IN NUMBERS: The Proms

As the First Night Of The Proms (8pm, BBC2) gets a magical summer of classical and popular music under way, we look at some numbers relating to the season of concerts…

49 The number of concerts that made up the first Proms season, in 1895. They were all conducted by Henry Wood – a condition of the Proms’ sponsorship by a wealthy doctor. Wood was just 26, and he remained a Proms stalwart until his death in 1944, aged 75.

1941 The year the Royal Albert Hall became the Proms’ home. Their original home, Queen’s Hall in Langham Place, London, was gutted during the Blitz.

This year marks 150 years since the Royal Albert Hall first opened its doors as part of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert’s grand project to enrich the cultural life of Britain. 11 The number of years Katie Derham (centre) has been the face of the BBC Proms.

44 The number of days the Proms season will last this summer, with the last night on September 11. Every Prom will be live on BBC Radio 3 and BBC Sounds, with 20 Proms on TV and iplayer. There will be 52 concerts, featuring 30 orchestras and ensembles and more than 2,000 musicians.

5,272 The number of seats in the Royal Albert Hall. Because of Covid-19 restrictions, a limited number of tickets were initially offered for sale.