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Mrs Brown (Brendan Carroll), Ronan Keating, Jools Holland and Patrick Kielty. Alamy/RTÉ
new year countdown
Who's on the Hootenanny and the Late Late special? Your guide to TV this NYE
TV specials, a Hootenanny and an end-of-the-world flick – there’s plenty to choose from on tv tonight.
HAPPY NEW YEAR! Well not yet, but 2026 is right around the corner.
If you’re not heading out to a crowded bar, queuing for a crowded live concert, or attending a crowded fireworks display to ring in the new year, you’re likely inside and watching television for the evening.
Get comfy, because there’s plenty of live shows to choose from – here’s a flavour of what’s on telly tonight.
The Late Late Show New Year’s Eve Special (RTÉ One, 10:25pm)
Patrick Kielty will see in 2026 with a New Year’s Eve edition of The Late Late Show, featuring live music, guest appearances and a look back at the year just gone.
Musical performances on the night will include David Gray, Lyra, Gavin James and Cliffords, with a number of collaborations also planned – among them Sharon Shannon performing with the show’s house band alongside other Irish musicians.
The programme will also feature appearances from Irish heptathlete Kate O’Connor, comic-musician Garron Noone and cast members of The Traitors, as the show reflects on moments from 2025 and turns towards the year ahead.
The broadcast will finish with a live countdown from Dublin Castle, where Inhaler will perform as 2026 is welcomed in front of a live audience.
Mrs Brown’s Boys (RTÉ One, 9:50pm)
Mrs Brown’s Boys returns with new Christmas and New Year specials, featuring the familiar mix of family mishaps and seasonal chaos.
The New Year’s Eve special shifts the focus to a looming storm, with tensions rising as preparations get under way.
Buster faces a nerve-wracking birthday parachute jump, Winnie gets an unexpected shock, and a lost nun turns up looking for help.
Armageddon (Virgin Media One, 9pm)
What better way to ring in the New Year than by watching a 1,000km-wide meteor hurtle towards Earth?
Michael Bay’s Armageddon is on Virgin Media this evening, offering peak late-90s blockbuster excess: Bruce Willis, Aerosmith on repeat, and a last-minute mission that asks oil drillers to save the planet.
Loud, ridiculous and oddly comforting – ideal if you’re easing into 1 January from the couch.
Beo ón Electric Picnic: Buaicphointí (TG4, 9.35pm)
TG4 will air the second episode of its Beo ón Electric Picnic: Buaicphointí series on New Year’s Eve, revisiting highlights from this year’s festival in Stradbally.
The programme features performances and interviews with artists including KhakiKID and Mundy, alongside music recorded across the weekend from stages such as An Puball Gaeilge and Hazelwood/An Chollchoill, reflecting the growing Irish-language presence at the festival.
The Graham Norton New Year’s Eve Show (BBC One, 10.30pm)
The Graham Norton Show returns with its annual New Year’s Eve episode, marking the end of 2025 with a line-up of film, TV and comedy guests.
Actor Tom Hiddleston, Oscar winner Laura Dern and Will Arnett are among those joining Norton on the sofa, alongside Adolescence star Owen Cooper, Carey Mulligan and comedian Tim Key.
The episode will also include a music performance from Alison Limerick, who will perform Where Love Lives.
Ronan Keating & Friends: A New Year’s Eve Party (BBC One, 11.30pm)
Boyzone fans are in for a treat this evening, as the band is set to reunite during a Ronan Keating-fronted New Year’s Eve special on BBC One.
Ronan & Friends: A New Year’s Eve Party will see Keating joined on stage by former bandmates Keith Duffy and Shane Lynch, alongside performances from Louise Redknapp, Calum Scott and Shona McGarty.
The programme comes ahead of a planned one-off Boyzone reunion stadium show next year and will also feature London’s New Year’s Eve fireworks as 2026 is welcomed in.
Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny (BBC Two, 11.30pm)
This is the one you’ve been waiting for.
Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny returns on BBC Two and iPlayer from 11.30pm on New Year’s Eve, offering the familiar mix of live performances and late-night singalongs to see in 2026.
This year’s line-up includes Ronnie Wood, Olivia Dean, Lulu, Jessie J, Craig David, Heather Small, The Kooks and Irish singer Imelda May, alongside Joe Webb, David Hermlin and Ruby Turner, all backed by Jools and his Rhythm and Blues Orchestra.
As ever, the show builds towards midnight with collaborative performances, guest appearances and a countdown that has become a New Year’s Eve staple for viewers looking to avoid the pub.
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