Gretna Green, the original home of romance, is set to host an episode of one of Britain’s longest running television programmes, Songs of Praise.
The episode – ‘God is Love’, will air on BBC Two, on 12th February 2023. Gretna Green was chosen as the anchor venue for the show thanks to its rich romantic heritage, which dates back many generations.
The episode will explore many different aspects of love, and how it ties together with Christianity. The show will begin and end at Gretna Green at the gateway to Scotland and will explore the destination’s unique connection with love and marriage. Susan Houston from Gretna Green, the family-owned business, talks with presenter Claire McCollum about the resort’s incredible history and heritage including how it has been passed down over five generations of the family since 1885. The show also explores some real life love stories as the presenter chats with a minister and a couple who were married at the famous wedding destination.
Historically, Gretna Green was a popular hotspot for eloping couples due to its location on the Scottish border and the strict Marriage Act in place in England. Couples would travel across into the neighbouring country to tie the knot, after former Blacksmiths discovered that working as ‘anvil priests’, and marrying star crossed lovers in the process, was a more profitable endeavour. Now Gretna Green is an award-winning wedding, hospitality, retail and experience destination drawing in customers from all over the world to share in the ‘world’s greatest love story’.
Songs of Praise is centred around faith and spirituality that presents Christian hymns sung in churches and a variety of other inspiring locations of varying denominations from around the UK. It attracts millions of viewers and Gretna Green’s appearance on the show will tie in with the annual ‘St Valentine’ episode.
The Songs of Praise episode ‘God is Love’ will air on BBC Two, on 12th February 2023.
