BBC Scotland's Hogmanay

The programme descended from BBC One's networked carriage of Hogmanay-themed variety specials on New Year's Eve from 1953 to 1985, such as The White Heather Club. The specials introduced names such as Jimmy Logan, Kenneth McKellar, Andy Stewart and Moira Anderson to a national audience, although faced a mixed reception for their reliance on Scottish stereotypes. By the 1980s, the special had become largely perfunctory; BBC Scotland attempted to retool the special for 1984–85 with Live into 85, but the production faced a number of setbacks and was poorly received by viewers. The BBC discontinued the national broadcasts, but continued to air the Hogmanay specials for viewers in Scotland.^[2][3]

In 1998–99, BBC One broadcast an adapted version of the special nationally under the title New Year Live, marking the first networked broadcast of a Hogmanay special from BBC Scotland since the ill-fated Live into 85.^[2] It was hosted by comedian Fred MacAulay and television presenter Carol Smillie from Edinburgh Castle and other locations, and featured a performance by Duran Duran. Prior to broadcast, critics raised concerns that the BBC were "anglicizing" Hogmanay and downplaying its traditions, while Smillie conversely stated in a promotional interview that she thought Christmas was more important to her than the New Year.^[4]

MacAulay made several off-colour jokes during the telecast (most of which surrounding Smillie having been named "Rear of the Year" for 1998), while the telecast was plagued by a number of technical issues (including mistimed returns from pre-recorded sketches that led to microphone gaffes). The stage was briefly invaded by a group of attendees wielding axes. The special was derided by local critics, who criticized MacAulay and Smillie's hosting, felt that its comedy sketches and musical acts were poor, and that the special presented a diluted and anglicized version of Hogmanay. Viewership was also lower in Scotland than the previous year's edition.^[4]

In 2019, the format changed and Hogmanay Live was renamed to Hogmanay with the outgoing year added at the end, the first edition was presented by Calman, Clarke and Irons, and was not filmed live.^[5]

The 2020 programme was again hosted by Calman and was pre-recorded without a studio audience due to COVID-19. It was announced that Stirling Council would team up with BBC Scotland to organise a firework display over the Wallace Monument and Stirling Castle which would be broadcast on the programme from midnight.^[6]

The 2021 programme saw Calman axed from the presenting line-up and replaced by Edith Bowman and Amy Irons. Again, the programme was pre-recorded but for the first time, saw the return of a studio audience.

The programme is broadcast throughout the United Kingdom on BBC One Scotland. BBC One's London celebration, BBC New Year's Eve specials is also available in Scotland via digital television as well as BBC Two's Jools' Annual Hootenanny with Jools Holland.

Jackie Bird hosted the show every year from 1999 until 2018–19. Before then, it had various hosts.

The show was regularly lampooned in BBC Scotland's 1979–92 Hogmanay comedy sketch show Scotch and Wry (which was screened immediately before in the schedule), which usually involved Rikki Fulton in a post-closing credits skit aimed directly at Hogmanay Live. Since 1993 Only an Excuse? has occupied the same schedule position and continued the parodies.^{[citation needed]}

During Hogmanay Live 2001, one of presenter Jackie Bird's many costume changes included a small gold glittery top. Amid derision from the media,^[7][8][9] the top became one of the infamous moments of that year's programme and was auctioned off for charity during the BBC's Children in Need telethon later in the year.

• BBC New Year's Eve specials

• BBC Scotland's Hogmanay at BBC Online
• Hogmanay Live at IMDb