Hot Picks: The Piano

The newest competitive reality show from Love Productions – the indie behind hits such as The Great British Bake Off, The Great Pottery Throw Down and The Great British Sewing Bee – is The Piano.

Hosted by Claudia Winkleman (Strictly Come Dancing; The Traitors), the show invites amateur pianists to perform in train stations across the UK, in a bid to wow the gathering crowds and viewers at home. In a twist, they don’t realise that pop star Mika and revered classical pianist Lang Lang are watching behind the scenes, ready to pick their favourite players to perform in a concert at the Royal Festival Hall in the finale.

The series taps into a diverse pool of surprising talents whose stories are told through the music they play, whether it’s classical, hip-hop or rock.

Creator Richard McKerrow says: “The strength of Bake Off was that you could have contestants from 18 to 80, but on The Piano it goes from children to a 94-year-old. We found a broad range in terms of neurodiversity and disability, as well as ethnicity. In television, that’s really exciting.”

Showcasing The Piano’s potential for viral moments, the first series, which aired on Channel 4 earlier this year, found a breakout star in Lucy, a blind and neurodivergent 13-year old. She is described by Lang Lang as “a real genius” on the piano.

Vasha Wallace, executive vice-president of global acquisitions and development at Fremantle, which holds the global rights for the format outside of North America, says: “So many of my producers around the world have emailed to say they saw Lucy trending on Instagram or YouTube. Every time I watch her clip – and I’ve watched it many times – we all cry because it’s just so beautiful.”

The show’s authenticity is seen not only in the understated competitive element and the range of performers, but also the ‘set’: the bustling concourses of train stations around the UK.

McKerrow says: “When your studio is in a public space, you pick up these moments of unscripted documentary actuality from the public as they are walking past. You’re breaking boundaries, and that was both exciting and challenging.”

Universal appeal

The series became Channel 4’s highest-rated new format launch in six years, according to Wallace. “The second episode performed strongly on overnights, beating both BBC1 and ITV2, but it also did well on catch-up. The ratings tell us that it will have appeal to international broadcasters whether they’re public broadcasters, commercial broadcasters or streamers.”

It helps that music transcends cultures and languages, and that the trend of public pianos has captured imaginations across the globe.

Equally, Wallace is aware of the high demand for feelgood shows – also a hallmark of Love Productions’ projects.

“We’re living in dark times – we’re worried about our energy bills, we’re worried about the cost of living, the war in Europe,” she says. “Beautiful, uplifting stories that take us to a lovely place are much needed.”