Songs of Praise from Calais migrant camp. How VERY BBC! Corporation under fire for decision to film flagship religious show in makeshift church

• BBC accused of wading into a sensitive political issue by sending staff
• At least nine people have already died trying to cross Calais to Britain
• Priest filmed in camp admits he tries to enter UK illegally every night
• Hagos Kesete, 31, leads congregations at ramshackle Christian church 

By Mario Ledwith And Claire Duffin For The Daily Mail

Published: 19:26 EST, 7 August 2015 | Updated: 03:49 EST, 8 August 2015

The BBC was under fire last night for its decision to film a segment of Songs of Praise in a Calais migrant camp.

It was accused of wading into a sensitive political issue by sending staff from its flagship religious programme to France for a show to be broadcast next week.

At least nine people have already died trying to cross from Calais to Britain amid this summer's migrant crisis which has placed police and social services under huge strain.

The BBC was under fire for its decision to film a segment of Songs of Praise in a Calais migrant camp

Yesterday, as criticism mounted, a priest filmed by the BBC in the camp for Songs of Praise admitted he tries to enter the UK illegally every night.

Just hours after a BBC cameraman visited his makeshift church Hagos Kesete, 31, joined friends trying to evade police close to the Channel Tunnel entrance.

Mr Kesete is one of two priests who lead congregations at the ramshackle Christian church constructed by migrants from planks of wood and tarpaulin. 

But when the Eritrean finishes performing services for the day, he becomes part of the migrant crisis that is crippling the French port.

Mr Kesete confessed that he has mounted desperate attempts to enter Britain 'every night' since arriving in Calais a month ago. 

He said: 'It is very dangerous but we still try, even if it is difficult.' 

Last night Conservative MP Damian Collins, who sits of the culture, media and sport committee, said: 'I don't think it is appropriate at all to insert Songs of Praise into what is a very complex political and international situation.

'Of course there are humanitarian concerns for the people involved but I don't think this will help at all.'

Controversial move: Songs of Praise is being filmed from migrants' camps in Calais, it emerged last night. Pictured is a makeshift Ethiopian Orthodox church, where film crews have already spent a day shooting

Show of faith: The corporation confirmed it is currently shooting an episode of the programme at the notorious 'Jungle' camp, pictured is the church being built

John O'Connell of the Taxpayers' Alliance added: 'The BBC should always be mindful of weighing into controversial issues, especially in programmes that are not specifically supposed to be about current affairs.'

A number of BBC producers and cameramen have already visited the camp and spoken to Mr Kesete. They are expected to return tomorrow, with presenter Sally Magnusson.

They will film a segment which will then be inserted into the programme next Sunday.

Mr Kesete said he would be part of a group of migrants who sing two songs and was 'excited' about appearing on TV. Work on his church finished a few weeks ago. It now attracts a 500-strong congregation each week.

The church is part of a growing camp on the outskirts of Calais where more than 5,000 migrants are living in desperate conditions. Some of the better houses have heavy-duty locks and chains on the doors.

Others are simply sticks covered in tarpaulin. Despite the grim conditions, many have tried to brighten their temporary homes with flower displays, pictures, mirrors and paintings. From the camp, each night migrants walk, hitchhike and even cycle to the port, or to the Tunnel entrance, where they try to board lorries of trains.

Makeshift church: A BBC spokeswoman confirmed that the filming was 'going ahead as planned'

Makeshift: The decision to film in Calais comes amid an unprecedented surge in migrants attempting to cross the Channel

Thousands have tried over the last two weeks leading to clashes with police. Mr Kesete trained as a priest for four years in his war-torn home country before undertaking a perilous journey to Europe with a group of friends who are also living in the camp.

The group first travelled across Africa to Libya where they paid smugglers 'a lot money' to take them to Italy. The group then spent two months travelling to Calais.

Eritreans now form the second-largest group of migrants risking their lives to reach Italy, after Syrians.

Songs of Praise previously courted controversy by broadcasting from Strangeways jail in October 1982 and from the Falkland Islands the following year.

A BBC spokesman said: 'The story of the migrants and asylum seekers is of interest to our core audience and beyond.'

Great idea, says BBC's right-on priest 

He is the self-styled 'trendy' Left-wing priest who has become the BBC's go-to clergyman.

A regular contributor to Radio 4's Thought for the Day, Dr Giles Fraser is also a panellist on the BBC's Moral Maze discussion show.

Yesterday he described the Corporation's decision to film a segment of Songs of Praise in the Calais migrant camp – for an episode in which he will feature – as a 'great idea'. 'They aren't illegal immigrants, yet,' said Dr Fraser, who visited the camp. 'I have no problem with the BBC filming Songs of Praise here. I think the church is the real thing. It is in the centre of the community.'

BBC show: Left-winger Rev Giles Fraser (pictured), who quit as canon of St Paul's Cathedral in support of the ultra Left-wing Occupy London protests, is also involved in the episode

Dr Fraser, 50, is a private schoolboy turned Left-wing activist, who famously resigned from his job as Canon Chancellor of St Paul's over the cathedral's decision to evict protesters from the Occupy camp outside. 

He pledged his support for the activists – who were protesting against corporate greed – despite the fact they forced the cathedral to shut its doors to the public, resulting in losses of around £20,000 a day. Dr Fraser is now is priest-in-charge at St Mary's Newington in south London.

He has spoken at Levellers' Day – a trade union-backed celebration where he sat next to Tony Benn – and has come out in favour of far-Left Labour leadership candidate Jeremy Corbyn.

Writing in his Guardian column yesterday, he told how he visited the camp known as the Jungle to show solidarity with his fellow Christians.

He said: 'The purpose of my Calais visit was instinctive. I wanted to say a prayer in the makeshift Ethiopian church – St Michael's.

'I'm a Christian, so I have a special connection for fellow Christians. But the crisis here is not religious: it is humanitarian.'

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