THE PIANO RETURNS TO CHANNEL 4 WITH CHRISTMAS SPECIAL AHEAD OF THIRD SERIES NEXT YEAR

The Piano will return with a Christmas special next month on Channel 4, ahead of the third series in 2025.

This year's Christmas special will see host Claudia Winkleman plus judges Mika and Lang Lang visit Battersea Power Station where some of the talented pianists from series two will return to the train station once again to perform their favourite festive songs to commuters.

The familiar faces will take to the piano alongside some very special guests with a few merry surprises of their own. Lang Lang will then pass the musical baton on to Jon Batiste for the next seven-episode instalment, commissioned from Love Productions.

Five-time Grammy award winner, Jon Batiste, will join the third series. Batiste, who is a globally celebrated singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, bandleader and composer, will replace virtuoso classical pianist Lang Lang, as judge and mentor when the programme that captured the hearts of the nation returns to screens next year.

Batiste will be joined by Mika and Claudia Winkleman as the trio travel to five iconic new railway stations to give gifted amateur pianists the chance to showcase their prowess on public pianos up and down the country.

The spectacular final concert of series two saw Liverpudlian Brad chosen as performance of the night after he touched the hearts of Claudia, Mika and Lang Lang with his soul-stirring own composition as a thank you to his foster parents. Brad took to the stage at Manchester’s Aviva Studios, wowing the audience with his performance at the ticketed event. Money raised from tickets sales then went to the placing and maintaining of street pianos in train stations across the UK.B

Lang Lang said: “Being a mentor on The Piano and spending time with the talented pianists has been a true joy. The level of talent I have witnessed has been phenomenal and it has been a privilege to see the love for playing the piano across the UK...

Due to international concert commitments, I will be stepping down for series three but am delighted to be passing the baton to my dear friend Jon Batiste, who I know will be fantastic in the role. I am going to miss Mika and Claudia terribly but am very much looking forward to being reunited with them later this year filming the Christmas Special.”

Ian Katz, Channel 4, Chief Creative Officer said: “After helping to establish the Piano in just two series as one of the country’s best loved and most joyous TV shows, Lang Lang leaves big shoes to fill but if anyone can fill them it is Jon Batiste, an astonishing musician as accomplished playing a Beethoven concerto as creating hits with Beyonce.

"Along with Mika and Claudia, Jon Batiste will trawl the nation’s train stations – and for the first time an airport – looking for the remarkable amateur pianists who prove that musical magic can be found in the most surprising places.”

The Piano was commissioned by Channel 4.