PITCH perfect

CLAUDIA WINKLEMAN on why it's the piano's turn to take centre stage

- TESS LAMACRAFT

Fresh from her success hosting BBC1’s addictive game of deception The Traitors, Claudia Winkleman is now at the helm of a new C4 series celebrating – wait for it – piano playing!

Tapping into the ‘street piano’ phenomenon, which has seen the nation’s favourite instrument pop up in public places for passers-by to enjoy, The Piano invites amateur pianists to tickle the ivories in four busy UK train stations – London St Pancras, Leeds, Glasgow Central and Birmingham.

Sharing their talent with strangers, the pianists think they’re being filmed for a documentary. But in a surprise twist, their performances are being secretly watched by the show’s two maestros – pop star Mika and Chinese classical pianist Lang Lang – who have the tough job of choosing one person from each station to perform at a special concert at London’s Royal Festival Hall.

‘It’s really moving,’ promises Claudia, 51, who, here, tells TV Times how the show is set to hit the high notes…

In harmony: Lang Lang, Claudia and Mika with some of the pianists

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