Strictly Come Dancing star Anneka Rice and Fleabag fan favourite Andrew Scott were among the famous faces who stepped out to support the Nordoff Robbins annual carol service in London on Tuesday night. HELLO! was delighted to be media partner for the concert, which saw tenor Alfie Boe and opera's coolest soprano Danielle De Niese spread festive joy as they sang to the 800-strong congregation.
Known as the 'Hot Priest' from Phoebe Waller-Bridge's Fleabag, Andrew brought a smile to attendees as he read the classic comedy sketch Nativity Play by Joyce Grenfell. Anneka, wrapped up against the December chill in a tartan scarf, added to the merriment with a word-perfect delivery of the John Juliua Norwich parody of The Twelve Days of Christmas.
Anneka Rice read the John Juliua Norwich parody of The Twelve Days of Christmas
The tone of the evening was set by vicar Rev Dr John Russell who gave an amusing welcome from the pulpit in which he said: "We have a truly dazzling array of actors, musicians and performers for you this evening. I was personally delighted to see that tonight's line-up includes Mr Andrew Scott, who will be familiar to many of you from his work on Season 2 of Fleabag in which he played a character known as 'the Hot Priest' who smoked, drank whiskey and developed an entirely inappropriate liaison with a young woman.
"For those of you who are not regular church-goers, I would like to make clear that Mr Scott was, of course, playing a Catholic priest. And we would never stand for such outrageous shenanigans here in the Church of England!"
Andrew Scott read the classic comedy sketch Nativity Play by Joyce Grenfell
The congregation was then entertained for an hour and a half with Scala Radio DJ Simon Mayo, classical pianist and composer Alexis Ffrench, actor Giles Terera and actress Nikki Amuka-Bird and Latymer prep school choir adding to the fun at the 19th century St Luke's Church.
Tenor Alfie Boe sang to the 800-strong congregation
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