Proms Concert Celebrates Eric Liddell

Tuesday April 23 2024

The 100th anniversary of Eric Liddell’s Olympic gold will be celebrated at a special concert in London’s Royal Albert Hall on Saturday May 4.

Liddell was the Scottish missionary and athlete who refused to compete in the 100m at the 1924 Olympics, as the race was held on a Sunday. Instead, he competed in and won the 400m, a story immortalised in the 1981 film Chariots of Fire. This year marks the 100th anniversary of his achievement, and sees the Olympics return to Paris, where they were held a century ago.

Prom Praise: Chariots of Fire will be performed by All Souls Music, with guests including YolanDa Brown OBE, Martin Smith, Ellie Limebear and Natasha Da Costa. A livestream of the event will be hosted by Channel 5 News anchor Dan Walker, who will also perform with his former Strictly Come Dancing partner, Nadiya Bychkova.

The concert will also feature the world premiere of a new orchestration of ‘How Great Thou Art’, celebrating the 75th anniversary of this well-known hymn, as well as featuring performances from Searchlight Theatre Company, bringing Liddell’s story to life. Graham Daniels, General Director of Christians in Sport, will offer a brief pause for thought, and the choir and musicians from Eltham College, where Liddell was educated, will also perform.

The event starts at 7.30pm on May 4. Tickets are available from the Royal Albert Hall Box Office. The livestream will begin at 7.15pm at allsoulsmusic.org

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