The show’s start time is also a waiting game for the annual Jools Holland Bingo Card. You’re not just watching musicians; you’re watching a zoo. There’s Ruby Turner, who has been on the show so many times she probably has a permanent dressing room and a garden shed. She will belt out a gospel song that makes you feel like you’re being possessed by joy.
Then there’s the mystery rapper. Some kid from South London who looks terrified and raps over a brass band playing a slowed-down version of a sea shanty. You will not understand a single word, but you will nod your head sagely and pretend you “get it.” Oh, and don’t forget the washboard player. Washboard Man is a constant, like gravity or death. He will tap out a rhythm on a corrugated piece of metal, and you will think, “I could do that,” but you know you can’t because you’ve lost all dexterity by this hour.
The 'Boogie-Woogie' Trap
And then, at precisely 12:17 AM, when you’re half-asleep and drooling on your cushion, Jools will swivel on his piano stool and launch into a boogie-woogie solo. It’s the most aggressive thing that can happen at that time of night. Your eyes snap open. Your foot starts tapping against your will. You’re now in the show. You’ve been conscripted into the rhythm. There is no escape until the credits roll at 1:15 AM.
Jools Holland Annual Hootenanny 2026: How to watch the New Year’s Eve
