Later With Jools Holland announces 69th series lineup featuring Johnny Marr, Bloc Party, and emerging artists
BBC Two's long-running music program 'Later… With Jools Holland' will premiere its 69th series on October 11, filmed at Alexandra Palace Theatre in London. The first episode will feature Johnny Marr discussing his new solo album 'The Age Of Everything', Paul Heaton performing from his Number One record 'Jenius', and debuts from artists including Skye Newman and Mary In The Junkyard. The series also includes confirmed appearances from Jamie T, Bloc Party, Violet Grohl, Royal Blood, and many others.
The 69th series marks another milestone for the BBC Two institution, which has become a cultural fixture for launching and celebrating musical talent across genres. The premiere episode balances established artists with emerging voices, including several performers appearing on the programme for the first time. Paul Heaton's appearance is particularly notable given his recent achievement of reaching the UK Number One chart position as a solo artist, demonstrating the show's continued relevance in marking significant career moments.
The lineup reflects the show's characteristic eclecticism, spanning rock and indie acts like Bloc Party and Jamie T alongside jazz musicians, rappers, and classical performers. Several artists featured are simultaneously promoting recent or forthcoming album releases, suggesting the programme remains a strategic platform for major label promotions and artist visibility during competitive release windows.
Later… With Jools Holland's continued prominence could influence which emerging artists gain mainstream exposure and potentially accelerate their commercial trajectories. The show's guest selections may shape audience perceptions of which genres and styles merit cultural attention at any given moment. For the BBC, maintaining the series signals investment in traditional television music programming at a time when streaming platforms increasingly dominate artist promotion, potentially affecting how different age groups and demographics discover new music and engage with live performance culture.