Gareth Malone’s Messiah

275 years after a ground-breaking charity concert saw George Frideric Handel perform his Messiah for the benefit of London’s foundlings, Gareth Malone stages his own performance of the nation’s favourite choral piece in the magnificent surroundings of Cardiff’s Llandaff Cathedral as a fundraiser for BBC Children in Need.

The programmes see Gareth trim hundreds of applicants down to just eight singers who have never sung in a classical choir before, and then train them to perform a work that has dominated the British choral tradition for hundreds of years. Gareth’s eight singers all have personal challenges to overcome and they reveal that even the most inexperienced musicians can tackle Messiah as they bring enthusiasm and hard work to this once-in-a-lifetime challenge. Alongside the eight novice singers are the BBC National Orchestra and Chorus of Wales and four outstanding professional soloists.

Project Status: Broadcast April 2025

Distributor: Serial Maven Studios.

Broadcaster: BBC

Duration: 2 x 60’ (docs) & 1 x 120’ (performance)