York to feature in Sunday’s episode of Channel 4’s The Piano

The Piano, a Channel 4 series which hopes to shed light on some of the nation’s most talented secret musicians, will be airing an episode set in York this Sunday night (July 26) at 9pm.

The show was recorded at York Railway Station in March, attracting large crowds of curious commuters, musicians, and fans of the hosts – Claudia Winkleman and Mika – who were eager to get a sneak peek.

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First launching in 2023, The Piano seeks to undercover the most talented amateur pianists from across the country by giving them the chance to play music on public pianos at railway stations for a chance to perform in a prestigious final concert.

The show is known for being a tearjerker, with many of the contestants having their own stories and a reason why music means so much to them.

A preview of this episode says: “World-renowned jazz pianist Hiromi joins Claudia and Mika in York, where Britain’s oldest pub landlord gets the whole station singing and a gifted songwriter astonishes the judges.”

Claudia Winkleman filming at York Railway Station for series 4 of Channel 4’s The Piano. (Image: Photo Nadia Jefferson-Brown)

Filming in York – which is one of several stations featured in series four, alongside locations including London Bridge and Birmingham – saw spectators packed around the performance area hoping to get a sneaky look at the performers as they took to the stage.

During her time filming in York, Claudia proved a hit with the crowd, regularly chatting to onlookers between takes and making a beeline for babies and dogs gathered around the station.

Contestants filming in York included Harri Kelly, a 21-year-old pianist from Manchester who attended with his parents, Angela and Heath.

Filming for The Piano at York Railway Station. Photo: Nadia Jefferson-Brown (Image: Nadia Jefferson-Brown)

LNER’s Joshua Chapman, who helped manage the filming operation at the station, said York was an ideal stop on the programme’s latest nationwide search for talent.

Speaking during the visit, he said: “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.”