfortable for that audience.

I tell you what, the day that Charlotte Church ends up doing songs of praise, I reckon people will start going back to mass.

Anyway, time for us to move on.

We're enjoying this far too much.