Persuasive

BBC Director of Music Bob Shennan has been describing, in a searching interview with Billboard, how difficult it was to persuade singer-songwriter Adele to endure 65 minutes of primetime exposure on BBC1, as she is very busy trying to sell a new album just before Christmas.

Billboard: Can you discuss the background to this broadcast? 

Bob Shennan: It’s been a long gestation process. We started talking to Adele’s representatives before we actually knew that she was making a comeback and had a new album. Nobody definitely knew at that point. It’s probably been getting on for six months of conversations. Knowing just how important and popular she is to our audience, we were really keen to do something different and special with such an important U.K. artist. It’s a celebration of Adele and her phenomenal talents. It will make people smile. It will make them laugh and the music is so beautiful, it will really move people.

Meanwhile, Salim Mukaddam, Director of Music at BBC Worldwide, tells The Guardian he's delighted to have sold the programme to 13 other broadcasters;“We’re thrilled to be able to work with Adele and the BBC to bring this extraordinary piece of prime time television to a global audience.”

'Adele - Live at the BBC' was actually recorded at the London Studios, owned by ITV plc, on the Southbank on November 2, and is on BBC1 tomorrow, Friday, at 8.30pm