Sophie Ellis-Bextor rang in 2025 on the dancefloor, hosting her New Year’s Eve Disco special on the BBC, which featured duets with Jessie Ware and Jake Shears.
A handful of clips from the special have been uploaded to YouTube, including Ellis-Bextor’s rendition of her own classic, “Murder on the Dancefloor.” She also linked up with Ware for a cover of “Yes Sir, I Can Boogie,” the 1977 disco gem from Spanish duo Baccara.
And later, Shears joined Ellis-Bextor for a performance of the Scissor Sisters’ 2005 track, “Filthy/Gorgeous” (an apt selection, with the group set to reunite for a European tour this spring).
Along with Ware and Shears, Ellis-Bextor’s special featured guest appearances from Last Dinner Party guitarist Emily Roberts and the Mark De-Lisser Singers.
On social media, Ellis-Bextor called hosting the special an “absolute privilege,” adding, “I’ve seen many a new year in with the @bbc on as Big Ben chimes so I really see it as the biggest honour my band and I got to ring in 2025 with whoever was watching. If that was you, thank you.”
As it happened, Ellis-Bextor’s New Year’s Eve Disco special was actually pre-taped, meaning she was also able to perform during Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve With Ryan Seacrest in Times Square. That show featured Carrie Underwood, the Jonas Brothers, Kesha, Tinashe, Alanis Morissette, Fat Joe, Ja Rule, Slick Rick, and more.
Back in October, Ellis-Bextor released a new single, “Freedom of the Night,” marking her first new offering since “Murder on the Dancefloor” went viral and re-entered the charts thanks to its big placement in Saltburn. Ellis-Bextor’s most recent album, Hana, arrived in 2023.
