Gogglebox star gets festive on Leeds school visit

Rev Bottley, who appears on Channel 4 show Gogglebox and the BBC’S Songs of Praise, made Christingles with year five and six pupils during a fact finding visit to Fulneck School.

She was joined by a film crew from Songs of Praise during the visit to find out more about the Moravian tradition of Christingle at Fulneck School, which was founded in 1753 by religious refugees fleeing persecution in central Europe.

Filming took place in the school and Fulneck Chapel and the footage is set to be screened on Songs of Praise on BBC1 at 5.20pm this Sunday.

Rev Bottley, who studied at Leeds Trinity University, Horsforth, was joined in the chapel by the Rev Bob Hopcroft – a Fulneck School trustee and former chair of governors

Fulneck School principal Deborah Newman, said: “Since our founding more than 260 years ago, Fulneck School still holds true to its strong Christian ethos.

“Our Christingle service is an annual tradition and one that the whole school looks forward to. It is wonderful that BBC Songs of Praise have chosen to film here to learn about Christingle, which was introduced to this country by the Moravian settlers in the 18th Century. The children and staff thoroughly enjoyed their day filming with the Rev Bottley, and we are very much looking forward to watching Songs of Praise this weekend.”

A Fulneck School spokesman said Christingles are oranges representing the world, a red ribbon indicating the blood of Christ, the four fruit sticks for the four seasons and fruits of the earth, and the lit candle in the centre as the light of Jesus.