Later… With Jools Holland has announced its guests for the first episode of series 68, as well as some highlights from the rest of the series.
The long-running show will return on Sunday May 17, broadcast on BBC Two and filmed at Alexandra Palace Theatre in London. The debut episode will feature former One Direction member Niall Horan in his first appearance on the programme. He will be performing two songs, including the title track from his upcoming fourth album ‘Dinner Party’.
Elsewhere, Holland’s former band Squeeze will be joining him to perform and discuss their new record ‘Trixies’. There will also be an appearance from TOMORA, a dance-pop duo consisting of Norwegian singer-songwriter AURORA and Tom Rowlands of The Chemical Brothers. Their debut album, ‘COME CLOSER’, was released this month.
Rounding out the eclectic line-up are surrealist blues poet Aja Monet and rock/pop duo Getdown Services, performing their track ‘The Radiator’.
As for the rest of the series, guests will include NME Cover star Lola Young, as well as Jessie Ware, Holly Humberstone, Joe Bonamassa, Mitski, Ellie Goulding, James Blake, Sekou, Fcukers, Ashley McBryde, ‘Mandy, Indiana’, and more.
A BBC institution, Later… has been running since 1992, and moved to Sunday nights as of last year. It’s also famous for its annual New Year’s Hootenanny episodes, and remains popular with audience around the world
Outside of the show, Jools Holland made headlines for being the “worst contestant” on TV quiz show Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? Appearing during a celebrity special, he struggled to reach the £1,000 mark, calling in his ask-the-audience and phone-a-friend lifelines for his fourth and fifth questions. He was roundly mocked on social media, with one viewer writing: “Wow. It’s a good job Jools can play the piano well because he’s bloody useless at this….”