Last Choir Standing is a 2008talent show-themed television series produced by the BBC in the United Kingdom. Broadcast on BBC One in July and August 2008, the series saw amateur choirs competing each week to be the 'last choir standing'.
A collection of songs from the series was released as an album in November 2008.
Format
The programme, initially to be called Choir Wars, looked to find 'the nation's favourite choir'. Presented by Myleene Klass and Nick Knowles, the programme aired on Saturday nights, with some of the results shows shown on Sundays, in the same timeslot as other BBC entertainment programs such as Strictly Come Dancing and I'd Do Anything.
Applications on tape were accepted from amateur choirs of 10–50 people, aged 13 years or older, and around 1,000 choirs entered the competition. 60 choirs were then invited to audition in front of the three judges in May at Cadogan Hall in London, where the choirs required a 'yes' from two of the judges to proceed to the callbacks. The callbacks saw 27 choirs perform again in front of the judges, as well as other choirs and a studio audience at BBC Television Centre. 15 choirs were then chosen to perform in three rounds of studio heats, with two from each heat proceeding to the live shows. The final six choirs then sang for viewer votes over four weeks, with the choirs being eliminated one-by-one to find the last choir standing.[1][2][3]
The format is very similar to Welsh show Côr Cymru (Choir of Wales). Both shows have even featured many of the same Welsh choirs in competition with each other.[citation needed]
The first heat saw five of the remaining 15 choirs sing for their place in the live knockout shows. The judges put through Sense of Sound and Ysgol Glanaethwy. The show performances were:[6]
Sense of Sound were then chosen by the judges to be the first choir through to the live shows, and they performed "Let It Be" by The Beatles. Brighton Gay Men's Chorus were eliminated from the competition. The remaining three choirs then performed again:
The judges then chose Ysgol Glanaethwy as the second choir through to the live shows.
Heat 2
The second heat saw five more of the final 15 choirs sing for their place in the live knockout shows. The judges put through Revelation and Only Men Aloud!. The show performances were:[7]
Revelation were then chosen by the judges to be the next choir through to the live shows, and they performed "Amazing Grace". The Common Room Choir were eliminated from the competition. The remaining three choirs then performed again:
The judges then chose Only Men Aloud! to proceed to the live shows.
Heat 3
The last five of the final 15 choirs sang for their place in the live knockout shows in the third heat. The judges put through ACM Gospel Choir and City of Bath Male Choir. The show performances were:[8]
ACM Gospel Choir were then chosen by the judges to be the fifth choir through to the live shows, and they performed "I Believe I Can Fly" by R. Kelly. A Handbag of Harmonies were eliminated from the competition. The remaining three choirs then performed again:
The judges then chose City of Bath Male Choir to be the final choir through to the live shows.
Knockout 1
The first of the live shows allowed viewers to vote for their favourite choir, and resulted in Sense of Sound leaving the competition. The show performances were:[9]
During the final, the choirs performed two songs before Revelation were eliminated after receiving the fewest viewer votes. Only Men Aloud! and Ysgol Glanaethwy performed again, and Only Men Aloud! were announced as the winners. The final also saw the return of ACM Gospel choir who accompanied Russell singing "Heaven help us all" by Stevie Wonder. The show performances were:[12]
Following the public vote, Ysgol Glanaethwy were then eliminated, leaving Only Men Aloud! as the last choir standing and the winners of the competition. The winning choir were then invited to perform at the Royal Variety Performance and at BBC Radio 3's Choir of the Year final.[13]
