Is Jools Holland's New Year's Eve Hootenanny 2021 live on BBC2?

The New Year celebrations have been given the green light and Jools Holland is back with his New Year Hootennay.

What could be better?

Jools and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra welcome in the new year with a studio packed full of musical stars for his traditional Annual Hootenanny.

As well as putting on the best party in town, the musician and his guests will take time to reflect on years gone by with some of the best performances from the hit-packed Hootenanny archive.

Joining Jools and his orchestra in the studio this year are Ed Sheeran, Gregory Porter, Lulu, Joy Crookes, Rag’n’Bone Man, Yola, Vic Reeves, Ruby Turner and the Pipes and Drums of the 1st Battalion Scots Guards.

Archive performances will come from the likes of Craig David, Madness and Soul II Soul, with the BBC promising a "musical medley of legends and newies, pop bangers and treasured classics, to guide and entertain us through the last moments of 2021 and into 2022."

The show kicks off at 11.25pm on BBC Two and continues until 1.25am on Saturday morning.

But have you ever wondered how the musician gets all those artists in the same room on one of the biggest nights of the year?

It turns out that the BBC2 show which counts us into the brand New Year is not actually live at all and was filmed in advance, usually a couple of weeks before New Year's Eve.

The annual show is timed to line up with the real-time countdown to the New Year which this year will see Years and Years in a very special performance.

They will be joined by some very special guests, pop superstar Kylie Minogue and the legendary Pet Shop Boys, during BBC's Big New Years and Years Eve Party.

The secret of the Jools Holland annual get together was revealed when the BBC mistimed the broadcast and for a while after the clock stuck 12, presenters and guests were still referring to it as New Years Eve.