Rock legend's Christmas Eve concert on local radio

Rick Wakeman performed Christmas songs on his piano

A rock legend treated listeners to a festive concert when he popped into a BBC local radio station's studio on Christmas Eve.

Keyboardist Rick Wakeman, a former member of prog rockers Yes who has also played on tracks by David Bowie and Elton John, appeared on Sarah Lilley's Daytime Show on BBC Radio Suffolk.

The 75-year-old took to his piano to perform songs including In The Bleak Midwinter, Away In A Manger, and Welcome A Star.

"I love coming in [to BBC Radio Suffolk] at Christmas. It is just lovely and it is part of my Christmas, it is really nice," he said.

The 75-year-old music icon has worked with the likes of David Bowie and Elton John

"I like a lot of Christmas songs but it is interesting that since the glory days of Slade and Roy Wood, there's not really been anything quite like that.

"The classic pieces are the ones I love to hear on the radio, like the Bing Crosby classics – I do love all of that stuff."

Wakeman spent a lot of 2024 playing concerts around the world and, more recently, embarked on his Yuletide Christmas Tour.

"Over the years I've done between 30 or 40 different Christmas shows and this has been the most enjoyable and the best one ever," he added.

"This time I had my son Adam and he was wonderfully insulting throughout the whole thing, which was great, and the lovely Mollie Marriot, who has such a great voice.

"It was just hilarious from start to finish and it was a real mixture of music."

'I love it'

Wakeman, who works with charities such as Animals Asia and Saving Strays, also touched on his enduring passion for performing music.

"If I didn't still love it, I wouldn't do it, but I do love sitting down and playing the piano," he said.

"I have three rescued pianos in the house and I am never more than 30 seconds away from a piano and I play every day."