The London landmark whose clock is heard in the BBC’s famous New Year’s Eve countdown is Big Ben.
Strictly speaking, Big Ben is the nickname of the Great Bell inside the Elizabeth Tower at the Palace of Westminster. In everyday speech, however, “Big Ben” is often used for the entire clock tower. The bell’s hourly strikes and quarter-hour chimes have become a familiar part of British broadcasting and public life.
At New Year, television and radio coverage traditionally use the clock’s midnight strikes to mark the start of January 1. Large celebrations also gather near the River Thames, where fireworks are launched around landmarks including the London Eye. The clock sound and the fireworks are related parts of the broadcast tradition but are separate features.
The tower was completed in the nineteenth century as part of Charles Barry and Augustus Pugin’s rebuilding of the Palace of Westminster. In 2012 it was officially renamed the Elizabeth Tower, but the bell retained the nickname Big Ben.