Line of Duty and Taggart stars team up to celebrate Hogmanay on STV
Some of Scotland's best-loved celebrities will be ringing in the new year.
It's hard to believe, but the end of the year is nigh - and with it comes thoughts of new year's celebrations.
For those spending the night indoors, there's certainly a lot of TV to keep you occupied, and for ringing in the occasion itself, STV are bringing together some of Scotland's best known talent for its 2023 Hogmanay show, Bringing in the Bells.
And there's plenty a familiar face turning up for the party, with the likes of Martin Compston (Line of Duty), Alex Norton (Taggart) and Blythe Duff (Taggart) swapping their police drama personas for something much more celebratory to toast the start of 2024.
Norton and Duff went on to become household names after their roles as DCI Burke and DI Reid in popular crime drama Taggart, and will be reunited once again for this special Hogmanay televised event.
Speaking about being in this year's show, Duff told STV: "There’s been a… knees-up! What better way to end the year than getting together with wonderful Alex – my friend of 22 years – to look back over 2023 and have a giggle at some of the year’s most interesting and entertaining moments?
"2023 has been a whirlwind for me, as it marked 40 years in the industry, and I also had the joy of releasing my first solo single.
"The highlight, however, was having the chance to be with the Taggart fans and cast and crew as we celebrated 40 years of the iconic series. It’s going to be a pleasure welcoming in a new year with STV viewers – just like the good old days."
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Compston, who has most recently been seen on our screens in Prime Video's The Rig, will be joined by his Restless Natives podcast co-host, journalist and broadcaster Gordon Smart.
On doing the Hogmanay STV special, Smart said: "Hogmanay is such a special time of year for Scotland, and I’ve got the added bonus of spending it with a national treasure… Sean Batty.
"But I’ll mainly be on screen with my partner-in-crime on the Restless Natives podcast, Martin Compston.
"We’re making a return to Mar Hall for filming – the same venue where Martin got married – so it’ll be a treat to do something in those salubrious surroundings again. The only difference is this time we’ll both remember it…"
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The annual show will see four pairs of Scottish stars donning their best festive attire and sipping bubbly in some of Scotland's loveliest country homes while looking over the year's best moments.
We're talking some of the best scenes on the small screen, those sporting events that had us all talking and some of the more light-hearted news stories of the year.
The rest of the celebrity line-up includes broadcaster Jean Johansson (A Place in the Sun) and actor and presenter Grado (Two Doors Down).
STV presenters Sean Batty and Laura Boyd are also on the Hogmanay guest list, while Lorraine Kelly will be narrating the programme.
The show will end with a version of Auld Lang Syne, performed by all-female Celtic band The Laurettes.
Bringing in the Bells airs on STV and STV Player from 11:15pm on Hogmanay.
Looking for something else to watch in the meantime? Check out more of our Entertainment coverage or visit our TV Guide and Streaming Guide to find out what's on.
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Authors
Morgan Cormack is a Drama Writer for Radio Times, covering everything drama-related on TV and streaming. She previously worked at Stylist as an Entertainment Writer. Alongside her past work in content marketing and as a freelancer, she possesses a BA in English Literature.
