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Songs of Praise is a BBC television programme based around traditional Christian hymns. With an average of 4 million viewers weekly, and now in its 45th year, it is believed to be the most-watched and the longest-running religious television programme in the world. It is also the only peak-time free-to-air religious programme in Europe. ^[1] (Its ITV peak-time equivalent, Highway, was dropped in the early 1990s).

It is usually broadcast on Sunday early evenings, and it usually includes congregations from various churches and cathedrals singing famous hymns whilst the presenter explores that week's theme. While focusing on hymns, in recent years the shows have become more diverse in its content, typically with a different theme for each show. It has also had special programmes celebrating the lives of famous British Christians, including the late Dame Thora Hird and Sir Harry Secombe.

Outside the United Kingdom, Songs of Praise is regularly shown in the Netherlands, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and South Africa.

The first show was broadcast in October 1961 from the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Cardiff, and is now one of the longest-running TV shows in the world. The programme was the idea of the then Assistant Controller of Programmes at the BBC, Donald Baverstock. During its history, Songs of Praise has visited over 1,800 churches, cathedrals and chapels, singing over 12,500 hymns.

It has had many different guest presenters over the years including Sir Cliff Richard, Alan Titchmarsh and Toyah Willcox. However the current main presenters are Pam Rhodes, Sally Magnusson, Diane-Louise Jordan, Aled Jones, Eamonn Holmes and Jonathan Edwards.

A number of famous people have been interviewed on the show, including Pope John Paul II, Tony Blair, Frances Shand Kydd, Alan Ayckbourn and members of the British Royal Family. The show also appeared as a feature within an episode of the BBC comedy television series The Vicar of Dibley.

On 26 March 2007, in the midst of the premium rate telephone line investigation, it was revealed that the Easter 2007 edition of the show had been recorded at the same time as the Christmas 2006 edition of the show at Lichfield Cathedral in Staffordshire in order to cut costs - with simply changes in lighting and flowers to reflect the two major services. The Bishop of Lichfield said the early recording was not a "deliberate deceit" but would give "an air of unreality" to the Easter programme, while a BBC spokeswoman said it was "common practice" to film two shows at once due to the costs in setting up lighting rigs, especially in a large cathedral. Several newspapers have accused the BBC of "tricking" fans of Songs of Praise, although it is commonly known that the broadcasts are not live.^[2]

• Official Website