Bristol will be the first city to feature in the perennial Sunday TV favourite Songs of Praise in 2020.

Priest and reality television star, the Reverend Kate Bottley, will be shown marking the start of the New Year on Sunday 5 January at the New Room (John Wesley’s Chapel) in Broadmead.

David Worthington, director of the New Room, said: “We were thrilled to welcome Songs of Praise to film at the New Room and delighted to welcome Kate Bottley to the historic chapel.

“She interviewed our historian Gary Best about John Wesley’s radical preaching, his passion for social justice and the Covenant Service – which is when Methodists greet the new year by reaffirming their commitment to Christ and the church.”

The programme, called ‘New Year Promises,’ will also feature Methodist Youth President Thelma Commey and some young people from Horfield Methodist Church.

The New Room, where a multi-million-pound Heritage Lottery-funded visitor centre and state-of-the-art museum opened in 2017, attracts Methodists from all over the world, as well as many other tourists of all ages who come to enjoy the award-winning museum, chapel and café.

The Grade I listed building, known as ‘the cradle of Methodism,’ was built in 1739 by preacher John Wesley in the centre of Bristol’s Broadmead, and is the oldest Methodist building in the world. It was the starting point for the Methodist Church which now has over 75 million members across the globe.

Songs of Praise will be on BBC1 at 1.15pm on Sunday 5 January. Further details on Songs of Praise are here https://bbc.in/2Mf5iXp and for the New Room see https://www.newroombristol.org.uk/

The first Holy Communion Service of 2020 at the New Room will take place at 1pm on Friday 3 January at 1pm and will be led by local Revd Josette Crane. All are welcome to join this short service with hymns and prayers.