BBC Songs of Praise episode features 2026 Royal Norfolk Show

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Stories of faith and farming from this summer's Royal Norfolk Show have reached a national TV audience on the latest episode of Songs of Praise.

The BBC's weekly religious programme was filmed at the county's two-day showcase held on June 24 and 25.

Presenter the Rev Canon Kate Bottley, on her first visit to the show, described it as "one of the UK's great agricultural events", with an enduring importance to the county's rural life.

BBC Songs of Praise presenter the Rev Canon Kate Bottley at the 2026 Royal Norfolk Show (Image: BBC)

The celebrity vicar met Christians from across Norfolk's church and countryside communities, including the Bishop of Lynn the Rt Rev Dr Jane Steen, and members of the African Choir of Norfolk, one of the groups performing in the Carnival of Cultures.

She also interviewed Gail Sprake, a third-generation livestock farmer who has been showing rare-breed animals at the event with her family for more than 30 years.

"They are part of our heritage, and part of our future - and we actually have to ensure that they are here for the next generation," said Mrs Sprake, who is a former chairman of the Rare Breeds Survival Trust and a Life Fellow of the Royal Norfolk Show.

She said one of her favourite times of year is the lambing season, adding: "I am the one who does the checks at about half past two in the morning, so to go from the house to the lambing yards, often you can hear when the mother sheep has just given birth, but I feel like I am the only person awake on God's earth, and he is there - and after 40 years it never ceases to be a miracle, this new birth."

Mrs Sprake was also asked about the role of women in agriculture during the International Year of the Woman Farmer.

"We have to break ceilings, we have to exceed expectations," she said. "And I think everybody has to have a chance to try. If they have got an idea and they want to try something, give it a go.

"I would say to any youngster: 'Dare to try, go for it'."

The programme also introduced the Rev Dr Tim Weatherstone, the first rural chaplain for Norfolk, and discussed the many pressures facing farmers - such as rising costs, extreme weather and poor harvests - which has meant that "pastoral and spiritual care in rural areas has never been more important".

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