Madness frontman Suggs has backed an urban beekeeping project on the roof of a Hackney recording studio.

The singer and TV presenter, 50, got beehind The Premises Studios in Hackney Road and social enterprise The Golden Company as they encourage more people to keep beehives.

Suggs, who has been rehearsing with ska band Madness at the studios, said: “As experienced urban beekeepers, my wife and I know how fascinating keeping these amazing creatures can be and how important it is to look after them in managed hives like the one at The Premises Studios.

“Beekeeping is a crucial part of looking after our environment so both the bees and our planet continue to thrive”.

Honey bees are in danger due to a number of environmental factors including the increasing prevalence of the Varroa Destructor mite.

The recording studio’s bosses have teamed up with the The Golden Company, a Shoreditch organisation causing a buzz about beekeeping among the borough’s young people, to install a hive on their roof ready for warmer weather.

Premises director Julia Craik said: “We established a hive and a colony of bees on the roof here as part of our campaign to encourage more people in urban areas to look after these gentle but amazingly productive insects.”