Knowles thought 'Last Choir' would flop

Nick Knowles claimed that Last Choir Standing would flop when he was approached to host the show, he has admitted.

The presenter was eventually convinced to front the BBC One programme alongside Myleene Klass after producers showed him footage of the auditions.

Knowles told the Daily Mail: "When they first approached me, I said, 'You're mad. Who's going to watch a Saturday night entertainment show with the word 'choir' in the title?' It conjures up images of Songs Of Praise.

"But they convinced me to have a look at some of the early footage - the back stories about some of the entrants. I was blown away. One of the first things I saw was this group of WI women singing 'I Predict A Riot' by the Kaiser Chiefs. I thought, 'This is brilliant; funny and inspiring. Superb telly.'

"Now I'm a total convert. It's exactly the sort of programme the BBC should be making. And, let's face it, no one but the BBC would do a show like it."

Knowles went on to describe ITV's X Factor as "cruel" for its treatment of contestants, and claimed that Big Brother "takes working-class people out of their environment, and laughs at how they struggle to cope".

He added: "Ours is different. Better. I say it's a reality programme with all the s*** taken out."