 | This article has multiple issues. Please helpimprove it or discuss these issues on thetalk page.(Learn how and when to remove these messages) (Learn how and when to remove this message)
|
| BBC New Year's Eve specials | |
|---|---|
 New Year Live title card from 2012–13 | |
| Also known as |
|
| Genre | New Yeartelevision special |
| Presented by | Various (see below) |
| Opening theme | 21st Century Renaissance by Dave Hewson and Bill Baylis |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Camera setup | Multi-camera |
| Running time | 90 minutes (2005–2008) 30 minutes (2009–2012) 85 minutes[a] (2013–) |
| Production company | BBC Studios Events |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC One BBC News (UK feed) BBC News (international feed) |
| Release | 31 December 2004 (2004-12-31) – present |
| Related | |
| BBC Scotland's Hogmanay | |
BBC One'sNew Year's Eve specials have aired in varying formats; in 2000, and since 2004, they have prominently featured live coverage ofLondon's New Year's Eve festivities, including the midnight bongs ofBig Ben, and thefireworks show on theRiver Thames andLondon Eye.
From the 1950s through the 1980s, the BBC's New Year's Eve programmes largely originated fromScotland, and were themed around the country'sHogmanay festivities. The practice largely ended after 1985, following the poor critical reception tothat year's special. A Scotland-based special briefly returned for 1998–99, but was also poorly received.
For 2000, the BBC led the global2000 Today consortium, which televised coverage of New Year's events from around the world, and served as the host broadcaster for coverage of festivities from the United Kingdom. In 2004, the BBC began to broadcastNew Year Live, which primarily featured live reports from theSouth Bank to cover the countdown to midnight. From 2006 to 2009, the special also featured music performances.
Beginning in 2014, BBC One began to air concert specials as part of its New Year's Eve programming, each of which featuring a headlining musician. The specials are divided into two parts, with an intermission approaching midnight for the live broadcast of the London fireworks.
Other BBC channels also air New Year's Eve specials; since 1993,BBC Two has airedJools' Annual Hootenanny—a concert special spun off fromLater... with Jools Holland.BBC One Scotlandopts out of the London-centric specials to carry its own lineup of Hogmanay-themed programmes, including comedy specials andHogmanay—a special focusing on New Year festivities inEdinburgh.
The earliest recorded commemorations of the New Year by the originalBritish Broadcasting Company began in 1923–24, and often featured performances bydance bands; a special was broadcast from theSavoy Hotel in London, featuring performances by theSavoy Orpheans andSavoy Havana Bands, and a religious talk byArchibald Fleming. The BBC also began its practice of broadcasting the chimes ofBig Ben.2BD in Scotland opted out to broadcast its own programming. The following year's broadcast also included a speech by the BBC's first director of educationJ. C. Stobart, and a broadcast fromRoyal Albert Hall after midnight until closedown.[1][2] The 1925–26 broadcast featured the chimes ofSt Botolph-without-Bishopsgate, and music byJack Hylton's band from Royal Albert Hall. It also marked the formal dissolution of the British Broadcasting Company and its transition to the public-serviceBritish Broadcasting Corporation.[1]
1929–30 featuredThe Birth of the Year, which featured coverage relayed from New Year's festivities in other countries in Europe, and the United States.[1] TheBBC Television Service began regular broadcasts in 1936, butclosed down at 10:15 p.m.; the channel broadcast retrospectiveclip shows on 31 December 1936 and 1937, before extending its broadcast day to 12:05 a.m. for 1938 to broadcast a special presented byLeslie Mitchell fromGrosvenor House Hotel.[1] BBC Television was suspended due toWorld War II in September 1939, while theBBC Home Service carried awatchnight service prior to closedown at 12:05 a.m.[1]
After television service resumed in 1946, BBC TV New Year's specials continued to vary, ranging from footage of a dinner party at the Grosvenor Hotel with theDagenham Girl Pipers (1947) prior to closedown at 12:05 a.m., to London watchnight services, and in 1949, scenes of sleeping babies atSt Thomas's Hospital.[3] In 1952, the BBC broadcast a special presented byRichard Dimbleby from St Thomas's Hospital, with appearances byDonald Peers andJanet Brown.[3]
In 1953, the BBC began to networkHogmanay-themed specials fromBBC Scotland as its New Year's Eve programme, beginning with that year'sHogmanay Party presented by comedianJimmy Logan and singerKenneth McKellar from Glasgow, and laterThe White Heather Club. The duo quickly became synonymous with New Year's Eve programmes on the BBC, withAndy Stewart andMoira Anderson also becoming noted fixtures. The specials (as well as competitors established byITV) were divisive among critics, who felt that they perpetuated astereotypical portrayal of Scottish culture,[1] and questioned the relevancy of making a distinctly Scottish celebration the forefront of networked New Year's Eve programming.[4][3] Comedy historianGraham McCann noted that most of these Hogmanay-centric specials were likely intended to help the BBC meet quotas for networked programming produced outside of London.[4]
By the 1980s, the specials were being presented from increasingly downmarket venues (such as local hotels), and often featureddrunk, rowdy audiences, and comedy acts whose material relied on regionalin-jokes andjokes at the expense of the otherHome Nations.[4][3] The Hogmanay format was retooled for the 1985 special—theTom O'Connor-presentedLive into 85—which was broadcast from theGleneagles Hotel, and attempted to feature guests and performers with a broader appeal to English viewers.[4][3] However, the special was met with multiple setbacks; budgetary issues only allowed them to book two English performers—pop bandBucks Fizz andName That Tune singerMaggie Moone—with the remainder of the lineup largely consisting of Scottish talent. Bucks Fizz were then replaced byModern Romance when the band's members were injured in atour bus crash in mid-December.[3] An audience of rowdy revellers proved to be disruptive to the production, with reports of one audience member who sexually harassed Moone,[5] and the special featured guest appearances by a visibly drunkJohn Grieve and a strickenChic Murray.[6][3]
The special was widely panned by critics and viewers, resulting in the BBC replacing the Hogmanay specials (subsequently relegated toregional opt-outs onBBC 1 Scotland)[1] with other formats, including a New Year's Eve episode ofEastEnders, specials featuring BBC Radio personalities such asTerry Wogan, and comedic year-in-review specials presented byClive James, and laterAngus Deayton.[4][3][7][8]
A BBC Scotland-produced New Year's special would briefly return for 1998–99, with its currentHogmanay Live format being retooled for national broadcast asNew Year Live. The special was presented fromEdinburgh byFred MacAulay andCarol Smillie, and featured a performance byDuran Duran. The broadcast was largely panned by critics, who commented upon MacAulay and Smillie's hosting (including MacAulay making several off-colour jokes about Smillie'sRear of the Year award), its performances and comedy sketches, and considering the special to have been a diluted,anglicised take on Hogmanay.[9][10]
For 1999–2000, the BBC broadcast2000 Today, a telecast covering global New Year's Eve festivities marking the arrival of the year 2000. The telecast was produced as part of a global consortium led by the BBC andWGBH,[11] and was designated as one of five projects undertaken by the broadcaster to mark the arrival of the 21st century.[12] The special would feature coverage of the opening of theMillennium Dome,[12] and London's New Year's fireworks show on the South Bank.[13][14] The special was slated to feature guest appearances byKofi Annan,Stephen Hawking,Barry Humphries (asDame Edna, covering theTimes Squareball drop in New York City),Kiri Te Kanawa,Sophia Loren,Nelson Mandela,Cliff Richard, andTina Turner among others,[15] as well as the specialNational Lottery "Big Draw 2000" drawings.[16]
Alongside the television broadcast,BBC Radio 1 airedOne World, an internationalelectronic music event featuring DJ sets byCarl Cox (who would open the event from Australia during a specialRadio 1Breakfast, and then be the final performer inHonolulu,Hawaii),Dance Anthems hostDave Pearce (who would perform from Glasgow for the countdown to midnight in the UK),Pete Tong,Paul Oakenfold, andFatboy Slim among others.Emma B andScott Mills hosted the main programme of the event,Millennium Dance Party, which ran through the evening of 31 December to the following morning.[17][18]BBC Two provided a retrospective-themed "Nineties Night".[1]
The BBC returned to invariant specials for a period afterward, such asJonathan Ross'sIt's Your New Year's Eve Party,[19] and a networked broadcast of BBC Scotland'sHogmanay Live for 2003.[20]
For 2004, London revivedits New Year's Eve fireworks as an annual event.[21][22] BBC One returned to a live London-based special for 2004, known asNew Year Live, to cover its revived fireworks event.
The programme initially covered the New Year's Eve fireworks in London in 2004. In 2005, the format changed to include commentary from celebrity guests. The format changed further in 2006, to include live performances from music artists and the programme was extended to air for between 60 and 90 minutes. This format remained until 2009.[citation needed]
From 2009 until 2013, the programme returned to its original format of one presenter interviewing the general public on the streets of London, leading into the New Year Fireworks.[citation needed]
Beginning in 2013, BBC One began to air concert specials fromCentral Hall, Westminster on New Year's Eve; the specials are divided into two parts, with a segment featuring live coverage of midnight celebrations from London (billed in programme guides asNew Year's Eve Fireworks) airing in between. The first special,Gary Barlow's Big Ben Bash, was headlined byGary Barlow.[23] During the 2014 event, drones were used to film the display. For the 2016 and 2017 events, the fireworks display was also streamed in360-degree video.[24]
Due to theCOVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, the London fireworks were held as a broadcast-only event for 2021 and 2022. For 2020–21, BBC One's New Year's Eve programming was promoted under the blanket titleThe Big New Year's In. It included a titular special hosted byPaddy McGuinness andMaya Jama live fromDock10 studios inSalford, a special episode ofThe Graham Norton Show, anAlicia Keys concert special from Los Angeles, and a live, broadcast-only fireworks presentation from London with no public viewings.[25][26][27][28][29]
The previous concert format returned for 2021–22, withOlly Alexander hostingThe Big NewYears & Years Party; at this point the special began to be filmed atRiverside Studios inHammersmith.[30][31] London's New Year's Eve fireworks were once again conducted as a "live broadcast spectacular" with no public viewings (which included an appearance byGiles Terera, and a performance by the West End Musical Choir atShakespeare's Globe); the city cancelled a planned in-person celebration atTrafalgar Square due toOmicron variant concerns.[32][33][34]
Singer-songwriter andEurovision Song Contest 2022 runner-upSam Ryder hosted the 2022–23 special,Sam Ryder's All Star New Year's Eve.[31] The 2023–24 special was hosted byRick Astley fromthe Roundhouse inChalk Farm,[35] the 2024–25 special was hosted bySophie Ellis-Bextor,[36] whileRonan Keating hosted the 2025–26 special.
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(January 2020) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
The first show in 2004/05 attracted 6.35 million viewers, growing to 6.43 million for 2005/06. Ratings dropped to 6 million for 2007's arrival, but peaked with 9.6 million viewers at midnight. The 2007/08 show dropped to a new low of 5.35 million viewers, then 5.83 million in 2009. The show changed to a 11.45–12.15 slot for 2010's arrival, with 7.65 million watching, peaking at more than 10 million. The 2011 show grew to 9.3 million viewers watching, peaking at more than 11 million at midnight. 2012 was the most-watched edition so far, at 10.6 million, peaking at more than 12 million viewers. The 2013 show got 9.7 million, with 13.3 million at midnight.
As the show changed again to a concert, the fireworks achieved success with 13.52 million, peaking at 14.1 million. Gary Barlow's concert afterwards was boosted to 10 million viewers, dipping to 8.8 million. For 2015 the fireworks had 12.5 million viewers, and Queen + Adam Lambert's concert 10 million, dipping to 9.4 million. Viewers dropped in 2016 to 11.4 million, but Bryan Adams' concert pulled in strong ratings, getting over 6 million. 2017's arrival saw a drop to 10.8 million, while 2018 had 10.4 million. However, for the first time since 2015's arrival, the 2019 show got more than 11 million, at 12.3 million.
The programme is broadcast on BBC One in England,Wales andNorthern Ireland whilstBBC Scotland's Hogmanay airs onBBC One Scotland with celebrations based inEdinburgh. Both are available to watch anywhere in the United Kingdom on digital television and online onBBC iPlayer.
| No. | Year | Presenter(s) | Guest(s) | Ratings (millions)[37] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Year Live | ||||
| 1 | 2004–05 | Natasha Kaplinsky | Unknown[38] | 6.35 |
| 2 | 2005–06 | Clare Balding,Andrew Marr andDoug Segal | 6.43 | |
| 3 | 2006–07 | Natasha Kaplinsky andNick Knowles | Jamelia,Connie Fisher,The Feeling andSophie Ellis-Bextor | 6.06 |
| 4 | 2007–08 | Nick Knowles andMyleene Klass | Gethin Jones,Katie Melua andRichard Fleeshman | 5.35 |
| 5 | 2008–09 | Nick Knowles andKate Silverton | Gethin Jones,Matt Baker,Alesha Dixon,Russell Watson,Craig Revel Horwood,Jodie Prenger andRita Simons | 5.83 |
| 6 | 2009–10 | Myleene Klass | N/a | 7.65 |
| 7 | 2010–11 | Jake Humphrey | 9.37 | |
| 8 | 2011–12 | 10.62 | ||
| 9 | 2012–13 | Gabby Logan | 9.73 | |
| New Year's Eve Fireworks | ||||
| 10 | 2013–14 | Susanna Reid | Gary Barlow's Big Ben Bash (Gary Barlow)[23] | 13.52 |
| 11 | 2014–15 | Greg James andGemma Cairney | Queen + Adam Lambert Rock Big Ben Live (Queen + Adam Lambert)[39][40] | 12.50 |
| 12 | 2015–16 | Ore Oduba | Bryan Adams Rocks Big Ben Live (Bryan Adams featuringJon Anderson)[41][42] | 11.48 |
| 13 | 2016–17 | Melvin Odoom | Robbie Rocks Big Ben Live (Robbie Williams)[43] | 10.83 |
| 14 | 2017–18 | Roman Kemp | Good Times (Chic withNile Rodgers)[44][45] | 10.40 |
| 15 | 2018–19 | Stacey Dooley andJoe Sugg | Madness Rocks Big Ben Live (Madness andThe Kingdom Choir)[46][47] | 12.39 |
| 16 | 2019–20 | Roman Kemp | Craig David Rocks Big Ben Live (Craig David)[48] | 10.84 |
| 17 | 2020–21 | Paddy McGuinness andMaya Jama | The Big New Year's In (Owain Wyn Evans,Jordan North,Shirley Ballas,Chris Kamara,Frock Destroyers) andAlicia Keys Rocks New Year's Eve (Alicia Keys)[49] | 10.75 |
| 18 | 2021–22 | Olly Alexander | The Big New Years & Years Party (Years & Years,Kylie Minogue,Pet Shop Boys)[50] | 10.10 |
| 19 | 2022–23 | Sam Ryder | Sam Ryder's All Star New Year's Eve (Sam Ryder,Melanie C,Sigrid,Justin Hawkins,House Gospel Choir)[51][31] | 11.22 |
| 20 | 2023–24 | Rick Astley | Rick Astley Rocks New Year’s Eve (Rick Astley,Sharleen Spiteri,Rylan, House Gospel Choir)[35] | 11.41 |
| 21 | 2024–25 | Sophie Ellis-Bextor | Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s New Year’s Eve Disco (Sophie Ellis-Bextor,Jessie Ware,Jake Shears,Emily Roberts, MDL Singers)[36] | 10.40 |
| 22 | 2025–26 | Ronan Keating | Ronan Keating & Friends: A New Year’s Eve Party (Ronan Keating,Keith Duffy andShane Lynch,Louise,Shona McGarty,Calum Scott) | 10.04 |
A few days earlier a microphone had been set up on the roof of a nearby building, No. 1 Bridge Street, just opposite the Houses of Parliament. As the time approached midnight the chimes of the Great Clock ringing out the old year were followed on the hour by the twelve deep strokes of Big Ben ringing in the new, and broadcast, by means of a temporary line running to the control room at Savoy Hill, to listeners tuned to 2LO, the BBC's first radio transmitter, then barely a year old.