David Campbell has a NEW co-host for Carols by Candlelight

David Campbell never gets tired of hosting Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight.

”It’s nearly my 20th year of being a part of it now,” he tells TV WEEK.

”I always love it. It’s always my favourite time of year. It begins the holiday season for me and my family.”

With the Melbourne tradition celebrating its 85th year in 2022, viewers can expect to hear all the old favourites.

”You need Marina [Prior] to do ‘Angels We Have Heard On High’, you need [David] Hobson to sing ‘The Holy City’,” David, 49, points out.

But the list of performers is a long one and includes some newer voices as well.

Along with Denis Walters, Anthony Callea and Tim Campbell, there’s former Yellow Wiggle Emma Watkins, British star Calum Scott, who’s prerecorded a song that will be played on the screen, and singer-songwriter Ben Abraham, who co-wrote the Kesha hit “Praying”. David says he discovered Ben’s music when he was in lockdown.

”He became one of my favourite singers instantly,” he adds.

”A great story about Ben is he actually used to work on Carols, sorting all the music out backstage. Now he’s this world-class singer and songwriter. So keep at it, kids!”

David’s own son, 12-year-old Leo, has been helping out backstage at Carols rehearsals for the past couple of years.

”He loves being a little actor, he loves music, he’s started his own rock band… he’s just an entrepreneur!”

David, wife Lisa and their three children are planning to spend Christmas with David’s father, rock legend Jimmy Barnes, who has recently had major back and hip surgery.

”My dad will be coming out of hospital at that time, so he’ll be pretty sore and tired, so I guess we’ll be tag-teaming nursemaid for him. It’ll just be nice to be near everybody and be close to family, like we like to be.”

Vision Australia’s Carols by Candlelight airs Saturday December 24 at 8pm on the Nine Network.