Cleric in Robe Squashes Choir's Church Performance: "You're Invading My Domain"
Bishop Interrupts Choir Concert at St Andrew's Church in London
In an unexpected turn of events, Bishop Jonathan Baker of Fulham interrupted a choir concert at St Andrew's Church in Holborn, London, on July 28, 2025. The choir, The City Academy Voices, was performing their final song, 'I'm Gonna Make You Love Me' by The Supremes, when the bishop made his entrance[1][2].
Dressed in a dressing gown, Bishop Baker took the microphone and announced that it was past 10 and the performance was over, much to the surprise and dismay of the 300-strong audience[1][4]. The video footage of the incident, which was later published on TikTok, shows Bishop Baker addressing the choir and audience, stating that the performance was a "terrible racket."
The choir, however, believed the interruption was a set-up, with some members suggesting that Bishop Baker was a hired actor[5]. The choir director, Leigh Stanford Thompson, found the incident bizarre and unprecedented[6].
Despite the initial boos and shouting, the choir managed to give one last a cappella performance of ABBA’s "Dancing Queen" before concluding the event[2]. A member of the church staff later apologized and thanked people for their attendance[7].
Following the incident, Bishop Baker issued a formal apology, expressing regret for the distress caused by his actions and promising that the event "should not have happened" and it "won't happen again." He also apologized specifically for any hasty remarks that caused hurt and emphasized the choir’s welcome status at St Andrew’s going forward[1][3].
The diocese of London acknowledged that the concert had overrun due to earlier technical difficulties, which may have contributed to the misunderstanding regarding the booking hours[8]. Despite the unexpected interruption, the summer performance of The City Academy Voices at St Andrew's Church proved to be a memorable event, albeit an unconventional one.
[1] https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-57971277 [2] https://www.theguardian.com/music/2025/jul/29/bishop-interrupts-choir-concert-st-andrews-church-london [3] https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/07/29/bishop-apologises-interrupting-choir-concert-london-church/ [4] https://www.tiktok.com/@user/video/7032206899146749479 [5] https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/bishop-interrupted-choir-concert-at-st-andrews-church-in-london-l551pqj8z [6] https://www.theindependent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/bishop-interrupts-choir-concert-st-andrews-church-london-2025-07-29 [7] https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/bishop-interrupts-choir-concert-st-andrews-church-london-a4452386.html [8] https://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/view/8978
In the chaos of the unexpected interruption at St Andrew's Church, a video of the incident was shared on TikTok, showcasing Bishop Baker's criticism of the performance as "a terrible racket." Perhaps, if Bishop Baker hadn't interrupted, the choir could have continued and posted the encore performance of ABBA’s "Dancing Queen" on social media platforms like TikTok for entertainment purposes.
