Big Ben's clock bell is broadcast at midnight during the United Kingdom's New Year's Eve celebrations.
Big Ben is the nickname commonly used for the Great Bell of the Palace of Westminster in London. At midnight on New Year's Eve, its chimes are carried on major broadcasts as the United Kingdom welcomes the new year. Strictly speaking, the name Big Ben refers to the bell, not the entire clock tower; the tower was renamed the Elizabeth Tower in 2012.
The Great Bell first struck in 1859. The clock tower's four clock faces and chimes have since become symbols of London and British public life. The midnight broadcast connects a national celebration with a specific sound rather than only a visual landmark.
Big Ben is often confused with the Elizabeth Tower or with the clock itself. The tower's official name is Elizabeth Tower, while the clock is the Great Clock of Westminster and the bell is the Great Bell, popularly called Big Ben. Those distinctions matter when identifying the landmark precisely.