Reviewed by Brendan O'Regan

Don't let the front sleeve credit make you think that the popular TV presenter is suddenly breaking into song. This is a double CD compilation of popular hymns sung by various UK choirs - The London Fox Choir is the most prominent, but there are also the Choirs of the cathedrals of Ely, Edmundsbury, Norwich, Manchester, Wakefield, Llandaff, Newcastle and Gloucester. There are no surprises here, no modernisation, no experimentation, just the hymns sung well and pitched at the mass viewership of BBC's Songs Of Praise. Many of these tracks were recorded in churches and have that distinctive natural reverb sound while the church organ dominates the musical background. There are some familiar classics like "How Great Thou Art" and "Amazing Grace" but also some contemporary material like "In Christ Alone" by Keith Getty and Stuart Townend. Apart from choosing the hymns and lending her name there's not much indication of Pam Rhodes' role in the project, but there is a book to be purchased separately, Love So Amazing: 40 Reflections On My Favourite Hymns.

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