Channel 4's House Party is back for the biggest night of the year

30 November 2012

After this summer's smash, Channel 4 is bringing back House Party for the ultimate 2012 send off on New Year's Eve. Following the success of the unprecedented television, online and music event on the August Bank Holiday weekend, viewers can once again throw parties with live DJ sets by six top international acts, including Annie Mac, Frankie Knuckles, Norman Jay, Hercules & Love Affair, Charlie Sloth, Just Blaze and Toddla T Sound, on the biggest party night of the year.

House Party, a broadcasting first, went out live on Channel 4 24 August 2012 from midnight through till 6am. The all-night DJ takeover received widespread acclaim, has been nominated in the Broadcast Awards for Best Music Programme, and offered a totally new clubbing and party experience to party-goers, music fans and unsuspecting sofa viewers. This time, bringing house parties together from around the UK, House Party: NYE (w/t) will also be looking to blast out the tunes and visuals to bars, galleries, and anywhere with a screen, to bring in the New Year.

Turning the television or laptop into the ultimate DJ booth, House Party: NYE (w/t) means everyone has the opportunity to celebrate the New Year with their personal line-up of world-class DJs and VJs - who are playing completely live direct to the TV audience, rather than a studio audience, and transforming living rooms, bedrooms and bars across the nation into dance floors.

Channel 4 Arts Commissioner, Tabitha Jackson said: ‘There couldn't be a better night than New Year's Eve for us once again to turn the nation's living room into the ultimate interactive House Party. Celebrating with the best artistic talent, Channel 4's House Party: NYE (w/t) will not only offer an innovative alternative to the usual New Year TV diet but will be the biggest and best party of the year. Pressure's off, New Year's Eve is already sorted.'

As well as for party-goers, New Year's Eve is the biggest night of the year for DJs, and the House Party: NYE (w/t) line-up will be bringing their best to the turntables - using every trick, twist and floor-filling tune to surprise and energise house parties around the country.

Radio 1's Queen of Dance, Annie Mac, was a key part of the House Party line-up in August, and played a versatile and accomplished set, topped with a guest appearance from her friend, Mercury-prize-nominated singer songwriter Jessie Ware. Annie will be the opening act for House Party: NYE (w/t) exploding into 2013 as the countdown comes to a climax. The countdown will be live and interactive, giving audiences a real chance to share the final moments of 2012. The face of UK rap and Radio 1Xtra presenter Charlie Sloth is Master of Ceremonies and will be playing with a special guest, along with ‘The Godfather of House', Frankie Knuckles, Norman Jay MBE, New York outfit Hercules & Love Affair, and one of the UK's most respected young DJs and Radio 1 host, and his new group Toddla T Sound, who will all deliver sets across the night, ranging from the undisputed killer tunes of the year to house, funk, soul, hip hop, mash-ups and party anthems. Throughout the night, viewers can expect guest vocalists and surprise dancers around the booth. The running order will be confirmed closer to broadcast.

In addition to the top DJ talent on offer, a selection of the nation's most exciting cutting edge VJs, computer animators and graphic artists will be playing visual sets every bit as live and unrehearsed as the music. The DJ booth will also include the third element of the clubbing experience introduced back in the summer - Social Networkers. Using social media hooked up to the booth online and channel4.com/houseparty, the Social Networkers will be a live and super-reactive link between the audience and the booth for shout outs, requests, and pictures and videos from house parties across the country.

House Party: NYE (w/t) (1 x 6 hours) is made by ACME Films (Life of Rhyme and The Antics Roadshow and Banksy All Nighter, from Channel 4's Street Summer 2011). The executive producer is Jaimie D'Cruz (Exit Through The Gift Shop, Grierson Award 2010, Bafta and Oscar nominated 2011) and Paul Dugdale is the director (director of live shows and music videos including Coldplay Live 2012, the Jo Whiley Music Show, Adele Live at the Royal Albert Hall and The Prodigy music documentary Worlds on Fire).

House Party: NYE (w/t) will go out live on Channel 4, shortly before midnight until 6am, New Year's Eve, 2012. @C4houseparty

For further information please contact Cécile Quinney, cquinney@channel4.co.uk, 0207 306 1095.

Notes to Editors:

Annie Mac
A club and radio DJ who has earned a reputation as a tastemaker and talent-finder, Annie champions cutting edge artists and gives a platform to her favourite DJs with her Radio 1 show and her curated club night Annie Mac Presents. Annie is just as likely to drop a disco classic or soul anthem as music from the most underground new talent and emerging stars.

Charlie Sloth
Charlie Sloth hosts the weekday drive-time show on BBC Radio 1Xtra and The Rap Show on BBC Radio 1. Charlie came up through London's pirate radio and club land - establishing a solid reputation as an MC on the UK garage and hip hop scenes. In 2007, he began to make and release his own records, as well as directing his own videos. He's now one of the biggest names in rap, giving voice to the established stars and unsung heroes of UK rap alike with Fire in The Booth, his acclaimed live freestyle radio sessions.

Just Blaze

Over the past 15 years, Just Blaze has become a fixture in Hip Hop music and culture. He began producing for well-known artists in the late 1990s, leading to a breakout role in producing the majority of Jay-Z's ‘The Dynasty: Roc La Familia' and his follow-up opus ‘The Blueprint'. He reached international fame for his production of Cam'ron's 2002 summer smash ‘Oh Boy'. Since then, he has gone on to produce for Snoop Dogg, Usher, Mariah Carey, Kanye West, Talib Kweli, Busta Rhymes, Rick Ross, Drake, and many more. From producing five tracks on Eminem's Grammy-winning comeback album ‘Recovery'; hosting Viacom's DJ competition show ‘Master of the Mix', producing recent smash records with Drake and Kendrick Lamar; to his upcoming projects with Ludacris, Fabolous, and Jay-Z; executive producing Jay Electronica's Roc Nation debut album, and creating soundscapes for Twentieth Century Fox's ‘Ice Age 4', Just Blaze shows no sign of slowing down anytime soon. 

Frankie Knuckles

Known as the ‘The Godfather of House', Frankie Knuckles is a true originator of the House Music genre. The New York born DJ, artist and remixer, contributed to the birth of house music in the mid-80s, helping take it to global levels. Since, he has produced or remixed top artists such as Mary J. Blige, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Depeche Mode, and Hercules & The Love Affair, as well as enjoying #1s in the US Billboard Dance Chart, and Top 5 in the UK Chart, with a Top Of The Pops performance. Frankie won the 1997 Grammy for ‘Remixer of the Year' - the first recipient of this award and in 2004 was honoured in Chicago for his contributions to music and to his adopted home with a street named ‘Frankie Knuckles Way' was established on ‘Frankie Knuckles Day', 26 August. This world-renowned DJ served as a Governor and Trustee for the NYC Chapter of The National Academy of Recording Arts & Sciences and still packs out dance floors 30 years on, with upcoming international tours through Europe, Asia and Australia.

Hercules & Love Affair

Hercules and Love Affair is a musical project from New York formed in 2007 by DJ Andy Butler. Butler is one of the most colourful characters in dance music, with an encyclopaedic knowledge of 40 years of the New York dance scene. Likewise, Hercules And Love Affair are a hugely entertaining proposition on stage - as varied and vibrant as the New York night life that nurtured them. Their first single ‘Blind' in 2008 was awarded Best Song of 2008 by Pitchfork Media and came in at sixth place in Resident Advisor's Top 30 tracks of that year. They have since come back with a new crew in 2011 with ‘Blue Songs' mainly influenced by nineties house and electro music, to critical acclaim and international success. Members have included Nomi Ruiz, Kim Ann Foxman, Kele Okereke from Bloc Party and Antony Hegarty from Antony and the Johnsons.

Norman Jay

Arguably one of the finest and most respected DJs in the world, Norman Jay has had a career spanning four decades. His invaluable contributions to music were officially recognised with an MBE in 2002 and in 2012 he played the official Queen's Diamond Jubilee Party in Battersea Park. Whilst being amongst one of the most popular and credible contemporary DJs in the country, he is often cited as a major influence by today's leading DJs, who often refer to him quite simply as 'The DJ's DJ'. After establishing himself in New York in the late 70s, London born, Jay, created the now legendary Good Times Sounds System with his brother Joey, bringing funk, soul and disco to Notting Hill Carnival, and then became known for his underground DJ sets attracting thousands to illegal warehouse parties. Jay made a lasting name for himself in 1985 when he helped his friend Gordon Mac set up pirate radio station KISS and became the catalyst for attracting the likes of emerging London DJs like Soul II Soul's Jazzie B, Giles Peterson and Trevor Nelson. Jay has since championed US house and underground UK dance music, set up dance label Talkin Loud and introduced US talent to the UK and revived the careers of many including Chaka Khan, En Vogue and Jocelyn Brown. With the global rise in interest in UK DJ and dance culture, Jay has once again found his niche and yet more success and regularly plays clubs, festivals and parties worldwide for a new generation of dance fans.

Toddla T Sound

Sheffield-based Tom Bell (AKA Toddla T) is a widely respected DJ and producer. In 2008 he emerged as one of British dance music's hottest new talents. He went on to become a DJ on Radio 1's In New Music We Trust in 2009 and now hosts his own weekly show. His influences include dancehall, reggae, bashment style and he has even sound-clashed with the venerable David Rodigan. He has made waves playing to hundreds of thousands through his residency at Fabric, and festivals including Bestival and Love Box. This year he takes his tour internationally with live vocalists such including Shola Ama, Serocee and MC DRS as Toddla T Sound - drawing on his two albums to date, Skanky Skanky (2009) and Watch Me Dance (2011).