Former JLS star to join Songs Of Praise presenting team


BBC Songs Of Praise annouces JB Gill to join presenting team

The BBC’s Songs of Praise, produced by Avanti Media and Nine Lives Media, announces that JB Gill, one of the former stars of the boyband JLS, is joining the presenting team. His first appearance as presenter will be Sunday 20 August at 2.15pm on BBC One.

Thirty year-old JB will become a Songs Of Praise features presenter. The BBC One flagship religious programme will continue to broadcast with the full family, led up by Aled Jones, including Katherine Jenkins, Sean Fletcher, Josie d'Arby, Claire McCollum, Sally Magnusson, Rev. Kate Bottley, Pam Rhodes, Connie Fisher and David Grant.

JB Gill was recently interviewed by Aled Jones about his Christian faith in the Songs Of Praise transmitted from the Chatsworth Flower Show on 2 July and he also performed a moving rendition of You Raise Me Up.

JB Gill says: "BBC One’s Songs of Praise has played an integral part to my childhood. I remember growing up watching and singing along to all of the hymns, many of which I'd learnt during hymn practice at my Church of England Primary School. Needless to say, I'm incredibly excited to be taking on this new role as a Songs of Praise presenter. I'm especially looking forward to combining my faith with my love of music, performing and my passion for the outdoors. Hopefully you'll also get to see me sing a few more hymns along the way!"

Nine Lives Media CEO and Executive Producer, Cat Lewis, says: “I think JB Gill is a perfect presenter for Songs of Praise because he’s a natural communicator as well as being a committed Christian with a young family and he has a passion for music.”

Fatima Salaria, Commissioning Editor, Religion and Ethics says: “JB Gill is a fantastic addition to the Songs Of Praise presenting team. Audiences young and old will enjoy the love of performance and commitment to faith he brings to his features.”

In his upcoming episode this Sunday, JB Gill tries a new form of holiday – camping in an historic church, known as 'champing'. He meets Peter Aires from The Churches Conservation Trust to talk about champing as a new way of raising money to help fund the restoration of old churches. To experience champing properly, JB camps out overnight in a beautiful church in Shropshire, with only a slight worry about bumps in the night.

JB Gill also interviews Jimmy Carter, one of the founding members of the legendary Gospel band The Blind Boys Of Alabama, and finds out how faith has driven him to carry on performing for the past seven decades.

Songs Of Praise is made by Avanti Media and Nine Lives Media, under executive producers Emyr Afan, Avanti Media Joint CEO, and Cat Lewis, Nine Lives Media CEO. The series is commissioned by the BBC’s Fatima Salaria, Commissioning Editor, Religion and Ethics and goes out Sundays on BBC One.

Notes to Editors

About JB Gill
Jonathan Benjamin ‘JB’ Gill began playing music at the age of seven. He attended the Centre For Young Musicians at 10 years old, where he played the flute, the piano and sang in the choir, becoming one of a handful of boys to be awarded an ‘all-round’ scholarship for music, academics and sport at Whitgift School in Croydon.

While studying for a degree in Theology at King’s College University, London, JB rose to fame as a member of one of the UK’s biggest boybands - JLS. The group dominated the charts for five years, boasting five no. 1 singles, over 10 million record sales worldwide, two Brit awards, a record equalling five MOBO awards and a multitude of media, video and performance awards.

Faith has always played an integral part in JB’s life, and since JLS disbanded in 2013, he has tailored his work in entertainment to reflect his heart for educating young people, highlighting the importance of farming and his faith. Four years ago, he established a farm in the Kent countryside, where he lives with his wife, Chloe and two year-old son, Ace. Their smallholding successfully produces award winning KellyBronze turkeys and free-range Tamworth Pork. Now an established member of the farming community, JB has used his success within the entertainment industry to highlight his passion to educate children about the origins of their food and he is the lead presenter on CBeebies’ Bafta-nominated television series, Down On The Farm.

JB’s enthusiasm for farming life and his expanding knowledge of countryside issues has seen him regularly contribute to BBC’s Countryfile and Springwatch. He is an ambassador for the Prince’s Countryside Fund and was the first ambassador to the Mayor’s Fund for London, an independent social mobility charity, linked to the mayoral office, seeking to empower young Londoners from all walks of life, in their journey onto London’s career ladder.

JB is still eager to keep his toe dipped in musical waters. He was a judge for the BBC Songs of Praise School Choir Of The Year Final in 2015 and made his debut BBC Songs of Praise performance in July 2017, performing You Raise Me Up. In his spare time, JB is a keen skier, scuba diver and sports fan and is happiest when spending time with his family. He attends his local Church in Bromley, South East London.

@BBCSoP #SongsofPraise

August 18, 2017 2:01pm ET by BBC One  

, , , ,

  Shortlink to this content: http://bit.ly/2whl2Th

SHARE THIS

Latest Press Releases