Many people will tune into BBC Two tonight to bring in the new year with Jools Holland’s 2025 Annual Hootenanny – but is the show pre-recorded and when was it filmed?
With the end of 2025 almost here, many TV viewers will be tuning into BBC Two tonight to bring in the new year with Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny. The show has been airing for over 30 years, and so it is no surprise that it has become a time-honoured way for many people to celebrate the new year.
Joining Jools this year is legendary Scottish singer Lulu, who will be performing twice within the show. Jools will also be joined by Olivia Dean, Jessie J, Craig David, Heather Small, and The Kooks.
Also performing will be the legendary Rolling Stones guitarist Ronnie Wood, who recently celebrated a 60-year long career in music. He will join Jools to perform songs from his recent anthology Fearless.
As well as musicians, Jools’ audience will be scattered with celebrity faces from the stage and screen who will be offering their predictions and resolutions for 2026.
However when watching this star-studded line-up, you may find yourself wondering how Jools and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra managed to get so many musicians and celebs into the same room on one of the biggest nights of the year. The answer to this is that while the Annual Hootenanny features a countdown to the new year, the show is in fact pre-recorded.
With the show featuring a massive line-up of stars, the BBC has previously described Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny as an “idealised New Year’s Eve party with a line-up that would surely be impossible to deliver on 31 December”. Due to this, the show was pre-recorded at Maidstone Studios earlier in December.
Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny is on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer on December 31 from 11.30pm to 1.40am.
