The Choir

A Year with the Military Wives (4x5)

Air date: Dec 25, 2012

In February 2011 Gareth Malone went to the military base at Chivenor to set up a choir for the wives who are left at home alone while their men are on duty for months at a time. We hear from Gareth and key members of the choir as they reflect on their extraordinary journey culminating in their performance of a song specially written by Royal composer Paul Mealor at the Royal Albert Hall. This seemed like the pinnacle of their achievements - but the film shows how this was the beginning of something much bigger. We see the women as they embark upon launching what was to become a number one Christmas single, as they visit 10 Downing Street, perform at the Golden Jubilee and then win a Classical Brit. We also discover the legacy of the choir with the establishment of a charitable foundation that provides the support for a growing network of over 60 military wives choirs in bases across the UK, Europe and the Falkland Islands.