Carols from King's College 2024: When is the Christmas service on TV, what channel and what time
The King's College Choir returns in 2024 for its much loved celebration of the Christmas story. The service, blending music, readings, and prayers, has become a quintessential part of the festive season.
This year, Carols from King's will be broadcast on BBC Two, featuring an invited congregation of college members and guests performing timeless carols loved by audiences around the world.
Here’s all you need to know about Carols from King's 2024 and how to watch it.
A Rich Heritage
The Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was first held at King’s College, Cambridge, in 1918, introduced by Eric Milner-White, the then Dean of King’s. His aim was to bring hope and unity to a nation reeling from the devastation of the First World War. The now-iconic opening hymn, Once in Royal David’s City, was added a few years later and has since become a cornerstone of the service.
The tradition of broadcasting the service began in 1928 on BBC Radio, making it one of the longest-running Christmas broadcasts in history. In 1954, the BBC began televising Carols from King's, further cementing its place in the cultural fabric of Christmas celebrations across the UK and beyond.
Who is performing at Carols from King's 2024?
In 2024, the candlelit Chapel of King’s College, Cambridge, with provide the usual breathtaking setting for this eagerly awaited annual celebration of the Christmas story. The event unfolds through music, readings, and prayer, with an invited congregation of college members and guests. This year marks the seventieth anniversary of the first broadcast of this cherished carol service.
Led by the Dean, the Revd Dr Stephen Cherry, the service opens in its traditional manner with a solo chorister singing the first verse of Once in Royal David’s City, just as it did in 1954. Under the direction of Daniel Hyde, the world-renowned choir performs a rich selection of carols, both classic and contemporary, including O Holy Night (arr. John E. West), Nativity Carol (arr. John Rutter), Nowell, Nowell, Nowell (Elizabeth Maconchy), and Ave Maris Stella (Edvard Grieg). The choir also leads the congregation in beloved carols such as O Come, All Ye Faithful, God Rest Ye Merry, Gentlemen, and Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.
The Nativity story is brought to life through readings from the King James Bible and evocative poems by Christina Rossetti, Edwin Muir, and G. K. Chesterton, delivered by members of King’s College.
How to watch Carols from King's College 2024
Carols from King's 2024 will be broadcast on 24 December at 6pm on BBC Two, offering a perfect start to Christmas festivities. For those who miss it on Christmas Eve, the programme will be available on BBC iPlayer and will be repeated for Christmas Day on 25 December at 8am on BBC Two.
