BBC New Year's Eve specials

The earliest recorded commemorations of the New Year by the original British Broadcasting Company began in 1923–24, and often featured performances by dance bands; a special was broadcast from the Savoy Hotel in London, featuring performances by the Savoy Orpheans and Savoy Havana Bands, and a religious talk by Archibald Fleming. The BBC also began its practice of broadcasting the chimes of Big 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 education J. C. Stobart, and a broadcast from Royal Albert Hall after midnight until closedown.{{Cite web |date=2015-12-31 |title=Ring in the New |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/genome/entries/41e3299e-cae5-475f-bcf1-8eefa6609667 |access-date=2024-01-02 |website=BBC |language=en}}{{Cite book |last=Macdonald |first=Peter |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56657409 |title=Big Ben : the bell, the clock and the tower |date=2004 |publisher=Sutton |isbn=0-7509-3827-7 |location=Stroud |oclc=56657409 |quote=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. |access-date=1 December 2023 |via=www.worldcat.org}} The 1925–26 broadcast featured the chimes of St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate, and music by Jack Hylton's band from Royal Albert Hall. It also marked the formal dissolution of the British Broadcasting Company and its transition to the public-service British Broadcasting Corporation.

1929–30 featured The Birth of the Year, which featured coverage relayed from New Year's festivities in other countries in Europe, and the United States. The BBC Television Service began regular broadcasts in 1936, but closed down at 10:15 p.m.; the channel broadcast retrospective clip shows on 31 December 1936 and 1937, before extending its broadcast day to 12:05 a.m. for 1938 to broadcast a special presented by Leslie Mitchell from Grosvenor House Hotel. BBC Television was suspended due to World War II in September 1939, while the BBC Home Service carried a watchnight service prior to closedown at 12:05 a.m.

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 the Dagenham Girl Pipers (1947) prior to closedown at 12:05 a.m., to London watchnight services, and in 1949, scenes of sleeping babies at St Thomas's Hospital.{{Cite web |last=McCann |first=Graham |date=2021-12-30 |title=Gang Aft Agley: The Day TV Broke Hogmanay - Comedy Chronicles |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/features/comedy_chronicles/hogmanay-tv-broadcasts/ |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=British Comedy Guide |language=en}} In 1952, the BBC broadcast a special presented by Richard Dimbleby from St Thomas's Hospital, with appearances by Donald Peers and Janet Brown.

In 1953, the BBC began to network Hogmanay-themed specials from BBC Scotland as its New Year's Eve programme, beginning with that year's Hogmanay Party presented by comedian Jimmy Logan and singer Kenneth McKellar from Glasgow, and later The White Heather Club. The duo quickly became synonymous with New Year's Eve programmes on the BBC, with Andy Stewart and Moira Anderson also becoming noted fixtures. The specials (as well as competitors established by ITV) were divisive among critics, who felt that they perpetuated a stereotypical portrayal of Scottish culture, and questioned the relevancy of making a distinctly Scottish celebration the forefront of networked New Year's Eve programming.{{Cite web |date=2023-12-31 |title=Hogmanay Hell: The BBC's New Year Live 98 - Comedy Chronicles |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/features/comedy_chronicles/hogmanay-hell-new-year-live-98/ |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=British Comedy Guide |language=en}} Comedy historian Graham 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.

By the 1980s, the specials were being presented from increasingly downmarket venues (such as local hotels), and often featured drunk, rowdy audiences, and comedy acts whose material relied on regional in-jokes and jokes at the expense of the other Home Nations. The Hogmanay format was retooled for the 1985 special—the Tom O'Connor-presented Live into 85—which was broadcast from the Gleneagles Hotel, and attempted to feature guests and performers with a broader appeal to English viewers. However, the special was met with multiple setbacks; budgetary issues only allowed them to book two English performers—pop band Bucks Fizz and Name That Tune singer Maggie Moone—with the remainder of the lineup largely consisting of Scottish talent. Bucks Fizz were then replaced by Modern Romance when the band's members were injured in a tour bus crash in mid-December. An audience of rowdy revellers proved to be disruptive to the production, with reports of one audience member who sexually harassed Moone,{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Aidan |date=24 September 2019 |title=Jackie Bird won’t be on TV, so cancel Hogmanay |url=https://www.scotsman.com/news/opinion/columnists/jackie-bird-wont-be-on-tv-so-cancel-hogmanay-aidan-smith-1406947 |access-date=22 April 2024 |website=The Scotsman}} and the special featured guest appearances by a visibly drunk John Grieve and a stricken Chic Murray.{{Cite news |last=Murray |first=Scott |date=2008-12-24 |title=Joy of Six: Memorable Christmas and New Year TV events |language=en-GB |work=The Guardian |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/organgrinder/2008/dec/24/memorable-christmas-and-new-year-tv-events |access-date=2024-01-03 |issn=0261-3077}}

The special was widely panned by critics and viewers, resulting in the BBC replacing the Hogmanay specials (subsequently relegated to regional opt-outs on BBC 1 Scotland) with other formats, including a New Year's Eve episode of EastEnders, specials featuring BBC Radio personalities such as Terry Wogan, and comedic year-in-review specials presented by Clive James, and later Angus Deayton.{{Cite web |last=Cream |first=T. V. |date=2019-11-27 |title=Clive James, on television – TV Cream |url=https://www.tvcream.co.uk/blog/rip/clive-james-on-television/ |access-date=2024-04-22 |language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |date=2021-07-21 |title=Five… Four… Three… Two… One! : Off The Telly |url=http://www.offthetelly.co.uk/oldott/www.offthetelly.co.uk/indexeba2.html?page_id=3915 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210721065846/http://www.offthetelly.co.uk/oldott/www.offthetelly.co.uk/indexeba2.html?page_id=3915 |archive-date=21 July 2021 |access-date=2024-04-22}}

A BBC Scotland-produced New Year's special would briefly return for 1998–99, with its current Hogmanay Live format being retooled for national broadcast as New Year Live. The special was presented from Edinburgh by Fred MacAulay and Carol Smillie, and featured a performance by Duran 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's Rear of the Year award), its performances and comedy sketches, and considering the special to have been a diluted, anglicised take on Hogmanay.{{Cite web |last=Guide |first=British Comedy |date=2023-12-31 |title=Hogmanay Hell: The BBC's New Year Live 98 - Comedy Chronicles |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/features/comedy_chronicles/hogmanay-hell-new-year-live-98/ |access-date=2024-01-03 |website=British Comedy Guide |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=McCann |first=Graham |date=2021-12-30 |title=Gang Aft Agley: The Day TV Broke Hogmanay - Comedy Chronicles |url=https://www.comedy.co.uk/features/comedy_chronicles/hogmanay-tv-broadcasts/ |access-date=2024-04-22 |website=British Comedy Guide |language=en}}

For 1999–2000, the BBC broadcast 2000 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 and WGBH,{{Cite web |title=2000 TODAY |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/info/news/news118.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060307154808/https://www.bbc.co.uk/info/news/news118.htm |archive-date=7 March 2006 |access-date=13 September 2020 |website=BBC}} and was designated as one of five projects undertaken by the broadcaster to mark the arrival of the 21st century.{{Cite web |title=BBC News {{!}} Entertainment {{!}} BBC uncorks its millennium plans |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/entertainment/394106.stm |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}} The special would feature coverage of the opening of the Millennium Dome, and London's New Year's fireworks show on the South Bank.{{cite news |date=20 November 2000 |title=London New Year's party cancelled |newspaper=BBC News Online |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1032426.stm |url-status=live |access-date=17 January 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030811102442/http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/1032426.stm |archive-date=11 August 2003 |df=dmy-all}}{{Cite web |title=River of fire' dubbed a flop |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/587071.stm |access-date=2021-10-16 |website=BBC News}} The special was slated to feature guest appearances by Kofi Annan, Stephen Hawking, Barry Humphries (as Dame Edna, covering the Times Square ball drop in New York City), Kiri Te Kanawa, Sophia Loren, Nelson Mandela, Cliff Richard, and Tina Turner among others,{{Cite news |title=Yawns greet BBC millennium line-up |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/yawns-greet-bbc-millennium-lineup-738983.html |archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20240520221012/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/media/yawns-greet-bbc-millennium-lineup-738983.html |archive-date=2024-05-20 |access-date=2025-01-06 |work=The Independent |language=en-GB}} as well as the special National Lottery "Big Draw 2000" drawings.{{Cite news |date=1999-10-30 |title=Games firm hits lottery jackpot |url=https://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/6104663.games-firm-hits-lottery-jackpot/ |access-date=2025-02-22 |work=Lancashire Telegraph |language=en-GB |issn=0307-1235}}

Alongside the television broadcast, BBC Radio 1 aired One World, an international electronic music event featuring DJ sets by Carl Cox (who would open the event from Australia during a special Radio 1 Breakfast, and then be the final performer in Honolulu, Hawaii), Dance Anthems host Dave Pearce (who would perform from Glasgow for the countdown to midnight in the UK), Pete Tong, Paul Oakenfold, and Fatboy Slim among others. Emma B and Scott Mills hosted the main programme of the event, Millennium Dance Party, which ran through the evening of 31 December to the following morning.{{Cite web |date=2012-04-27 |title=Carl Cox Q&A |url=http://www.theguardian.com/music/2012/apr/28/carl-cox-q-and-a |access-date=2022-05-26 |website=the Guardian |language=en}}{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iggEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22bbc+radio+1%22+%22One+World%22+%22fatboy+slim%22&pg=PA53 |title=Billboard |date=1999-12-18 |publisher=Nielsen Business Media, Inc. |language=en}} BBC Two provided a retrospective-themed "Nineties Night".

The BBC returned to invariant specials for a period afterward, such as Jonathan Ross's It's Your New Year's Eve Party,{{Cite news |last=Day |first=Julia |date=2002-01-02 |title=BBC's New Year party draws 47% share |url=https://www.theguardian.com/media/2002/jan/02/overnights |access-date=2025-03-28 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}} and a networked broadcast of BBC Scotland's Hogmanay Live for 2003.{{Cite web |title=Schedule - BBC Programme Index |url=https://genome.ch.bbc.co.uk/schedules/service_bbc_one_london/2003-12-31#at-23.50 |access-date=2025-03-25 |website=genome.ch.bbc.co.uk}}

For 2004, the city of London revived its New Year's Eve fireworks as an annual event.{{Cite news |date=2005-11-21 |title=Fireworks to mark London New Year |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/england/london/4456482.stm |access-date=2021-10-16 |work=BBC News |language=en-GB}}{{cite web |last1=Barnett |first1=Lauren |date=3 January 2019 |title=Jack Morton successfully delivers "European friendships" NYE fireworks |url=https://standoutmagazine.co.uk/jack-morton-successfully-delivers-european-friendships-firework-display/ |access-date=4 January 2019 |website=Stand Out Magazine}} BBC One returned to a live London-based special for 2004, known as New 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|date=December 2016}}

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|date=December 2016}}

Beginning in 2013, BBC One began to air concert specials from Central 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 as New Year's Eve Fireworks) airing in between. The first special, Gary Barlow's Big Ben Bash, was headlined by Gary Barlow.

During the 2014 event, drones were used to film the firework display. For the 2016 and 2017 events, the firework display was also streamed in 360-degree video.{{cite web|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/new-years-eve-2016-revellers-to-enjoy-360degree-view-of-capitals-fireworks-from-home-a3416201.html|title=Revellers to enjoy 360-view of New Year's fireworks from home|date=9 December 2016 |access-date=15 October 2018}}

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the United Kingdom, the London fireworks were held as a broadcast-only event for 2021 and 2022. For 2020, BBC One's New Year's Eve programming was promoted under the blanket title The Big New Year's In. It included a titular special hosted by Paddy McGuinness and Maya Jama live from Dock10 studios in Salford, Greater Manchester, a New Year's Eve edition of The Graham Norton Show, the concert special Alicia Keys Rocks New Year's Eve (which was filmed in Los Angeles), and a live, broadcast-only fireworks presentation from London with no public viewings.{{Cite web|title=These are the best things to watch on TV tonight - as the UK prepares for a New Year's Eve at home|url=https://www.scotsman.com/read-this/these-are-the-best-things-to-watch-on-tv-tonight-as-the-uk-prepares-for-a-new-years-eve-at-home-3082379|access-date=2021-12-19|website=www.scotsman.com|language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Lydall|first=Ross|date=2020-12-18|title=London's NYE fireworks to be replaced by TV show of 2020 highlights|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-fireworks-nye-tv-montage-highlights-2020-b369274.html|access-date=2020-12-19|website=www.standard.co.uk|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2021-01-01|title=Khan defends New Year light show tribute to NHS, Captain Tom and Black Lives Matter|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/london-new-year-fireworks-blm-nhs-captain-tom-b1781216.html|access-date=2021-01-01|website=The Independent|language=en}}{{Cite news|date=2021-01-01|title=New Year's Eve: UK sees in 2021 with fireworks and light show|language=en-GB|work=BBC News|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-55504450|access-date=2021-01-01}}{{Cite web|date=2021-01-01|title=Fireworks, lighting and drones help London welcome 2021|url=https://www.london.gov.uk//press-releases/mayoral/fireworks-lighting-and-drones-welcome-2021|access-date=2021-01-01|website=London City Hall|language=en-GB}}

The previous concert format returned for 2022, with BBC One airing The Big New Years & Years Party. At this point the special began to be filmed at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith.{{Cite news |date=2021-12-31 |title=Years & Years: Olly Alexander on performing BBC New Year's Eve concert |language=en-GB |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-59818964 |access-date=2022-11-24}}{{Cite web |last=Skinner |first=Tom |date=2022-11-22 |title=Sam Ryder announces special New Year's Eve concert for BBC |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/sam-ryder-announces-bbc-new-years-eve-concert-with-all-star-line-up-3353549 |access-date=2022-11-24 |website=NME |language=en-GB}} London's New Year's Eve fireworks were once again conducted as a "live broadcast spectacular" with no public viewings (which included an appearance by Giles Terera, and a performance by the West End Musical Choir at Shakespeare's Globe), with the city having cancelled a planned in-person celebration at Trafalgar Square due to Omicron variant concerns.{{Cite web|last1=Salisbury|first1=Josh|last2=Howie|first2=Michael|date=2022-01-01|title=London welcomes in 2022 with fireworks and spectacular light show|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/new-years-eve-london-fireworks-tv-light-show-sadiq-khan-b974467.html|url-status=live|access-date=2022-01-01|website=London Evening Standard|language=en|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211231154550/https://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/new-years-eve-london-fireworks-tv-light-show-sadiq-khan-b974467.html |archive-date=31 December 2021 }}{{Cite web|date=2022-01-01|title=London rings in New Year with spectacular show|url=https://www.london.gov.uk//press-releases/mayoral/london-rings-in-new-year-with-spectacular-show|access-date=2022-01-01|website=London City Hall|language=en-GB}}{{Cite web |last=Janes |first=William |date=2021-11-19 |title=Trafalgar Square event to replace London's New Year fireworks |url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/london-new-year-fireworks-replaced-trafalgar-square-event-sadiq-khan-b967094.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211119075228/http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/london-new-year-fireworks-replaced-trafalgar-square-event-sadiq-khan-b967094.html |archive-date=19 November 2021 |access-date=2021-11-24 |website=London Evening Standard |language=en}} Singer-songwriter and Eurovision Song Contest 2022 runner-up Sam Ryder hosted the 2022–23 concert special. Rick Astley featured in the 2023–24 special, filmed at the Roundhouse.{{Cite web |last=Aubrey |first=Elizabeth |date=2023-11-11 |title=Rick Astley to perform New Year’s Eve' concert on the BBC |url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/rick-astley-to-perform-this-years-new-years-eve-rocks-on-bbc-3536431 |access-date=2023-11-21 |website=NME |language=en-GB}} The 2024–25 special was hosted by Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

{{Unreferenced section|date=January 2020}}

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 and Northern Ireland whilst BBC Scotland's Hogmanay airs on BBC One Scotland with celebrations based in Edinburgh. Both are available to watch anywhere in the United Kingdom on digital television and online on BBC iPlayer.

{{Notelist}}

{{reflist}}

• {{BBC programme|id=b00gtn49}}
• [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b04yqbtc New Year's Eve Fireworks]

{{New Year}}

Category:BBC television specials

Category:British television specials

Category:New Year's television specials

Category:Annual television shows

Category:Annual events in the United Kingdom

Category:2004 British television series debuts