UPDATE: Portsmouth gospel choir claim victory in BBC singing contest

University of Portsmouth Gospel Choir – led by forensics student Heaven – beat Milton Keynes-based Perfect 6th in the final battle of tonight’s show.

After four other choirs were eliminated in a series of rounds, the remaining two groups took it in turns to perform guest judge Seal’s Kiss From A Rose before he joined the Portsmouth choir on stage, revealing they had won the episode.

Seal said: ‘In every performance you look for what I call the money moment, that magic moment and in the second verse you stayed true to the song and you owned it and that was enough to push you over the edge.’

The group will now return with Seal in the live grand final at the end of the month.

The winner of the series receives a £50,000 cash prize, something that the gospel choir feel optimistic about claiming for themselves.

They are supported by almost 2,500 people on Facebook, with many of them tuning in.

Perfect 6th are still in with a chance of reaching next month’s grand final as the judges will offer one of the runners-up a wild card entry.