British indie heroes The Kooks will round off their phenomenal year by helping the nation welcome in 2026 as part of Jools Holland’s Annual Hootenanny on Wednesday 31st December.
Set to be the ultimate New Year’s Eve party for viewers at home, Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra will be joined by a line-up of legendary artists and rising stars, along with famous faces in the audience.
The episode will air on BBC Two and will be available on BBC iPlayer. The Kooks will perform classic tracks from their pivotal debut, ‘Inside/Inside Out‘ ahead of its upcoming 20th anniversary, along with a song from their recent, top 5 album, ‘Never/Know‘.
This year saw The Kooks play a series of standout festival sets around the world, followed by a massive arena tour, including a career-defining concert at The O2 in London.
The band broke through in 2006 with ‘Inside In/Inside Out’ and have found their way to a new generation, filling arenas and cementing their place in the hearts of Gen Z. In a recent live review, The Guardian described The Kooks‘ performance as a “triumphant and touching mass singalong.”
December will mark the band’s second appearance on Jools’ Annual Hootenanny. The Kooks first appeared on the programme during their meteoric rise in 2006, performing a number of tracks including their smash hit, ‘Naïve‘. 2008 saw the band play Later… with Jools Holland around their second album, ‘Konk‘.
Speaking about performing on the programme this year, frontman Luke Pritchard said, “We’re so excited to be back on Hootenanny. Big love to Jools for inviting us down to celebrate the New Year; it’s always such an honour and a genuine joy to be part of the show.”
He added, “We’ve been completely blown away by the reception Never/Know has had. The support, the messages, the crowds singing it back to us; it’s meant the world. Doing this show feels like the perfect way for us to say thank you to everyone who’s been with us on the journey this year.“
Also appearing on the programme, legendary Rolling Stone guitarist Ronnie Wood will celebrate his 60-year musical career, joining Jools to play songs from his recent anthology release, ‘Fearless‘. British star, Olivia Dean will also perform following a breakthrough year, in addition to Scottish legend, Lulu, who will play songs alongside Jools and his band. Essex born singer songwriter Jessie J will appear, as well as Craig David who returns to the show for the first time in 25 years. Heather Small, the voice of 90s soul-dance group M People, joins the show to perform two anthems: the dance-floor classic ‘Moving On Up‘ and the uplifting ‘Search for the Hero‘, and, in the show’s tradition of celebrating the best of Jazz, Soul and Boogie Woogie, Irish jazz and blues singer Imelda May, Mercury Prize shortlisted artist Joe Webb, drummer and singer David Hermlin, and the Queen of Boogie Woogie, Ruby Turner will also perform.
About this year’s lineup, Pritchard said, “There are some seriously talented people on the lineup this year; Olivia Dean is an absolute star, and we’re buzzing to share the programme with her and so many other brilliant artists including the legendary Ronnie Wood. Here’s to an incredible night and an even better year ahead.“
About The Kooks:
The Kooks, whose 2006 debut sold over 2 million copies, have unexpectedly found themselves beloved by a new generation. While their original fans remain, they’ve layered on a fervent Gen Z following, headlining festivals and selling out shows worldwide. Social media has made them a generations’ new favourite band again, introducing their unmistakable Brit-pop joy to fresh ears.
Their debut was a defining moment for indie music in the 2000s, their first releases set the sound of a moment in time. There are few songs as defining of the 2000s as ‘Naïve’, but the band were never a one-hit wonder – their follow-up record, Konk, hit number one as one of four top 10 albums. The Kooks never stopped evolving, transitioning from indie rock to synthpop and krautrock influences.
Over time, they’ve integrated wide-ranging inspirations—Harris’ love of soul and opera, alongside Pritchard’s classic influences like Bob Dylan and The Rolling Stones.
In May 2025, the band released Never/Know, their highest-charting album since 2008, reaching number 5 on the UK Albums Chart.
As part of their 2025 arena tour, The Kooks delivered career-defining performances at Manchester’s Co-op Live and London’s O2 Arena. Next year, the band will hit the road once again for a series of massive outdoor shows.
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