Yahoo Lifestyle How to watch New Year's Eve TV specials while ringing in 2025 from your couch
Your guide to all of the TV and streaming specials, from traditional broadcasts on ABC and CNN to something a bit different on TCM.
Jose Perez/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images; Taylor Hill/FilmMagic; Gilbert Flores/Penske Media via Getty
Ryan Seacrest and Rita Ora on ABC; Andy Cohen and Anderson Cooper on CNN; Alanis MorissetteRaise a glass to 2025!
Another year has come and gone, which means it’s once again time to get cozy on your couch and watch the ball drop (or watch When Harry Met Sally for the hundredth time, we won’t judge).
As always, ABC and CNN will host their New Year’s Eve bashes from Times Square with a perfect view of the iconic ball drop, a tradition that dates back to the early 20th century. Somehow it’s already Ryan Seacrest’s 20th year hosting the classic Dick Clark’s New Year’s Rockin’ Eve, while Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen return to CNN (with booze, once again). CBS and NBC are also getting in on the fun with specials from Nashville, Tenn., and a party with TODAY hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager, respectively.
Sign up for Entertainment Weekly's free daily newsletter to get breaking TV news, exclusive first looks, recaps, reviews, interviews with your favorite stars, and more.
Of course, there’s always alternative viewing, as well, so there’s something for you no matter what makes your cork pop. Check out some options and find out how to watch them below.
Dick Clark's New Year's Rockin' Eve with Ryan Seacrest
How to watch: 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT on ABC. Streaming on Hulu.
Who is hosting: Ryan Seacrest will take the mic for the 20th (!) year, while his cohost in Times Square will once again be singer and actress Rita Ora. Dayanara Torres will again cohost from Puerto Rico.
Who is performing: There’s quite a list, including big names such as Carrie Underwood, who will sing at midnight; Alanis Morissette; the Jonas Brothers; T-Pain; Blake Shelton; Reneé Rapp; Kesha; Fat Joe; Slick Rick & Doug E. Fresh; Ernest; HARDY; Dasha; Laufey; and Natasha Bedingfield, some videoing in from various locations.
Who should watch: It’s the special that has something for everyone for the most general audience, which is why it’s been around since 1972. This is the tried-and-true special for those looking for a traditional experience that gives a peek at what's happening in the "Crossroads of the World."
New Year’s Eve Live With Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen
How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on CNN. If you prefer to watch virtually, the show can also be found on: CNN.com (cable login required), Max, DirecTV, Fubo, Hulu + Live TV, Sling.
Who is hosting: Anderson Cooper and Andy Cohen return for their eighth consecutive year ringing in the new year. There will also be numerous other CNN journalists stationed at celebrations around the country. Richard Quest is reporting live from the crowds in Times Square and inside Madame Tussauds, while Randi Kaye will report from Key West, Fla.; Stephanie Elam from Atlantis, Paradise Island in the Bahamas; and Gary Tuchman from Prescott, Ariz.
Who is performing: There’s no shortage of stars on this broadcast: 50 Cent will perform live from his residency at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, and the show will also include performances from Sting, Meghan Trainor, Shania Twain, Diplo, Lil Jon, and Patti LaBelle. Comedians Whitney Cummings, Amy Sedaris, Sasheer Zamata, Ziwe, and Adam Devine will also appear. Carrie Underwood is set to perform just before the ball drops, ringing in the new year with a medley of her greatest hits. Then, country star Mickey Guyton will continue the tradition of singing John Lennon’s “Imagine.”
Who should watch: CNN skews a little older in its viewership, particularly in the ribald dynamic between Cooper and Cohen. So, this is perhaps a less family-friendly option. The good news is that if you’re tuning in to hear Cooper giggle like a small child as the two pals carouse until midnight, the cocktails are back. That’s right — Cohen and Cooper get to imbibe on air once more, following a moratorium on alcohol consumption in 2022 and a more measured approach in 2023. This time they’ve promised to knock back shots once more.
New Year’s Eve Live: Nashville's Big Bash
How to watch: 8 p.m. ET/PT to 10 p.m. and then picking up again at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT until 1:30 a.m. on CBS. Streaming on Paramount+.
Who is hosting: Country music singer Keith Urban — maybe you’ve heard of him, wink — and Miss USA 2007 Rachel Smith.
Who is performing: Maybe we should be asking who isn't? The five-hour show will feature “a staggering hit parade of more than 40 back-to-back performances live from the home of country music,” CBS said in a new release. The acts include Miranda Lambert, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Shaboozey, Big & Rich, Luke Combs, Tyler Hubbard, Post Malone, Chris Stapleton, Lainey Wilson, and many more.
Who should watch: Anyone who can’t get enough of country music.
Sara Bareilles: New Year's Eve with the National Symphony Orchestra & Friends
How to watch: 8 p.m. ET on PBS and the PBS app.
Who is hosting: Grammy Award winner Sara Bareilles will lead the show with one of her staple crowd-pleasing performances.
Who is performing: In addition to Bareilles, Rufus Wainwright, Emily King, and David Ryan Harris will perform. Also appearing are Ben Folds, Madison Cunningham, and Bareilles' former Girls5eva costar Renée Elise Goldsberry. Reunion!
Who should watch: Those who would rather spend a night at the Kennedy Center than in Times Square, and those still mourning Girls5eva's cancellation.
A Toast to 2024!
How to watch: 9 p.m. to 11 p.m. ET/PT on NBC.
Who is hosting: Beloved morning show hosts Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager.
Who is performing: It’s not that kind of special. In this one, Kotb and Hager will look back at some of the year’s biggest moments in the “ultimate 2024 recap show,” per NBC. Expect some joyful and touching moments. Celebrity guests will appear, too: Kristin Chenoweth; Tom Hanks; Jeff Goldblum; Howie Mandel; Stephanie Hsu; The Voice's Michael Bublé, Snoop Dogg, and Reba McEntire; Martha Stewart; Today hosts Craig Melvin, Savannah Guthrie, and Al Roker; and Allison Tolman and David Alan Grier, of St. Denis Medical.
Who should watch: Early risers who appreciate Today and, really, any fans of NBC shows will be elated.
Related: 21 rockin' New Year's Eve movies to watch before the ball drops
New Year’s Eve with the Turner Classic Movies Hosts
How to watch: The fun begins at 8 p.m. ET, 5 p.m. PT on TCM. You can also livestream the broadcast on the Watch TCM app (cable login required).
Who is hosting: Beloved cable network TCM brings together all five of their on-air hosts to ring in the new year. Join Ben Mankiewicz, Alicia Malone, Dave Karger, Jacqueline Stewart, and Eddie Muller as they introduce their favorite films that feature a New Year’s Eve party scene.
Who is performing: There aren’t any special performances here; however, the five hosts will countdown to midnight and ring in the new year at midnight on both Eastern and Pacific times. The film lineup for the night includes: The Apartment, Trading Places, Repeat Performance, Bundle of Joy, and Sunset Boulevard. There's a little something for everyone, no matter your film taste.
Who should watch: Cinephiles will probably find watching TCM one of the more enjoyable ways to ring in the new year. But anyone who prefers to spend the evening in movie marathon mode rather than watching Times Square antics will enjoy TCM's programming. Plus, the hosts bring a touch of elegant New Year’s Eve flair with that classic “Auld Lang Syne” vibe you probably won’t find anywhere else.
Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly
