The world's longest-running religious TV series will celebrate its 50th birthday with performances by LeAnn Rimes and Andrea Bocelli.
It's a British institution like no other. The world's longest running continuous religious TV series celebrates 50 inspirational years with stars of past and present.
Sunday's episode on BBC1 will be the 2,248th edition of the show and will feature performances from LeAnn Rimes and Andrea Bocelli.
From its small beginnings in a Baptist Church in Cardiff in 1961, the show has grown in stature and now has become an important part many a family's Sunday evening regime. Many people who are unable to go out to worship have benefitted from being able to watch, sing and praise in the comfort of their own homes.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, called it one of the best known institutions in UK television.
BBC director general Mark Thompson said: 'Fifty years is an incredible milestone for any TV or radio programme to be that indispensable, that loveable, that inspiring, for so long - it's a real testimony to just how warm and engaging Songs of Praise is.'
A total of 201 people have presented the record breaking show with audiences peaking in 1998 when the programme attracted 11.4 million viewers on Christmas Day.
The millennium also saw the show hit an all time high with 65,000 people attending the service at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium on January 2nd 2000. Here's to the next 50 years!
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