Rule, Britannia! will be sung on Last Night of the Proms after BBC U-turn
GB NEWS 24 DESK//
The BBC has reversed its decision not to have Rule, Britannia! and Land of Hope and Glory sung at The Last Night of the Proms.
The U-turn follows fierce criticism sparked by reports that the lyrics were being dropped due to associations with colonialism and slavery.
Last week, the BBC said the decision to perform orchestral-only versions was prompted by Covid-19 restrictions.
However, a “select” group of singers will now perform the songs after all.
“The pandemic means a different Proms this year and one of the consequences, under Covid-19 restrictions, is we are not able to bring together massed voices,” the BBC said in a new statement.
“For that reason we took the artistic decision not to sing Rule, Britannia! and Land of Hope and Glory in the Hall.”
But, the statement added, the BBC had been “looking hard at what else might be possible” and had found “a solution”.
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