If you're like me and spending Hogmanay on your own, or you just don't fancy going out to celebrate New Year, or maybe you are having a few friends round, then the TV schedule might be important for you. The quality of New Year's Eve entertainment has been varied over the years, with vastly more options since the introduction of Sky, and then latterly Netflix, Prime Video, Paramount+, Discovery+, Disney+ and Apple TV.
60 years ago, on New Year's Eve 1965 the BBC ONE schedule was:
1965 Panorama of the Year (2210) Vietnam... Churchill... Rhodesia
Ringo married; Malcolm X shot; The Queen in Germany; The Pope in New York
Too much happened this year to remember tonight but here are some of the sights and sounds of 1965.
Ringo married; Malcolm X shot; The Queen in Germany; The Pope in New York
Too much happened this year to remember tonight but here are some of the sights and sounds of 1965.
The Andy Williams Show (2300) A New Year's greeting from the series featuring song, music, and comedy and the best from the world of entertainment. Starring Andy Williams and this week's guests: Milton Berle, Lawrence Welk, The Osmond Brothers, The Good Time Singers, The Nick Castle Dancers
A programme recorded in America.
A programme recorded in America.
A Watchnight Service (2350) from the Crypt of St. Martin-in-the-Fields, London.
Conducted by The Vicar, The Rev. Austen Williams
Conducted by The Vicar, The Rev. Austen Williams
Ring in the New (0000) Big Ben heralds in The New Year as the crowds celebrate in Trafalgar Square.
Then, North of the Border to... Ring in the New. An entertainment from Scotland.
(Andy Stewart is appearing in 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' at the Alhambra Theatre, Glasgow)
Then, North of the Border to... Ring in the New. An entertainment from Scotland.
(Andy Stewart is appearing in 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears' at the Alhambra Theatre, Glasgow)
Fast forward to New Year's Eve in 1975 and the BBC ONE schedule was:
The Ken Dodd New Year's Eve special (1950) starring Ken Dodd with special guest Rolf Harris and star guests featuring NEW EDITION
Trapeze (2040) Carol Reed's film starring Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis, Gina Lollobrigida
with Katy Jurado, Thomas Gomez, Johnny Puleo. Tino Orsini , a young American acrobat, comes to the Cirque Bouglione with one ambition - to learn the difficult and dangerous aerial triple somersault from his father's old partner, Mike Ribble.
with Katy Jurado, Thomas Gomez, Johnny Puleo. Tino Orsini , a young American acrobat, comes to the Cirque Bouglione with one ambition - to learn the difficult and dangerous aerial triple somersault from his father's old partner, Mike Ribble.
Max Bygraves says' I Wanna Tell you a Story' (2230) A light-hearted look at 75 years of entertainment with the Dougie Squires Dancers
For Auld Lang Syne (2345) With 1975 drawing to a close Tom Fleming takes a look at some of this year's more memorable moments, and as Big Ben rings in 1976 join our Round Britain New Year Party. from Scotland at the Civic Centre, Motherwell starring Moira Anderson , Peter Morrison The Corries, Larry Parker Aly Bain , Roddy McMillan John Grieve. Walter Carr, Alex McAvoy , The Toad Choir The Brian Seivwright Dancers Shotts and Dykehead Caledonia Pipe Band. Pipe Major TOM MCALLISTER Brian Fahey and the Scottish Radio Orchestra (leader IAN TYRE) and Alastair MacDonald entertains the officers and crew aboard HMS Courageous at the Clyde Submarine Base, Faslane on the Gare Loch from England. Jimmy Savile visits the world-famous hospital at Stoke Mandeville, Aylesbury, and talks to patients and staff. from Wales. Max Boyce joins the crew of the Mumbles Lifeboat for an informal get-together at The Pier Hotel.
Into the mid-1980's now, and the New Year's Eve 1985 schedule on BBC ONE was:
The Magnificent Seven (1900) The Mexican village of Ixcatlan is constantly being raided by Calvera and his marauding bandits. In desperation the villagers decide to hire a group of professional gunfighters - the Magnificent Seven. In this famous Western Yul Brynner leads the seven in their heroic fight against the wily Calvera.
Nine O'Clock News (2100)
Classic Comedy: Steptoe and Son (2235) by Ray Galton and Alan Simpson starring Wilfrid Brambell as Albert and Harry H. Corbett as Harold, with Leon Eagles.
Wogan (2315) Locked away in the Television Theatre, Terry asks a few friends to come along to the aid of the party: 'New Year's Eve, and some 150 editions of Wogan have dispersed into the ether and are, even as we speak, mingling with the stars high up in the heavens. There were those who said it wouldn't last; well,.we've shown them, my mother and I, we're still there, grimly hanging on. Of course, New Year's Eve is a dreadful time to do a live TV show, because I can't be at home watching Andy Stewart retiring once more, but there we are - that's showbiz.'
Perhaps the first New Year's Eve I vividly remember was 1995 and this was the BBC ONE schedule:
Strictly Ballroom (2020) Comedy romance starring Paul Mercurio, Tara Morice. Scott Hastings is determined to devise his own ballroom dancing steps. However, departing from tradition alienates those closest to him. Only beginner Fran is willing to help Scott perform his choreography.
News (2150)
I worked with Morecambe and Wise (2205) ... And Look What Happened to Me.
Guests who appeared on The Morecambe and Wise Show recall their experiences.
Guests who appeared on The Morecambe and Wise Show recall their experiences.
The End of the Year show with Angus Deayton (2300) Angus Deayton and guests Richard Wilson, Jack Dee and Maureen Lipman look back over 1995.
Including Big Ben at midnight.
Including Big Ben at midnight.
Happy New Year (0005) The Archbishop of Canterbury reflects on his hopes for the year ahead.
Hogmanay Live (0010) Gordon Kennedy and Lorraine Kelly host the Hogmanay festivities live from Edinburgh Castle. Music from Gary Glitter, Big Country, Eddi Reader, Aly Bain, Phil Cunningham and Edwyn Collins.
But perhaps the greatest New Year's Eve was the Millennium, as the 20th century became the 21st. BBC collaborated with dozens of other broadcasters worldwide to produce 2000 Today, a programme which ran from 0915 on Friday December 31, 1999 to 1330 on Saturday 1 January, 2000. A 26-hour marathon, only interrupted for the BBC News, two episodes of Eastenders and Live and Kicking (a Saturday morning children's programme). 2000 Today covered the New Year's celebrations right across the globe, including the events at the Millennium Dome and River Thames in London, and right around the UK.
In 2025 CNN are producing something similar, running from 12pm on December 31 to 6am on January 1.
New Year's Eve entertainment on BBC has also had a tradition of Jools Holland's Annual Hootenanny, which made its debut on BBC TWO in 1996. Jools Holland hosts a musical session featuring prominent and rising artists in a show recorded earlier in December and broadcast as Live on New Year's Eve.
Below is my selection of programmes to watch across the various channels and platforms on New Year's Eve and New Year's Day:
