Just in: BBC hires Katherine Jenkins
mainNot on Radio 3 – yet – or the BBC Proms. But it won’t be long.
The ‘the world-renowned classical singer’ ((c) BBC Press Office) is to be a main presenter on BBC1’s Songs of Praise.
Press release here.
Fatima Salaria, Commissioning editor, Religion and Ethics, says: ‘Katherine’s personable approach to faith and worship further enriches this BBC One flagship programme and offers the programme the opportunity to connect, not only with current viewers, but also new audiences.’
is she supposed to present cultural diversity ( as a Welsh singer) or what? any way Miss Katherine is a nice looking girl ( despite her being just a pop singer ) . I’m not sure whether I would love to listen to her in a classic gala, but I would certainly have a drink with her in the intermission or after đŸ˜‰ … just my opinion, of course …
And they say the dinosaurs are extinct.
Very odd choice, indeed BBC dumbing down SOP renaming the show MDMA and Coke on sunday!
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-1083975/The-vice-angel-Shocking-pictures-opera-diva-Katherine-Jenkins-influence-drugs.html
We already have to put up with low hanging fruit presenters like Petshop Baloney, Alan Titchmarch & Clemmy Burton Hill, the former only knows about manure, the latter only there because of Daddy Humphrey
SOP is all “happy clappy” stuff, I prefer Father Ted, it is closer to reality. That would be an ecumenical matter.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ptd_h0dF7NE
Drink!! Absolutely loved that show; hilarious. Where, oh where, are the NON-PC realists with a sense of humour? Transport me back to them, please, straight away!!!
Sue do you like Dave Allen, he was a pioneer, great raconteur on just about anything, he he discusses, flying. Spot on.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBca1ixoEbg
I doubt if it’s possible to dumb down SOP even further. KJ can at least claim that she used to sing in a parish church choir. It’s too easy to take pot shots at media figures, especially from the safety of a pseudonym. Petroc Trelawny strikes me as one of the calmer, less effusive presenters, not given to describing the average and the good as “fantastic” or “amazing”. Likewise Sarah Walker (who has a music PhD), Martin Handley (a music professional) and Donald Macleod. Yes, it’s easy to satirise and criticise but BBC radio 3 does more for a wide ranging, serious and informed presentation of “classical” music than any other broadcaster that I know of in the world
even more than Medici ?
Well yes, if you include the four symphony orchestras, a smaller concert orchestra, a professional choir and two amateur choral societies. The community outreach work of the orchestras remains largely invisible.
No comment
I thought of you recently đŸ˜‰
“Not on Radio 3 – yet – or the BBC Proms. But it won’t be long.”
Oh come on. Give it a rest with the anti-BBC rubbish. Do you really think that any non-public broadcaster would be better than the BBC?
No. The point is that we should expect the BBC to uphold a higher standard, because it is a public broadcaster.
I have no problem with her presenting SoP, just as long as she isn’t singing and stops calling herself an opera singer.
She has stopped doing MDMA and crack, at least you won’t see her snorting on TV. Still low hanging fruit choice for SOP. Remember Stars on Sunday with Jess Yates, he had to be smuggled out of the studio in a car boot!
This is all malicious and petulant comment because Ms. Jenkins once had the temerity to refer to herself as an opera singer (presumably because she includes a few arias — I suppose the ones these tiny tots use on Britain’s Got Talent and the like — in her shows). After the laughter dies down, she has tried to roll back that comment frequently, but Slipped Disc is a very unforgiving forum.
The fact remains, she is a pleasant singer, and a very popular figure on the musical landscape in the UK, and it seems to me the BBC has exploited her appeal to viewers at just measure — I have no doubt she can do justice to many hymns. They have NOT reduced her to being a pop singer, which she is not, really, not elevated her to their classical fora. They have got it quite right and signed up someone people will want to see.
This reminds me of the Sherlock Holmes camping parable.
Early on morning of the 7 July 1930, the distinguished author, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, collapsed at his home in Sussex. His death at the relatively early age of 71 was much lamented, but he left a wonderful legacy of detective stories, and in one of them, Sherlock Holmes and Dr Watson go on a camping trip.
After a good talk and a bottle of claret they fall asleep. Some hours later Holmes wakes and nudges Watson. ‘Watson, look up at the sky and tell me what you see.’ ‘I see millions of stars,’ replied Watson. ‘What does that tell you?’ asked Holmes. Watson pondered for a moment. ‘Astronomically,’ he replied, ‘it tells me that there are millions of galaxies and billions of planets. Astrologically, I observe Saturn is in Leo. Horologically, I observe it is a quarter to three. Theologically, I am in awe of the creative power of God. Meteorologically, I suspect that tomorrow will be a lovely day.
And what, may I ask you Holmes, does it tell you?’ ‘Elementary, my dear Watson,’ Holmes replied. ‘It tells me that someone has stolen our tent!’
Now there are many today who claim that Christians have indeed lost their tent and in this part of northern Europe it might often feel that way. In other parts of the world though, especially in Africa and South America and in other areas too, the last century has seen enormous growth, in the number of Christian believers. So thank you, Lord, for keeping us alert to the wonders of your creative power. May we never be afraid to acknowledge that mystery – the mystery of the Word made flesh who came two thousand years ago and as the original Greek of the Gospel puts it, pitched his tent among us. Amen.
I hate to break it to you Dr. Swift. Not everyone in this world is a Christian. That maybe something to keep in mind.
Absolutely gorgeous story; funny!! I never liked the controlling and patronizing tone of Holmes, who treated Watson like an idiot and a serf. A sort of Victorian version of Abbott and Costello!!:-) Hollowed out, those books were really a series of internal questions and answers for Holmes!! Just like politicians do today.
Jenkins seems like a pleasant singer and she’d probably be at home with Andre Rieu, who has millions of fans. People have always viewed this as ‘classical music’ mostly because of what it is NOT. Ergo, failing to find an actual category is often sufficient to qualify as ‘classical’. Funny.
I expect the people here who object to Jenkins do so because she’s white, beautiful and successful.
Good choice.
At least she looks better than most of those “opera star”~
At least we ain’t dealing with Kate Perry or Taylor Swift type “artists”.
As ghastly as those two are (and what passes for their “music”), at least they have no pretenses. They are trash and sell trash and they know it. Unlike that Barbie Jenkins, a fake and a fraud. Where is that other crossover Brit starlet, Lesley Garrett, when she is truly needed (which is not saying much)?
I liked the “no comment” better.
I very much dislike the posts that are so unpleasant about people on Slipped Disc. Better to say nothing than spread nastiness.
+1
Can not agree more~
So sad to see so many ill informed remarks, particularly about Katherine Jenkins who does not claim she is an Opera singer but understand the rigours that particular mantle requires.
May I suggest you briefly visit Ms Jenkins CV to know how hard she has worked to bring her own beautiful brand of the classics and popular music to what appears to be from the above the ignorant masses
Always worth remembering:
http://intermezzo.typepad.com/intermezzo/2013/05/the-real-reason-why-katherine-jenkins-is-bad-for-classical-music.html
I would need tying forcibly to a chair to watch Songs of Praise, with or without Ms Jenkins.