Channel 4 has confirmed the return of The Piano for a fourth series, hosted by Claudia Winkleman and Mika. The show introduces a new lineup of five music mentors alongside returning mentor Jon Batiste. Amateur pianists will perform at major UK train stations under their guidance.
Channel 4 announced that The Piano, a series discovering amateur pianists performing on public pianos in UK train stations, will return for its fourth season. Hosted by Claudia Winkleman and musician Mika, the format remains the same, but this year marks a first with five new music mentors joining the team.
The mentors include pianist Tiffany Poon at Birmingham New Street Station, whose recording of Liszt’s Hungarian Rhapsody No. 2 in C-Sharp features on the Industry season 4 soundtrack. Pianist and broadcaster Jools Holland OBE, known for Later... with Jools Holland and his New Year's Eve Hootenanny, will oversee performances at London Bridge Station.
World-renowned Japanese jazz composer and pianist Hiromi will join at York Station, while classical musician Alice Sara Ott will be at Manchester Piccadilly Station. English jazz-pop singer, pianist, songwriter, and radio presenter Jamie Cullum, who has hosted a jazz show on BBC Radio 2 since 2010, will cover Glasgow Central Station.
Returning mentor Jon Batiste, who contributed to the soundtrack of Pixar's Soul and appeared in the previous season, rounds out the group. The Piano season 3 ended with 87-year-old Diane Newell from Newcastle winning after performing her original composition 'Dreams,' dedicated to her late husband, whom she played with in RAF bands.
The series is available on catch-up on Channel 4.