Partying Brits celebrated the New Year in style last night before tottering home in the early hours – only after the excitement had all gotten a bit much for some.
Millions stayed up to welcome in 2026 at midnight, with many opting to hit the UK’s high streets, pubs and clubs and staying out well into this morning.
Huge celebrations took place in cities across the UK, with the largest seeing 100,000 people line Embankment in London.
Tens of thousands more amassed in Edinburgh for Hogmanay, where they were treated to a firework display and street party. The event was particularly anticipated after being cancelled last year due to a storm.
Elsewhere, revellers took to Britain’s streets with friends and family to welcome in the New Year in style.
Many dressed up and posed for pictures at the start of the night, before some partygoers were spotted struggling to stand and make their way home by the early hours of this morning.
In Newcastle, police officers were seen intervening and making several arrests after celebrations got out of hand.
After most revellers had departed for home, clean-up crews in London and elsewhere were out in force in the early hours to rid the streets of litter following the raucous night.
LONDON: Two women braved freezing temperatures overnight to pose for pictures in central London
CARDIFF: A young woman poses as she celebrates the new year in south Wales
CARDIFF: Revellers enjoy a night out on the town as the world entered 2026 overnight
LEEDS: A couple are seen partying in Leeds overnight, with one giving the other a piggyback
LEEDS: A group enjoy a night out in Leeds following firework displays and parties around the country
LEEDS: Two women wrap up warm as they enjoy the celebrations to welcome in the new year
CARDIFF: A young woman is helped up by friends after taking her heels off in the street
LEEDS: A woman sits on the step of a takeaway as partygoers enjoyed a late night snack
LEEDS: A group of women change shoes after a long night in heels celebrating the new year
In London, Sir Sadiq Khan hailed the celebrations as the ‘greatest in the world’ after 100,000 people lined the banks of the River Thames to welcome 2026 with the capital’s largest fireworks display.
The spectacular display – set to a soundtrack which included the likes of Raye, Sabrina Carpenter, Ed Sheeran and Coldplay and featuring voiceovers from stars such as Celia Imrie, Andrew Cotter and Alison Hammond – celebrated some of the highlights of 2025.
Among the feats acknowledged in the display were England’s Women’s Rugby World Cup triumph, the Lionesses retaining the Euros and Europe’s Ryder Cup win, while there was also a nod to the film Wicked: For Good.
Speaking to the Press Association, Mayor of London Sir Sadiq said: ‘We spend a lot of time and effort curating our New Year’s Eve celebrations – the theme of tonight’s celebration is togetherness.
‘I think diversity is a strength not a weakness – it makes us richer not poorer, stronger not weaker. I think you can be a proud Londoner but also someone whose country of origin is somewhere across the globe.
‘I’m delighted that we have once again shown why London’s New Year’s Eve celebrations are the greatest in the world.’
In a statement, Sir Sadiq added: ‘The eyes of the globe were looking on as we lit up our famous skyline with our best-ever display of fireworks and lighting, all to an incredible soundtrack.
‘From celebrating our wonderful year of women’s sport and Europe beating the USA in the Ryder Cup, to celebrating our diversity and looking ahead to a fantastic 2026, we’ve sent the message that London will always be a city of hope and a place for everyone.’
NEWCASTLE: A group of partygoers pose for pictures in the city centre while out on the town
CARDIFF: Revellers began to look a little the worse for wear as celebrations went on into the early hours of the morning
CARDIFF: Three women take a break from partying as they enjoy a sit down outside
CARDIFF: The celebrations all proved too much for some revellers, who were seen struggling to make their way home
CARDIFF: A man sits at a taxi rank on his phone after a long night of celebrations
CARDIFF: Away from large organised events in cities such as London and Edinburgh, millions of Brits stayed up to welcome in 2026
CARDIFF: Revellers enjoy a rest and some food after a long night of celebrating the new year
LEEDS: A couple celebrate the beginning of 2026 on a night out in the city centre of Leeds
CARDIFF: As the early hours of the morning arrived, partygoers appeared substantially less energetic
NEWCASTLE: A man is detained by police officers during celebrations
LEEDS: Police officers are seen out in the town centre amid raucous celebrations
NEWCASTLE: A man takes a tumble in Newcastle as other revellers watch on
BIRMINGHAM: A man is seen being detained by police officers in the city centre overnight
After most Brits had finally gone to bed, the clean up operation in London got underway in earnest
Employees cleared up debris on Embankment and Westminster Bridge following the capital’s largest firework display
As well as the thousands in attendance, millions around the world watched live as London welcomed in 2026 with fireworks, lighting, music and animation.
More than 12,000 fireworks and more than 400 lights illuminated the night sky around the London Eye, with hologauze animations complementing the largest annual firework display in Europe on the BBC’s coverage.
As well as celebrating national achievements of the last 12 months, the display also referenced last summer being the UK’s hottest on record and featured a nod to the social media ‘tea-time alarm’ meme that suggested there is a daily alarm reminding British people to enjoy a cup of tea.
Meanwhile thousands of revellers saw in 2026 in Edinburgh city centre, where they were treated to a spectacular fireworks display as part of the capital’s Hogmanay celebrations.
Crowds of people gathered along the city’s Princes Street as the hour struck and the six-and-a-half-minute display got underway above Edinburgh Castle.
Accompanied by a soundtrack featuring the likes of Lewis Capaldi, Eurythmics and Simple Minds, the spectacle concluded with a version of Auld Lang Syne from Skye duo Valtos, while a saltire was projected onto Castle Rock.
The display marked the culmination of an evening of festivities in the Scottish capital, which included the Concert in the Gardens headlined by the band Wet Leg.
The 45,000 people attending the sold-out Hogmanay Street Party were entertained with pipe bands, drummers, a DJ set from Belgian duo 2manydjs and a silent disco.
