In Sing For The King: The Search for the Coronation Choir on BBC1 sees choirmaster Gareth Malone prepare for his toughest audience yet — the King, Queen Camilla and millions of viewers around the world and the important guests attending.
Joined by mentors BGT's Amanda Holden, Strictly's Motsi Mabuse and former Eastenders star Rose Ayling-Ellis, he will form a 300-strong choir comprised of some of the existing choirs around the UK, to sing at King Charles’ Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle.
They will work with singers from choirs including a group of London Cabbies, an all-deaf sign performance group, a refugee choir and a troupe of RNLI sea shanty singers from Portishead, and coach them to give a pitch-perfect performance fit for a King. “It means a huge amount to us all to be involved in this special concert,” says Gareth. “We'll all be working incredibly hard to create something uplifting and powerful.”
So here's everything you need to know about Sing For The King: The Search for the Coronation Choir on BBC1…
- For a full round-up of programmes that will be airing for the Coronation check out our special guide — King Charles' Coronation complete TV guide: times, specials and what to watch over the bank holiday weekend
Sing For The King: The Search for the Coronation Choir release date
Sing For The King: The Search for the Coronation Choir is a one-off documentary on BBC1 on Friday May 5 at 8pm. The chosen coronation choir will then perform at Windsor Castle for The Coronation Concert on Sunday May 7 2023 at 8pm live on BBC1 and Radio 2. You can catch up with both shows on BBCiPlayer.
Is there a trailer for Sing For The King: The Search for the Coronation Choir?
The BBC hasn't yet released a Sing For The King: The Search for the Coronation Choir trailer, but when they do we'll pop it on here. But in the meantime the Royal Family youtube channel has released this trailer about the music we can enjoy at this year's coronation. Do take a look below...
What happens in Sing For The King: The Search for the Coronation Choir
Sing For The King: The Search for the Coronation Choir sees TV's best-known choirmaster Gareth Malone travel the UK to find existing choirs he can amalgamate into a 300-strong ‘super choir’ which will perform at The King’s Coronation Concert at Windsor Castle on Sunday, May 7.
He’s joined by fellow mentors Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden, Strictly Come Dancing judge Motsi Mabuse and ex- EastEnders actress Rose Ayling-Ellis, who'll help prepare them for the big performance.
This choir will reflect modern Britain by showing a diverse range of faces, places and voices and will include London cabbies, an all-deaf sign performance group, a Northern Irish farming community group, an LGBTQ+ choir, a Gaelic choir, Hull’s NHS choir, a traditional male voice choir from Caerphilly, a refugee choir, Yorkshire’s only female South Asian choir, the London Fire Brigade and a troupe of RNLI sea shanty singers from Portishead.
The documentary will follow the ‘super choir’ until it meets for the first time to perform a dress rehearsal at Windsor Castle.
Interview: Gareth Malone on Sing For A King
Tell us a little bit about some of the choirs you’re working with in Sing For A King…
Gareth Malone says: "I met several choir on my journey round the country, each of them tells a different story about the UK. From the firefighters of South London to the South Asian Choir in Yorkshire, they all bring unique qualities. The Just Sing ladies in Portadown have an energy and resilience born out of the struggles of their community. The farmers' choir from Northern Ireland represent rural communities up and down the country. They are passionate about singing for His Majesty The King because he is himself so passionate about the land and farming."
How are they feeling about singing in front of the King and millions of people?
Gareth says: "Almost as nervous as I am!"
How would you describe your mentoring style?
Gareth says: "I mean business! But I understand what the choirs will be feeling. It's important to make people aware of the challenges ahead, whilst setting them realistic goals. I know that we can pull it off and showing that faith in the singers is essential."
What's the best advice you can offer to the choirs as they prepare for this performance of a lifetime?
Gareth says: "Make sure you know your part as well as you know your own name. There can be no room for doubt in a 3-minute performance. They need to work very hard to learn it!"
How excited are you to be involved with this project and to work with your fellow mentors?
Gareth says: "All of the mentors are extremely excited. Although we all perform regularly, this one is really special. I can't wait for us all to walk out onto the stage at Windsor Castle. It's going to be unforgettable."
Can you tell us any particularly special or emotional moments during filming?
Gareth says: "The moment when I found our soloist and revealed it to her and the choir was very moving. She never imagined this would happen to her and so, although she's very nervous, she's going to give it everything. There were tears of joy all around and I'm super excited for the country to hear her voice."
Interview: Motsi Mabuse on Sing For A King
Tell us about Sing for the King...
Motsi Mabuse says: "Sing for the King is a beautiful programme about supporting choirs from all over the UK and helping them with performance skills for one of their biggest shows of their lifetime, a performance for King Charles III’s Coronation! It’s all about how music can bring people from all different walks of life and heritage together to celebrate this momentous occasion.
Why did you want to be involved in the project?
Motsi says: "I feel so honoured to be asked and its absolutely incredible to be a part of such a special moment in history, the coronation of His Majesty King Charles III.
What can you tell us about some of the choirs involved?
Motsi says: "I am working with a refugee-based choir in Cardiff and it’s all about inclusion. I met some very special and interesting people who have come together to sing as a way of working through some of the struggles they have been through. With the support the choir offers they have found space together to forget their differences and work as one to help to become integrated into their new home in the UK."
How are they feeling about performing for His Majesty the King?
Motsi says: "They are out of their minds excited! They will be singing to the nation and around the globe and are thrilled to be a part of this historic moment!"
How would you describe yourself as a mentor?
Motsi says: "I'm generally empathetic and a big motivator but of course we want a great performance so using my experience I want to add some of that knowledge. But most importantly it’s about making sure they’re feeling good about themselves, that’s my number one role as mentor."
What can you tell us about the emotional stories? Any special moments?
Motsi says: "Every story I heard was so special. There was a moment where members of the choir were opening up about their stories and how they landed where they are, every member of the team and I was moved."
How are you looking forward to working with fellow mentors? Have you worked with any previously?
Motsi says: "Obviously, I know the brilliant Rose from Strictly, but I haven’t worked alongside her as a mentor before, and haven’t worked with my other fellow mentors at all – but, I am so excited to work together! I’m always thrilled to meet new people and to learn new experiences and knowing I get to be a part of this very special show and significant event with them."
Interview: Rose Ayling-Ellis on Sing For A King
Tell us about Sing For The King and what can viewers expect?
Rose Ayling-Ellis says: "The documentary will tell the story of the brilliantly talented choirs from all over the country who will make up the Coronation Choir and ultimately perform in front of the King at the Coronation Concert. It’s a once in a lifetime opportunity and one I’m really happy to be involved in especially as I’m supporting an all-deaf sign performance group. They’re called Unify and viewers can expect to see them signing songs and expressing themselves in their language."
Can you tell us a little bit about the choirs you are working with?
Rose says: "Unify is an all-deaf sign performance group choir made up entirely of deaf people. It is the only fully all deaf sign performance group in the UK and was only set up a year ago."
How are they feeling about performing for His Majesty? Have there been any particularly emotional moments so far?
Rose says: "It was so moving to see their reaction. They got really emotional and you could tell it means so much to them. For so long BSL has been side-lined, so it’s lovely to see that it will be placed centre stage for the world to see. It’s amazing for BSL to be represented at such an historical moment."
How would you describe your mentoring style?
Rose says: "I’m not really mentoring them as such because I am not an expert in translating songs into BSL. It’s a real skill being able to translate the meaning and context of lyrics and songs. I’m here to give them the confidence to perform on stage. It’s nerve-racking to perform to the world so I can give them advice on that – I’ve done loads of nerve-racking stuff now!"
How are you feeling about working with your fellow mentors?
Rose says: "Obviously I know Motsi from Strictly and I’m really excited to meet those I haven’t met before! It will be a fun conversation to have because they will be using verbal voice and we use visual voice through sign."
What would you like audiences to take away from this film?
Rose says: "I really hope that seeing the choir will show how important community is to deaf people. I also hope hearing audiences see the skill involved and the importance of the BSL translation, rather than just seeing something that is pretty to look at. BSL is a language and the way deaf people express themselves, so I hope audiences can see this through the film."
What's it like working with Gareth Malone?
Rose says: "Gareth is one of the UK’s best and most famous choirmasters. He fronts The Choir, where he teaches people to sing who have never sung before. The series spawned The Military Wives choir and Gareth Malone’s Christmas Concert in 2019, where the staff and patients at Watford General Hospital performed. He also formed a choir of wounded ex-services personnel. Gareth has also made the programmes The Choir: Sing While You Work, The Naked Choir with Gareth Malone and Gareth Malone’s All Star Music Quiz. He was Cactus on The Masked Singer and took part in The Great Celebrity Bake off for Stand Up to Cancer in 2021."
More about the Sing For A King mentors
Amanda Holden
Actress and presenter Amanda Holden is best known as a judge on Britain’s Got Talent. She’s starred in Wild At Heart, Neighbours, Plebs and The Holden Girls: Mandy & Myrtle as well as The Worst Witch, Big Top, EastEnders, Kiss Me Kate and Cutting It. Earlier this year she made Amanda and Alan’s Italian Job with Alan Carr and she’s also appeared on I Can See Your Voice: UK, This Morning and Celebrity Juice.
Motsi Mabuse
Dancer Motsi Mabuse is a judge on Strictly Come Dancing. Earlier this year she took part in DNA Journey and has also been on Would I Lie to You, The Wheel, Loose Women and Let’s Dance.
Rose Ayling-Ellis
Rose is a deaf actress who played Frankie Lewis in EastEnders and has also starred in Casualty and Summer of Rockets. She wowed everyone as a contestant on Strictly, which she won in 2021 with her partner Giovanni Pernice, incorporating a silent section into one of her performances to highlight how the deaf community experiences the world. Rose also appeared on the series See Hear and was a storyteller on CBeebies Bedtime Story. She reunited with Giovanni Pernice earlier in 2023 in his BBC1 series Anton & Giovanni's Adventures In Sicily.
