Ben Lowry: If the BBC wrecks Last Night of the Proms, then another broadcaster should hold a rival one

Two years ago I wrote about BBC Northern Ireland’s contemptible decision not to play Rule Britannia at Proms in the Park in Belfast.
By Ben Lowry
Published 29th Aug 2020, 15:14 GMT
Updated 29th Aug 2020, 15:26 GMT
Members of the audience during the Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, London in 2014. This year the traditional favourites such as Land Of Hope And Glory will be performed without lyrics at the Proms. Photo: Guy Bell/PA WireMembers of the audience during the Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, London in 2014. This year the traditional favourites such as Land Of Hope And Glory will be performed without lyrics at the Proms. Photo: Guy Bell/PA Wire
Members of the audience during the Last Night of the Proms at the Royal Albert Hall, London in 2014. This year the traditional favourites such as Land Of Hope And Glory will be performed without lyrics at the Proms. Photo: Guy Bell/PA Wire

I wrote about it again last year (see links below).

Someone, somewhere in BBC NI feels able to steer the local concert as far as possible in tone from the main Albert Hall event. While we get Danny Boy and Irish dancing, the only glimpse of the traditional, stirring last night is when the Belfast concert links up with London for ‘Land of Hope and Glory’.

When I have asked BBC NI about this they in effect cite the politeness of local audiences (who do not complain) as proof that NI wants a different experience to London.

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Now BBC London is replacing Rule Britannia and Land of Hope and Glory from the Albert Hall too, with orchestral versions. It is hiding behind Covid as the reason.

If the full version of Last Night does not return in 2021 then a rival broadcaster should set up an alternative, real last night on a later date.

Hire the Albert Hall, hire some of the best musicians in the world, play all the classics, including Jerusalem and ending with the national anthem. Broadcast it live around the UK and beam it into the three regional capitals, in our case a venue like the Ulster Hall. It would be a pity to have to replicate ‘last night’ and divorce it from the Proms season, but the BBC cannot be allowed to wreck a great tradition.

• Ben Lowry (@BenLowry2) is News Letter deputy editor

• Ben Lowry: The staffing cost allowances for Stormont MLAs should be cut, not increased

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• Ben Lowry in 2019: Once again, BBC NI decides that Rule Britannia will not be played in Belfast

• Ben Lowry in 2018: Belfast crowd was once again deprived of Rule Britannia

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Related topics:Ben LowryBBCBelfastBBC Northern IrelandLondonAlbert HallDanny Boy