LONDON -- Songs of Praise has never known such controversy – or indeed such attention.
The gentle Sunday institution, which has beamed hymns into our living rooms for well over 50 years and quietly become the world’s longest running religious TV show, came under fire earlier this month.
The Daily Express and others expressed outrage over the show’s plans to film a special episode from the migrant camp in Calais, arguing that it was a waste of taxpayers’ money.
While the likes of JK Rowling quickly shut them down, the episode – which saw presenter Sally Magnusson meet Christian churchgoers from Syria, Ethiopia and Eritrea at the tarpaulin edifice of St Michael’s in the Jungle – was subject to much debate.
Newspaper owned by man who got rich peddling pornography condemns the BBC for filming migrants singing hymns. pic.twitter.com/SajRjwJ9EB— J.K. Rowling (@jk_rowling) August 11, 2015
The BBC’s Head of Religions and Ethics Aaqil Ahmed was forced to defend the decision on Friday, ahead of the broadcast, saying: “The programme is looking at how people express their faith, it is not a political statement on the situation or a judgement on migration, and to suggest so is wrong.”
“Songs of Praise is simply reflecting the conversations going on in many churches and Christian households around the country,” he added.
The Archbishop of Canterbury was among the shows’ many defenders.
The love of Christ is freely offered to all, celebrated everywhere, for everyone to know, well done #SongsOfPraise and @giles_fraser— Justin Welby ن (@JustinWelby) August 8, 2015
The programme aired on Sunday night, and his voice was joined by a chorus of approval.
Well done #SongsOfPraise! Who knew a worship service could be so wonderfully political? ;-)— David Pickersgill (@pickersd) August 7, 2015
When we worship with people it makes it hard to see them as a problem to be fenced out of our lives. #SongsOfPraise— David Pickersgill (@pickersd) August 7, 2015
Hope @LouiseMensch, Richard Desmond, Farage & other rabble rousers saw #SongsofPraise.We're so blessed to live in UK pic.twitter.com/XTAiLtdDzm— Tim Montgomerie ن (@montie) August 16, 2015
Well done to #SongsofPraise for broadcasting from Calais and for humanising the refugees. Jesus would have been the first down there...— Becky Dell (@beckylucydell) August 16, 2015
Last night's #SongsofPraise from the migrant camp in Calais was genuinely moving and raused many difficult questions.— Richard Hyslop (@RichardHyslop) August 17, 2015
#SongsofPraise #Calais Excellent programme. Well Done ALL Faith people working to help. http://t.co/O45EwSmACy pic.twitter.com/S6cT8mT4WM— carol hedges (@carolJhedges) August 17, 2015
Even the vicar from Gogglebox loved it.
I can't remember the last time I watched #SongsofPraise, I can't remember it ever moving me to tears @BBC— Kate Bottley (@revkatebottley) August 16, 2015
However, a YouGov poll on Monday suggests (albeit from a relatively small sample) that the issue remained highly divisive.
Songs of Praise from the Calais migrant camp is available to watch on the BBC iPlayer for the next 29 days.