End the year on a Scotch & high
HOGMANAY LIVE & LULU’S HOGMANAY HOOLEY
BBC1, 11.30pm & STV, 11.30pm
THERE’S no better place to celebrate New Year than Scotland – and our telly channels are once again pulling out all the stops to bring in the Bells.
On the Beeb, Jackie Bird is in action live from the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow, where performers include Alesha Dixon with a special tribute to Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, who died this year.
Gregor Fisher will celebrate the 40th anniversary of Scotch & Wry by paying homage to the late, great Rikki Fulton and his best-known alter ego, the Rev I.M. Jolly. Des Clarke also joins in the fun with his hilarious take on the events of the past year.
Bryan Burnett will be chipping in from Edinburgh to give a flavour of the capital’s celebrations, including Franz Ferdinand’s set at Princes Street Gardens.
Meanwhile, Karine Polwart will perform a special arrangement of Dougie MacLean’s Caledonia to mark the 40th anniversary of the ballad’s release. She will also join Hogmanay Live favourites Phil Cunningham and Aly Bain for the annual rendition of Auld Lang Syne.
Over on STV, pop legend Lulu will welcome in the New Year with a celebration show filmed in front of an invited audience in Glasgow.
She will perform some of her biggest hits and will be joined on stage by her own band and special guests, including singer-songwriter KT Tunstall.
Other highlights tonight include Gary Goes to Hollywood at 10pm on BBC1. Greg McHugh’s most famous creation Gary McLintoch heads to LA to meet Scots who have moved there seeking fame and fortune, including Guardians of the Galaxy star Karen Gillan and showbiz legend Ross King.
And at 11pm on the same channel, there will be the now traditional send-up of Scottish football’s year by Jonathan Watson and co in Only an Excuse.