King's College Cambridge choirboy's solo surprise

A BBC documentary about King's College Cambridge's annual Christmas concert has revealed a little-known fact behind the selection process for the opening solo.

A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols is broadcast live on radio to millions of people every Christmas Eve.

The director of music, Stephen Cleobury, does a simple point of the finger to the chorister he wants to sing the solo - but only 30 seconds before the first song begins.

He told the documentary he makes the selection at the last moment so he has time to decide "who is in the best voice" and to avoid giving the boys time to get nervous.

100 Years of King's Carols is broadcast on BBC Two on 21 December at 19:00.