The BBC has made history by airing an end-of-Eid service from a mosque on British terrestrial television for the first time. The broadcast, which took place on the morning of Eid, was part of the network’s Faith and Hope season, which is set to include coverage of Easter and Passover, reports Hyphen.
The special programming, Eid Live and Celebrity Eid, was filmed in Bradford, a city known for its large Muslim population. The live broadcast from Bradford Central Mosque featured 1,500 worshippers and was hosted by presenter Jason Mohammad.
Viewers were given insights into the prayers, sermons, and celebrations as the morning service unfolded.
Later in the evening, Celebrity Eid brought together well-known Muslim and non-Muslim figures, including chef Asma Khan, comedian Shazia Mirza, actor Dúaa Karim, and musician Harris J, to share their experiences of Eid.
The event marks a significant milestone for religious broadcasting in the UK. Previously, on February 27, the BBC had announced its plans for the historic broadcast. At the time, Aaqil Ahmed, former head of religion and ethics at the BBC and one of the executive producers behind the event, spoke about the challenges of scheduling a live religious service tied to the sighting of the new moon.
Organizers had prepared to deliver the program on one of two possible dates, ensuring that production teams and the mosque were ready for either outcome. Bradford was chosen as the host city not only for its strong Muslim presence but also as part of its recognition as the UK City of Culture.
The broadcast was supposed to provide a window into the significance of Eid for millions of Muslims while also fostering interfaith understanding.
The special programming, Eid Live and Celebrity Eid, was filmed in Bradford, a city known for its large Muslim population. The live broadcast from Bradford Central Mosque featured 1,500 worshippers and was hosted by presenter Jason Mohammad.
Viewers were given insights into the prayers, sermons, and celebrations as the morning service unfolded.
Later in the evening, Celebrity Eid brought together well-known Muslim and non-Muslim figures, including chef Asma Khan, comedian Shazia Mirza, actor Dúaa Karim, and musician Harris J, to share their experiences of Eid.
The event marks a significant milestone for religious broadcasting in the UK. Previously, on February 27, the BBC had announced its plans for the historic broadcast. At the time, Aaqil Ahmed, former head of religion and ethics at the BBC and one of the executive producers behind the event, spoke about the challenges of scheduling a live religious service tied to the sighting of the new moon.
Organizers had prepared to deliver the program on one of two possible dates, ensuring that production teams and the mosque were ready for either outcome. Bradford was chosen as the host city not only for its strong Muslim presence but also as part of its recognition as the UK City of Culture.
The broadcast was supposed to provide a window into the significance of Eid for millions of Muslims while also fostering interfaith understanding.
