The Welsh singer and TV presenter Aled Jones described his awe at the "uninterrupted sea views" enjoyed in part of the county as he came to Kent to film Songs of Praise.

The 47-year-old, famous for singing Walking in the Air as a teenage chorister, has spent a day on Sheppey this week with a TV crew from the BBC.

For the episode, due to air in January, he visited Blue Town's Criterion Theatre and Heritage Centre and the Oasis Academy's award-winning dementia cafe on Wednesday.

Aled Jones speaks to KentOnline about his visit to Sheppey

He also popped in to see his broadcasting colleague Cindy Kent, who was in the Settlers pop group and now lives in Minster, before attending a meeting of the newly-formed Sheppey Community Development Forum at the Oasis Academy's Minster campus.

During a break in filming Aled said: "What haven't I seen here today? The day started with me interviewing Cindy Kent, a broadcaster I've known for many years.

"She has been living here for three years and is a changed person. She absolutely loves it here and who wouldn't when you see the view she's got from her garden.

"The uninterrupted sea views are absolutely beautiful.

"She talked a lot about the community here and how they all look out for one another.

"It made me very jealous actually. It made me think of Anglesea, where I'm from, which is also an island, where everyone tends to do the same thing."

On Tuesday, singer JB from boy band JLS had joined TV crews to meet Ray Featherstone and members of Sheerness County Youth Club in Sheerness.

He also met Minster musician Mick Kenten, who toured with 70s band Kenny and is now a presenter on community radio station Sheppey FM.

Programme producer David Waters said: "We were spoiled for choice. We had seven super stories about Sheppey and we could have used them all. Alas, we will only have time to show four."

All will be inserts. The hymns are now all pre-recorded in a single venue at the start of filming.

The invitation to Sheppey was issued by Oasis founder the Rev Steve Chalke who celebrated his 62nd birthday on Saturday.

He said: "This is brilliant news for the Island."

The programme, based on the theme Love Thy Neighbour, will be aired on Sunday, January 13 on BBC1.