Claudia Winkleman films The Piano at York Railway Station

Claudia Winkleman, host of BBC’s hit series The Traitors, surprised unsuspecting commuters and day-trippers at York Railway Station where a production crew is filming for Channel 4’s hit talent show The Piano.

Claudia Winkleman films The Piano at York Railway Station.. (Image: Photo Nadia Jefferson-Brown)

Onlookers crowded around the show’s shiny black piano, which has been positioned in the station opposite the destination board, as different pianists took to the ivories.

Some spectators were there by chance. Others had gone specifically after discovering that the popular TV personality and co-presenter, the musician Mika, was in the city.

The show discovers amateur pianists who perform on public pianos in major train stations across the UK. A member of the crew said they had already filmed at London Bridge and Birmingham but was tight-lipped about their next stop.

In between filming, Claudia made a bee-line for people with babies and dogs among the crowd including Rachel Shearer, from York, whose two-year-old golden retriever Suki captured the attention of the camera crew.

Rachel Shearer, from York, with Suki watching the filming of The Piano, with Claudia Winkleman in the background. Photo Nadia Jefferson-Brown (Image: Photo Nadia Jefferson-Brown)

Rachel told The Press: “I love The Piano. I am a real fan. I was travelling back from London, from the Royal Albert Hall, late last night and got in at 12.15am. I could see the piano all covered up, and the filming equipment. The security guard who told me it was for The Piano

“I happened to have the day off work so I got here to see Claudia arrive and the new judge which was great. I popped home for a bit and brought the dog out because she needed a walk. I know Claudia likes dogs so we came back and have had a really lovely afternoon listening to the music.

“It is lovely to hear people play their own compositions; everyone has their own story which is meaningful to them.”

Among the contestants was Harri Kelly, a 21-year-old from Manchester, who was there with his parents Angela and Heath.

Claudia Winkleman, pictured with Angela and Heath Kelly, whose son Harri was playing the piano. Photo: Nadia Jefferson-Brown (Image: Photo Nadia Jefferson-Brown)

Heath said: “My dad Trevor wrote a poem about my mother and life without her and Harri has rearranged that to music. It’s really emotional listening to him.”

Friends Harley Rose, 18, and Emma Watson, 19, from York, were thrilled to see the television star who they are more familiar with as the host of Strictly Come Dancing.

Harley said: “I am so excited. I saw her and said to Ems ‘That’s Claudia Winkleman’ and she said ‘no, it’s not, it’s some random woman with a fringe’. But it was. We couldn’t believe it”

“It’s just so random that Claudia is here. The pianists are so talented. He [Harri] was amazing.”

Joshua Chapman, news and media manager at LNER, was helping to keep the area clear for train passengers to pass.

He told The Press: “This is for series four of The Piano. They have more to film and York is nicely sandwiched in the middle.

“This is something very different for the station; something we don’t see every day. It is a nice surprise for customers passing through and the general public who have heard that they are filming. It is nice to have the station filled with music. This piano was brought for the shop but we have one in the station entrance that’s available to the public. I heard someone playing on it this morning.”