A Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols was introduced by Eric Milner-White in 1918 to bring a more imaginative approach to worship. The service includes readings from the Bible. The opening carol is always 'Once in Royal David's City', and there is always a new, specially commissioned carol. The service was first broadcast on radio in 1928. It has been broadcast annually (with the exception of 1930). This includes during the Second World War, when the ancient glass (and also all heat) had been removed from the Chapel and the name of King’s could not be broadcast for security reasons.
This special event is presented by the Choir of King’s College, Cambridge, led by Daniel Hyde, live in an acoustically and architecturally renowned venue - the College’s 500-year-old Chapel. Readers for the service come from the College and city of Cambridge.
Michael Barone hosts the American broadcasts of the service through arrangement with the BBC through American Public Media.
