Hosting BBC coverage

Musical comedian Vikki Stone is joining the BBC Proms team.

She will be hosting a biweekly podcast called The Proms Unplucked during the classical concert season – with highlights going out on Radio 3 during the live broadcasts from the Royal Albert Hall.

The first episode goes out on Friday, the first night of the Proms, and features composer Gabriel Prokoviev, cellist Sol Gabetta and what Stone calls ‘as many oddballs as I can talk to in queues’.

Gabetta is currently starring in new film, Cello, to celebrate the 2016 BBC Proms season, in which her instrument is transformed by animations created as she plays Elgar’s Cello Concerto in E minor.

Stone has a background in classical music before turning to comedy. She trained as a classical musician at Wells Cathedral School and was flautist for the National Children’s Orchestra. From 1999 to 2001 she was a member of the National Youth Music Theatre, and later trained as a postgraduate at the Royal Academy of Music.

Last month, it was announced that Greg McHugh’s comedy alter-ego Gary: Tank Commander was also part of the Proms. He will duetting with fellow actor Leah McRee at the Proms in the Park on Glasgow Green on Saturday September 10, on the last night of the season.

Published: 13 Jul 2016