BYUtv Holiday Programming Brings Families Together with Concerts from Lauren Daigle, "The Chosen" with Top Christian Artists, and The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square with Kelli O'Hara & Richard Thomas

PROVO, Utah, Nov. 20, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Family entertainment network BYUtv, available nationally over cable, satellite and free streaming, announced its 2020 schedule of original holiday programming filled with uplifting music and stories, including "Christmas Under the Stars" with Grammy Award-winning singer Lauren Daigle; a brand new "Christmas with The Chosen" special that combines the magic of the groundbreaking series "The Chosen" with music from Grammy winners Mandisa, For King and Country, and Zach Williams as well as several other top Christian artists; the full, 90-minute version of "Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir" featuring Tony Award-winning and Emmy and Grammy nominee Kelli O'Hara and Emmy Award-winning television, film, and stage actor Richard Thomas; holiday specials from BYUtv's hit shows "Random Acts," "Grace Notes" and "Studio C"; and a host of favorites from past years.

"What a joy it is to collaborate with award-winning stars who bring such a depth of artistry, talent and passion to BYUtv's celebration of this unparalleled time of year," said Michael Dunn, managing director of BYUtv. "Their spirit of generosity and devotion brings something truly wonderful to new iterations of favorite traditions such as 'Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir' and 'Christmas Under the Stars' and exciting new programs like 'Christmas with The Chosen.'"

Wednesday, Dec. 2 at 7 p.m. ET: "Random Acts" is the unscripted hidden-camera reality show in its sixth season that highlights the altruistic nature of human beings by featuring real people who are the recipients of random acts of kindness. This special episode brings winter wonderland joy to a young girl with sickle-cell anemia who has never been able to enjoy cold-weather activities due to her disease.

Sunday, Dec. 6 at 7 p.m. ET: "Grace Notes" is an unscripted series, hosted by Elaine Bradley from Neon Trees, featuring performances and interviews with artists who are uplifted and changed by music. We hear the stories behind the songs as musicians share their talent, their lives, their inspiration and their faith. This special holiday episode will feature Christmas songs performed by Travis Greene, Lindsey Stirling, Brooke White, Watkins Family Hour, Leigh Nash, Jekalyn Carr, Ashley Hess, John Ondrasik, The National Parks, Lexi Walker, Peter Breinholt, GENTRI, Paul Cardall, The Lower Lights, Jenny Oaks Baker & Family Four, Vocal Point, Alex Boyé and McKenna Breinholt.

Sunday, Dec. 6 at 9 p.m. ET: An annual BYUtv holiday tradition, "Christmas Under the Stars" showcases Grammy-award winning singer and songwriter Lauren Daigle in a mix of big performance numbers and intimate, cinematic musical moments. This exclusive special, produced by BYUtv in partnership with Kaleidoscope Pictures, features beloved classics like "Jingle Bells," "Little Drummer Boy," "White Christmas," and "O Holy Night," as well as some of Lauren Daigle's hits, like the chart-topping "You Say." Past performers have included John Legend, Train, The Band Perry, Gladys Knight, Smokey Robinson, Patti LaBelle, Yolanda Adams, Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, and Five for Fighting.

Monday, Dec. 7 at 9 p.m. ET: The cast of fan-favorite sketch comedy show "Studio C" (now in its 11^th season) sings and dances their way through another exuberant Christmas-themed episode, this time with a retro Andy Williams-style twist. As they get ready for their annual holiday party, they encounter competitive bell-ringers, magical toy villages, and far too many Santas. But a vengeful reindeer could ruin all their plans…

Sunday, Dec. 13 at 8 p.m. ET: "Christmas with The Chosen" is a celebration of the largest crowdfunded television production of all time and first multi-season series about the life of Jesus Christ. The two-hour special will incorporate "The Chosen"'s holiday-themed pilot episode, "The Shepherd," as part of a musical tribute to Jesus' birth filmed at the magnificent Jerusalem set in Goshen, Utah where season two is currently in production. Hosted by series creator Dallas Jenkins, the concert will feature traditional and original songs, from "O Come, O Come, Emmanuel" and "Away in a Manger" to "Get Used to Different" and "Hope for Everyone," performed by acclaimed Christian artists Mandisa, For King and Country, Zach Williams, Phil Wickham, Joshua Aaron, Hillsong United, Matt Maher, Stephen McWhirter and Jason Clayborn, The Piano Guys, and The Bonner Family.

Thursday, Dec. 17 at 8 p.m. ET: The annual "Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir" holiday special featuring Tony Award-winning and Emmy and Grammy nominee Kelli O'Hara and Emmy Award-winning television, film, and stage actor Richard Thomas is produced by BYUtv. A 60-minute version will premiere on PBS on Monday, Dec. 14 at 9 p.m. ET (check local listings), after which the full, 90-minute version will air on BYUtv on Dec. 17. A PBS tradition for 17 years, this is the fourth year the concert has continued its legacy on BYUtv. O'Hara and Thomas join Grammy and Emmy Award winner The Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square along with Orchestra at Temple Square and Bells at Temple Square in an Americana-themed program that exudes the warmth and peace the season can bring. The repertoire draws from a number of American musical traditions including folk, bluegrass, Broadway and African-American spirituals. It features well-known Christmas favorites as well as lesser-known holiday carols and ballads. As the program's narrator, Thomas complements the music with nostalgic readings, including an adaptation of Pearl S. Buck's "Christmas Day in the Morning," an excerpt from Robert Frost's beloved poem "Stopping By Woods on a Snowy Evening" and the Christmas story from Luke 2.

Throughout the month of December, BYUtv will open the vault of classic Christmas movies and originals, including the BYUtv premiere of "A Christmas Tail" and some of its popular Christmas programming from recent years, including "Christmas Under the Stars" concerts starring John Legend, Train, The Band Perry, Amy Grant and Michael W. Smith with Jordan Smith, Vocal Point, and GENTRI with Lexi Walker; "Christmas with The Tabernacle Choir" concerts featuring Kristin Chenoweth and also Sutton Foster and Hugh Bonneville; Ballet West's "The Nutcracker"; past "Studio C," "Random Acts," "Show Offs," "Battle of the Ages," "Just Like Mom and Dad," "Hetty Feather," "Highway to Heaven" and "Heartland" Christmas-themed episodes; holiday movies "Christmas Jars," "Shoelaces for Christmas," "Instrument of War," "Silent Night," "48 Christmas Wishes," "A Christmas Village," "A Christmas Snow," "A Very Corgi Christmas" and "Christmas Oranges"; and more. New and past programming will be repeated throughout the holiday season.

BYUtv is available across the country via cable, satellite and multiple digital media platforms. For a complete listing of BYUtv's programming and to view full episodes, visit www.byutv.org or download the app. BYUtv streams for free with no subscriptions, in-app purchases or ads. The network is always streaming live, and past and current seasons are all available to binge.

About BYUtv
BYUtv provides families more than 2,000 hours of entertaining and compelling programming they can enjoy together. The network's content is trusted, contemporary and clean, yet clever and sophisticated enough to inspire children and parents alike. BYUtv's diverse portfolio of original, co-produced and acquired content includes scripted and unscripted dramas and comedies, 700+ hours of live HD collegiate sports, game shows, and holiday special made-for-tv movies, docudramas and concerts. BYUtv is available in 50 million homes in every state of the country on DISH Network, DirecTV and 146 other major cable systems. A digital pioneer, BYUtv was the first U.S. television network to stream all of its content live and unencrypted over the internet. Today, BYUtv has more than two million YouTube subscribers and two billion views and is available live and on-demand on multiple digital platforms free of charge, including Apple TV, YouTube, Roku, Amazon Fire, Chromecast, Xbox One, Windows Media, digital apps for iOS and Android, and BYUtv.org. Based in Provo, Utah, BYUtv is part of BYU Broadcasting, which is owned by Brigham Young University.

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