Home   News   Article

Subscribe Now

How Cambridge University Botanic Garden helped ‘light up the nation’ in BBC Coronation Concert spectacular




Eco-bikes powered a stunning display of 12,500 lights as Cambridge University Botanic Garden was featured among 10 locations around the UK lit up for a live sequence called Lighting up the Nation during the Coronation Concert.

Blled by the BBC as “a truly spectacular part” of the concert on Sunday (May 7) evening, the light display was a centrepiece of the event, featuring projections, drones, laser displays and illuminations to bring iconic locations to life.

CUBG Lighting up the Nation. Picture Martin Bond
CUBG Lighting up the Nation. Picture Martin Bond

The majestic Pinus nigra tree, which forms part of the garden’s tree collection, is located along its main walk and helps form the backbone of its heritage landscape. The tree and surrounding landscape were seen as never before by those watching the concert on TV. Dressed in a stunning display of lights, it was powered by 25 eco-bikes, ridden by University of Cambridge students, garden staff and volunteers.

Beverley Glover, the garden’s director, said: “It is a great honour to have been selected as one of 10 iconic locations to form the centrepiece of Lighting up the Nation, broadcast live from Windsor Castle, and to have our black pine included as part of the choreographed display.

CUBG Lighting up the Nation. Picture Martin Bond
CUBG Lighting up the Nation. Picture Martin Bond

“CUBG’s tree collection dates back to the founding of the garden on this site and is the vision of our founder and Charles Darwin’s mentor, John Stevens Henslow. The Pinus nigra, Black Pine is one of the first garden plantings and it is interesting because it was selected by Henslow to demonstrate how plants even within the same species can be different.

“Some species of black pine from warm climates hold their branches erect, while black pines from cold areas have sloping branches to allow snow to slide off them to limit the snow load on their branches and ensure the needles are free to photosynthesise.”

CUBG Lighting up the Nation. Picture Martin Bond
CUBG Lighting up the Nation. Picture Martin Bond

The lighting on the tree was powered by a cohort of cyclists drawn from university institutions with links to His Majesty and representing areas of the university’s work that the King has particular interest in: Cambridge Zero, the Cambridge Trust and Homerton College, as well as the Botanic Garden.

Last Friday (May 5), Catherine Catton, BBC head of commissioning, factual entertainment and events, said: “The Lighting up the Nation sequence promises to be a truly spectacular part of the Coronation Concert.

CUBG Lighting up the Nation. Picture Martin Bond
CUBG Lighting up the Nation. Picture Martin Bond

“With stunning light shows illuminating some of our most iconic locations, alongside performances from James Nesbitt and Paloma Faith, this is going to be a very special moment for people all across the country to come together in celebration.”

Sunday’s concert, following the crowning of King Charles III and Queen Camilla on Saturday, featured performances from the likes of Lionel Richie, Katy Perry and Take That. The BBC said it had an average audience of 10 million and a peak viewership of 12.3 million.

CUBG Lighting up the Nation. Picture Martin Bond
CUBG Lighting up the Nation. Picture Martin Bond

Host Hugh Bonneville kicked off the celebrations and met Muppet star Miss Piggy, before the Prince of Wales took to the stage paying a touching tribute to his father and his late grandmother the Queen.

Stars including Hugh Jackman, Pierce Brosnan, Dame Joan Collins, Bear Grylls OBE, Alan Titchmarsh, and Sir Tom Jones gave pre-recorded video messages in honour of the King throughout the concert.

Top Gun star Tom Cruise also delivered a video message from his War Bird plane, saying: “Pilot to pilot. Your Majesty, you can be my wingman any time,” before saluting and banking away.

CUBG Lighting up the Nation. Picture Martin Bond
CUBG Lighting up the Nation. Picture Martin Bond

Musical collaborations included opera stars Andrea Bocelli and Sir Bryn Terfel, who sang You’ll Never Walk Alone, and classical pianist Lang Lang and pop star Nicole Scherzinger, who performed Reflection from Mulan.

More reflective moments included Stella McCartney’s address about the environment and a Winnie the Pooh skit which did not seem to elicit as much of a response as Paddington Bear’s appearance with Queen Elizabeth II during the late monarch’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations.

CUBG Lighting up the Nation. Picture Martin Bond
CUBG Lighting up the Nation. Picture Martin Bond

The Platinum Jubilee concert, which took place in front of Buckingham Palace last June, was watched by an average of 13.1 million people on BBC One.

The Prince of Wales speaking during the concert. Picture: PA
The Prince of Wales speaking during the concert. Picture: PA

The King’s coronation service at Westminster Abbey on Saturday was watched by more than 18 million viewers in the UK, provisional figures showed.



This site uses cookies. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies - Learn More