Cathedral's Christmas Day service to be broadcast

Bradford Cathedral's Christmas morning service will be broadcast live on BBC One.

Coverage of the service will begin at about 10:00 GMT on 25 December as part of the BBC's religious programming.

The event will be a "lively family service" and feature "carols, readings and prayers from a range of cultures and languages, reflecting Bradford's status as UK City of Culture 2025," a BBC spokesperson said.

The Dean of Bradford, the Very Reverend Andy Bowerman, said he hoped the broadcast would show Bradford's "diversity," as well as the city's "joy and exuberance".

Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds earlier, Dean Bowerman, who will lead the service, said: "It's such an exciting opportunity for us.

"In the past week or two there's been a certain amount of trepidation, because I get seven minutes to speak to whoever's watching.

"And when the BBC came and told us how many people normally watch its Christmas Day service coverage, it's a big number."

Live coverage of Bradford Cathedral's Christmas service will be on BBC One and iPlayer

The cathedral was featured on the BBC's Songs of Praise programme earlier this year, as one of several televised events marking Bradford's status as City of Culture in 2025.

Dean Bowerman said producers of the show were already planning to return to the cathedral for another broadcast in 2026.

He also said he hoped the Christmas Day service would "demonstrate the wonderful nature of Bradford and what this City of Culture has meant to so many people".

Dean Bowerman said the broadcast was an "exciting opportunity" for the cathedral

He added: "We have this great vision that we want to weave Jesus into the city and beyond. This is a great way for us to end the year, doing exactly that."

Anyone planning to attend the service has been encouraged to arrive at the cathedral early, as seats will be allocated on a first come first served basis.

Doors will open at 08:45 GMT, with the congregation asked to be seated by 09:30.

The broadcast is expected to start at 10:00, half an hour earlier than the cathedral's usual service time.

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