MPs and viewers have blasted the decision to film during ongoing crisis

The BBC’s flagship religious show Songs of Praise is being filmed at a touching chapel within a migrants’ camp in Calais, it has emerged.

Producers have already spent two days shooting an episode at a makeshift Ethiopian Orthodox Church in the 'Jungle' camp, which will be broadcast on a date to be finalised.

And the full crew for Songs of Praise is due to arrive at the centre of the 5,000-strong camp this weekend - but host Aled Jones said he would not be present.

This comes amid a worsening crisis which has seen nine people lose their lives after thousands of migrants stormed the Channel Tunnel in a desperate attempt to build a new life in Britain.

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Controversial move: Songs of Praise is being filmed from migrants' camps in Calais, it emerged last night. Pictured is a makeshift Ethiopian Orthodox church, where film crews have already spent a day shooting

Songs of Praise: A baby sits in the middle of women from Ethiopia and Eritrea who are praying and singing during Sunday mass at the makeshift church

Prayers: Producers have already spent two days shooting an episode at a makeshift Ethiopian Orthodox Church

Production for the show was disrupted after one parishioner objected to being filmed during a service at the tarpaulin and corrugated iron church,The Sun reported.

Another worshipper, Ezekiel Lala, confessed to the newspaper he had been caught trying to illegally enter the UK thirty times.

The 28-year-old said: 'I pray in church for good health so I can get to England.

'I know God will help me. I try every night to get to England.'

Left-winger Rev Giles Fraser, who quit as canon of St Paul's Cathedral in support of the ultra Left-wing Occupy London protests, is also involved in the episode.

Orthodox: Kibrom Kasta leads an service for Ethiopian and Eritrean worshippers at the jungle church

Show of faith: The corporation confirmed it is currently shooting an episode of the programme at the notorious 'Jungle' camp, pictured is the church being built

BBC show: Left-winger Rev Giles Fraser (pictured), who quit as canon of St Paul's Cathedral in support of the ultra Left-wing Occupy London protests, is also involved in the episode

Anger: Reaction on Twitter was furious, with one user writing: 'I really object to having my TV license fee being spent on Songs of Praise going to Calais for illegal migrants'

He said: 'They are not illegal immigrants yet. I have no problem with the BBC filming Songs of Praise here.'

He added that the camp's church was 'the real thing'.

Hundreds have taken to social media to support the decision, saying it would give many of the migrants, who have fled horrendous conflicts in Afghanistan, Sudan and Syria, some 'hope'.

Mike Henthorn tweeted: 'I don't have a religious bone in my body but well done to Songs of Praise. Its about time we re-humanised the migrants.'

Chris Fox ‏said: 'Absolutely love what BBC Songs of Praise are doing by going to Calais.'

Jennie Rigg ‏said: 'How do I tell songs of praise that I think they're awesome for doing an episode in the migrant camp in Calais? Because I do.'

Paul the Christian said: 'As a follower of Jesus I fully support the @BBC Songs of Praise being broadcast from the migrant camp in Calais.'

A BBC spokeswoman confirmed that the filming was 'going ahead as planned', adding it would not be a live special but a standard programme following the normal format.

She added that a broadcast date was yet to be finalised and that the episode would not be shown this Sunday.

In a statement, the BBC said: 'Songs of Praise is a magazine style programme.

'Each week it brings hymns from churches around the UK and short topical magazine features of interests to Christians from a range of places.'

Worshippers: Woman and children are seen listening intently during an Orthodox service at the church

Makeshift church: A BBC spokeswoman confirmed that the filming was 'going ahead as planned'

Absent: Presenter Aled Jones said he would not be filming in Calais and would be on ITV Weekend instead

Presenter: The Welsh host announced that he was not involved in the episode on his Twitter account

Some MPs and viewers have criticised the 'insensitive' decision to film at the camp, saying the corporation should not be trying to score political points out of a 'grave crisis'.

David Little ‏said: 'BBC to broadcast Songs of Praise from migrant camp in Calais the sooner this waste of public money is scrapped the better.'

Jo Hugh said: 'I regret the loss of 'Songs of Praise' as a hub of heartfelt, prayerful, singing. Now its performance & indoctrination.'

Andrew Rosindell, MP for Romford, told The Sun: 'This is an insensitive thing to do. We are facing a grave crisis.

'The BBC should be careful not to start looking as if they are making political points out of this.'

Songs of Praise first aired in 1961 and has been a constant feature of Sunday television ever since, with earlier hosts including gardener Alan Titchmarsh and former MP Ann Widdecombe.

The first episode was broadcast from the Tabernacle Baptist Church in Cardiff, while its largest event was staged at the city's Millennium Stadium and included a 6,000-strong choir.

The show previously courted controversy by broadcasting from Strangeways Prison in October 1982.

Words of comfort: Christian migrants pray and read the bible before Sunday mass at the makeshift church

Filming: The full crew is due to arrive at the centre of the 5,000-strong camp over the weekend

Faith: Worshippers are blessed during a service at the makeshift church in the Calais 'Jungle' camp

The decision to film in Calais comes amid an unprecedented surge in migrants attempting to cross the Channel.

It has prompted a string of measures to increase security at the terminal, including extra fencing and the deployment of more border force search and dog teams.

The resulting disruption in the UK has put police and social services in Kent under strain, while hauliers' groups claim the economy is losing millions of pounds.

Kent County Council has admitted it has no more foster beds available to accommodate unaccompanied asylum seeking children arriving in the county.

On Tuesday evening a man was found inside the 31-mile long Channel Tunnel, near its exit at Folkestone, Kent.

The suspected illegal immigrant, understood to be Sudanese, is thought to have walked nearly the entire length of the Chunnel from Calais.

Kent Police said Abdul Rahman Haroun, 40, has been charged with causing an obstruction to an engine or carriage using the railway under the Malicious Damage Act 1861.

There have been nightly incursions of the Tunnel by migrants.

A former British ambassador to France has warned there is no 'magic solution' to current migrant crisis, and said the issues should be seen in the context of an overall surge in migration into Europe.

The Home Office has said it is continuing to work closely with the French government and Eurotunnel 'to tackle the immediate pressures and longer-term issues involved in the situation in northern France'.

Prayers: Migrants were seen lighting candles and bowing their heads during an Orthodox service

Hope: Some have supported the decision to film at the church in the centre of the 'Jungle' migrant camp

Makeshift: The decision to film in Calais comes amid an unprecedented surge in migrants attempting to cross the Channel