Currently 8:20 am in Sydney and happy to report that the New Year is going fine so far! No cause for alarm, just yet anyway! Proceed into 2026 with confidence!
The national broadcaster, the ABC, does a NYE concert outside the Opera House leading up to the fireworks. As always, a bit of a curate’s egg as is the nature of these things. Cops a panning from conservative media for being too woke, and it’s always a mixed bag who’s free: this year Sporty Spice Melanie C headlined (good pipes); last year Robbie Williams (good freely-proffered arse). But I think the ABC do a great job generally given the wide demands of the brief.
The undeniable highlight, however, was a very enjoyable and surprisingly moving set celebrating the 60th Anniversary of Play School, our pre-eminent kids TV show, a real institution. Some of the hosts past and present appeared, some in ruder health than others, and it was a lovely shared moment.
I’m sure I’ve mentioned this before (and I think I caused him some embarrassment for which I again will apologise) but our friend Mousey, is the long serving pianist on Play School, and was an integral part of the performance last night.
While international AWers might not see him in the footage of the Sydney fireworks on the news today, I’d struggle to imagine anyone of us humble contributors having had such a pretty bloody high profile gig on a Wednesday night! Both last night and throughout his role on that show, the man has – quite literally – brought pleasure to millions of people. The fact that both our kids are now “too old” for Play School, but that they immediately remembered and sang the songs, also underscored how precious those moments of happiness were, and remain. Oh dear, I appear to have something in my eye…
Thanks Mousey, and HNY to everyone!
Over here of course it had Brian Cant in it. I went to see the Canterbury Tales once so that I could see Brian Cant. Those memories stay with us.
All the best to you @DanP and @Mousey and of course to the rest of you.
Brian Cant was far and away my favourite presenter. Ipswich Town supporter too!
He was great. He did a tour with Jonathan Cohen (the pianist from the uk show) of universities in about 1989. They were hilarious, probably better than most of the more current comedians at the time. They were on Piccadilly Key 103 being interviewed, and I remember that they both said they liked Mayor of Simpleton by XTC.
That sounds wonderful.
Nice work Mousey! I’ll scrub through and see if I can spot him.
Yes there I was , whisky in hand at midnight and up pops the black framed specs of Herr Mousey kicking of Auld Lang Syne
You never mentioned the full head of hair!
Great work @mousey! I’ll look out for you too – we might get to see it on our screens here too.
From about 55’30” in is the substance.
Ha! Thanks @DanP. It was a long night – had to get there about 4pm and wade through crowds of people and assorted security checks, then wait around for 5 hours before doing our 8 minute spot, for which planning started about 3 months ago. Sadly we had to drop my favourite song. Spike Milligan’s On The Ning Nang Nong as it didn’t provide enough opportunity for audience participation. Such are the frustrations of working in television, of which I am well acquainted after doing it for a quarter of a century.
Happy New Year all!
That sounds like a great gig over the years,how rewarding.
Happy New Year Mousey and to all the gang on here…..
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The Carnoustie Dook 2026, hundreds of townsfolk gather on the beach and a lot of them GET IN THE SEA! It’s windy, near zero degrees and god knows how cold the sea is, crackers.
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Saw 2026 in with mature cheddar & spring onion crisps, dry-roasted peanuts, John Crabbie single malt whisky and Brewdog Lost Lager.
All to a soundtrack of Bill Frisell’s 2-hour Blue Note playlist on Qobuz.
Lots of loud fireworks locally at the mystical hour but not for very long.
I fell asleep in my chair and woke up much later feeling surprisingly good.
Discovered this a little while ago.
More of this kind of thing in ’26, please.