A CHOIRMASTER and former Bournemouth school pupil is embarking on an ambitious new television series.

BAFTA award-winning Gareth Malone is returning with his new series, Gareth Malone’s Extraordinary School For Boys, in which he plans to turn educator for one term in order to re-capture the interest of boys who are underachieving at school.

The man who has made choral singing popular is no stranger to the difficulty of reluctant pupils.

His previous award-winning series The Choir saw him taking on various challenges, including taking a mixed-sex school to the World Choir Games in China and leading a 100-strong boys’ choir on stage at the Royal Albert Hall.

His upcoming show, set to begin on September 9, will present an entirely new challenge, as Gareth hopes to re-animate the interest of boys in a classroom environment.

He said he was planning to bring a fresh approach to teaching, using methods geared toward the boys he hopes to re-engage.

Physical exercise, outdoor activities and competition will be at the forefront of his new lesson plan.

Gareth said: “I am very excited about this one. It’s going to be on at the beginning of September, as part of the BBC Two education season, which is very exciting.

“It’s about teaching boys to read. Yes, there is a little bit of music in it, but it’s me doing other things other than music – controversial.”