Sophie Ellis-Bextor to Headline BBC New Year’s Eve Concert

Pop music artist Sophie Ellis-Bextor will perform and host a “New Year Disco” broadcast on BBC One to mark the transition into 2025. This engagement follows a year where her well-known song, “Murder On The Dancefloor,” experienced an unanticipated revival in popularity after its inclusion in the successful movie “Saltburn.” The New Year concert, an event that has previously featured performances by Queen, Robbie Williams, Alicia Keys, and Sam Ryder, is customarily recognized as one of the most significant television broadcasts of the year. The previous year’s installment, presented by Rick Astley, attracted an average viewership of 5.7 million. Ellis-Bextor stated her intention to deliver “sparkles, singing and dancing” to BBC One for her New Year celebration. She conveyed to Scott Mills of BBC Radio 2, “It’s possibly one of the [biggest] moments of my career.” She added, “It feels like a real privilege.” The artist mentioned that this event would represent a departure from her customary New Year’s celebrations, which typically involve being “at home with the telly on.” She elaborated, “It’s a night where the kids are allowed to stay up late, my mum comes over with other friends and other family. So I want the concert to be something that can soundtrack that in other people’s homes… Like, what’s the ultimate New Year playlist.” The BBC announced that the program would feature Ellis-Bextor performing a range of her popular songs, including her recent hit “Freedom Of The Night,” alongside several “surprise numbers” involving “all-star guests.” The daughter of Janet Ellis, a former presenter for Blue Peter, she commenced her musical career with the indie band Theaudience, subsequently establishing herself as a solo performer known for dance-pop successes such as “Groovejet (If This Ain’t Love),” “Take Me Home,” “Get Over You,” and “Heartbreak (Make Me A Dancer).” The 45-year-old artist has experienced a resurgence in her career over recent years, following the success of her “Kitchen Disco” series, which gained traction during the initial Covid-19 lockdown. Broadcast live from her residence in West London each Friday evening, the series showcased the star performing her preferred uplifting pop anthems, often accompanied by a display of sequinned dresses, disco balls, and spontaneous appearances from her five children. This series led to her securing a consistent program on BBC Radio 2 and a performance slot on Glastonbury’s Pyramid Stage, an occasion she described as “a very special day.” In the current year, she has undertaken tours across Europe, the US, and Australia, providing support for Nile Rodgers and Take That; she also made a return to Glastonbury to perform “Murder On The Dancefloor” with Korean DJ Peggy Gou. Following these performances, she informed her fans that she would never tire of performing her most successful song. She quoted, “Some people are like, ‘You’ve only got one song’, and I’m like, ‘Yes! Fine! That’s totally cool’.” Her concert on BBC One is scheduled to precede and follow the customary fireworks display from London at midnight. Individuals interested in attending can submit applications for tickets through the BBC’s Shows and Tours website. Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the content found on external sites. Information regarding their approach to external linking is available.