BBC Two has announced it will air ‘Grand Ole Opry Live: 100 Years of Country Music' on Saturday 4 October at 8.40pm, also available to stream on BBC iPlayer. The programme brings highlights from the special Grand Ole Opry: Live in London concert, recorded at the Royal Albert Hall on Friday 26 September. Our review of the show is right here!
Hosted by BBC Radio 2’s Vernon Kay and WSM Radio broadcaster Kelly Sutton, the event features performances from Opry members Luke Combs, Ashley McBryde, Carly Pearce, Darius Rucker and Marty Stuart, alongside UK acts Breabach and Mumford & Sons. The concert marks a historic first, as the Opry celebrates its centenary with its debut international live broadcast. The programme will follow the traditional Opry format, blending contemporary and classic country songs while showcasing collaborations unique to the London event.
Ahead of the televised broadcast, fans can tune in to BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds on Thursday 2 October from 7pm to hear the full show as a live radio performance, part of an evening dedicated to country music. Both the TV and radio broadcasts will remain available for 30 days on BBC iPlayer and BBC Sounds.
The Opry special forms part of a wider country-themed weekend on BBC Two. On Saturday night, Francis Whately’s documentary ‘Rebel Country' explores a new generation of country artists reshaping the genre. Then, on Sunday 5 October, comedian Rob Brydon’s ‘Honky Tonk Road Trip' premieres with its first episode, following Brydon as he travels across the southern United States to trace the roots of country music and its rise to global popularity. The series will continue Sunday nights until 19 October.
