Viewers have complained to the BBC after their Christmas service Carols From King failed in one non-white choir.
None of the 13 singers on the program, which began on BBC2 on Christmas Eve, appeared to be from a racial minority.
The choir consists of 16 boys’ choirs selected by their school, King’s College, and 14 undergraduates studying at Cambridge University.
One viewer told the Post on Sunday: ‘The young choirs were all white. I have mixed race grandchildren and I was horrified.
‘I can’t believe King’s College School doesn’t have black pupils who can sing.’
A spokesman for King’s said the lineup changed after some of the singers isolated themselves due to coronavirus.
‘King’s College is a diverse community with a commitment to equality of access and wider participation evident in all aspects of College life,’ they said.
Unfortunately, the College’s diversity was not reflected in the television service as several participants had to self-divide just before filming began after advanced tests for Covid-19. ‘
Viewers complained to the BBC after none of the choirs involved in ‘Carols from King’ on Christmas Eve appeared to be of a non-white heritage.
The BBC said one of the adults shown in the service is of Japanese descent.
Carols From King has become a traditional and popular part of the BBC’s festive broadcast, beginning in 1954 as a re-enactment of the A Festival of Lessons and Carols service beyond.
The Cambridge Independent reported that the two choir pupils who had planned to take part in the hymns, which were recorded earlier in December, were released after testing positive for Covid-19.
As a result, six of The King’s Singers, an internationally acclaimed vocal group formed by Cambridge graduates, were asked to fill their places with a 48-hour notice.
The Rev. Fr. Dr Stephen Cherry, dean of King’s College: ‘We are all very grateful to the King’s Singers for going up at the last minute.
None of the 13 singers on the program, which began on BBC2 on Christmas Eve, appeared to be from an ethnic minority
The King’s College Choir has been preparing for our Christmas broadcasts for months following strict safety protocols, so it was disappointing that the choir pupils were unable to join us for the filming . ‘
King has previously been criticized for not allowing female members into his choir, with the decision not to say he is responsible for the ‘unique choral sound’ of boys and men.
British soprano Lesley Garrett said: ‘Every Christmas I sit down to watch Carols from Kings, which is broadcast around the world, and every year I wonder where the girls are. ‘
‘I’m not saying we should get rid of boys’ choirs. I just think we need to work harder to give girls a chance. In other words, equality. ‘
2020 was also the first time the service was registered without a congregation.
One viewer told the Post on Sunday: ‘The young choirs were all white. I have mixed race grandchildren and I was horrified. I don’t think King’s College School doesn’t have black pupils who can sing ‘
Dr Halima Begum, Head of the Runnymede Trust, a racial equality think tank, said she was ‘disappointed’ that King could not ‘set an example for inclusion’ for BME students.
‘The Festival of Carols from Kings is a flagship service that is broadcast around the world every Christmas,’ she said.
‘It is unfortunate this year that King’s School was unable to bring together a choir in which minority languages were prominent.
‘I understand that Covid has been involved in this, and it is important that we recognize that this is a unique year in terms of the impact of pandemic on our best plans.
There is clearly concern that BME representation in UK public schools mainly includes tax-paying students from abroad.
‘With the tax breaks available to public schools, I hope Kings is doing what it can to expand its scholarship offer to include working – class children, whether BME or not. It’s white.
In doing so, as a vital cultural and educational center, Kings was able to set an example for inclusion that is rising not just across the country but across the country. world. ‘