Big Ben’s clock bell is broadcast at midnight during London’s New Year’s Eve countdown.
Big Ben is the nickname commonly used for the Great Bell of the clock at the Palace of Westminster. At New Year, television and radio coverage often uses its chimes to mark midnight in the United Kingdom. The sound provides an instantly recognizable audio signal for the start of the new calendar year.
Technically, the name Big Ben refers to the bell, not the entire clock tower or clock mechanism. The tower was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012 in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Diamond Jubilee, but the bell retained its familiar name. The Great Bell was installed in the nineteenth century as part of the rebuilt Palace of Westminster.
The clock’s chimes are sometimes confused with London’s fireworks display near the London Eye. These are connected parts of the city’s celebration but not the same landmark: Big Ben supplies the famous bell sound, while fireworks are launched in the riverfront area. Broadcast schedules can also include delayed or recorded audio for production reasons.