0:00:16 > 0:00:20Good evening and welcome to central London where I have invited a few
0:00:20 > 0:00:23friends to join me on the banks of the River Thames to see in the New
0:00:23 > 0:00:28Year in style. Good evening, London!
0:00:28 > 0:00:32CHEERING AND APPLAUSE what an incredible atmosphere down here and
0:00:32 > 0:00:37what a night to turn up to see the New Year.
0:00:37 > 0:00:41Admittedly, we've had a bit of rain, but what do you expect in London?
0:00:41 > 0:00:48At the moment it is ten degrees down here. A wonderful atmosphere,
0:00:48 > 0:00:52so many people have turned out, Big Ben is getting ready. There are
0:00:52 > 0:00:57people prepared to light up the London sky this evening and when
0:00:57 > 0:01:02they do, 2012 will have arrived and what is year promises to be. We
0:01:02 > 0:01:05have the Queen's Diamond Jubilee, the European Championships with
0:01:06 > 0:01:11England and Ireland competing, another dramatic Formula One season,
0:01:11 > 0:01:17and the Olympics and Paralympic Games are coming to London. It is
0:01:17 > 0:01:23209 days until the Olympics is here. In about five minutes, make it 208.
0:01:23 > 0:01:27If you have not made any resolutions, it is not too late.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32People who have made new year's resolutions are 10 times more
0:01:32 > 0:01:36likely to achieve their goals. What would you like to make 2012 special
0:01:36 > 0:01:40for? While you think about that, let's look ahead to what will be a
0:01:40 > 0:01:50magical year and also have a look at what was a rather interesting
0:01:50 > 0:02:09
0:02:09 > 0:02:19I have known a few greater honours than the opportunity to address
0:02:19 > 0:02:32
0:02:32 > 0:02:42The News of the World is to close. A victim of its own phone hacking
0:02:42 > 0:02:42
0:02:42 > 0:03:23Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
0:03:23 > 0:03:33Welcomed the world's finest athletes to the greatest games that
0:03:33 > 0:03:40
0:03:40 > 0:03:45have ever been held in the greatest See you in London. I've been
0:03:45 > 0:03:49following some excited Olympians on Twitter today. They have waited
0:03:49 > 0:03:54years the 2012. These guys have waited hours to see the fireworks.
0:03:54 > 0:03:58Mobile phones being passed around and a lot of excited people. This
0:03:58 > 0:04:04is Tammy from the States and there was a farce with the headwear. What
0:04:04 > 0:04:09happened? We wanted to stand out for the University of Manchester. I
0:04:09 > 0:04:15asked Carlos to get a sunhat. Carlos has to do the work. Where
0:04:15 > 0:04:18did you get that hat? Just across the river. A quarter of a million
0:04:18 > 0:04:24people here this evening, that is not as easy as it sounds. How long
0:04:24 > 0:04:29did it take? Three hours. That deserves a new year's case.
0:04:29 > 0:04:34Congratulations. Thank you for travelling here. Another man I want
0:04:34 > 0:04:38to introduce you to his Daniel. If the fireworks don't work it is
0:04:38 > 0:04:43because he is no longer working with them. You were working on them
0:04:43 > 0:04:46last year. That's right. In a couple of minutes the fireworks
0:04:46 > 0:04:52will start and there are many people with boxes of matches over
0:04:52 > 0:04:58there. That is not actually the case, is it? No. It is all done via
0:04:58 > 0:05:04G Ps and time codes. There are several back-up systems. Let's hope
0:05:04 > 0:05:10Big Ben and the fireworks do their bit. They are wearing engagement
0:05:10 > 0:05:16rings so no on a proposal this year. This is Julian, Dick Formula One
0:05:16 > 0:05:22and Sebastian Vettel fan. -- Did Formula One fan. We have some
0:05:22 > 0:05:26people here from Brazil. We make New year's resolutions, but you
0:05:26 > 0:05:30make new year's wish lists. Would you mind sharing them? My first
0:05:30 > 0:05:35wish is to have a nice friendship offer and I would like to journey
0:05:35 > 0:05:43around Asia. And I wish there were equal rights around the world.
0:05:43 > 0:05:47That's lovely! Thank you. You're wearing a colour that is very
0:05:47 > 0:05:51special and this time of year in Brazil. Yes, it means I want peace
0:05:51 > 0:05:56for next year and that is why most Brazilians where White on New
0:05:56 > 0:06:00Year's Eve. We would all echo that sentiment. Happy New Year, thank
0:06:00 > 0:06:07you for travelling to London. I am so glad it is not raining for you
0:06:07 > 0:06:10guys. If you look on the other side of the river, you can see the
0:06:10 > 0:06:20countdown has started. I will see you in about five minutes' time
0:06:20 > 0:06:20
0:06:20 > 0:07:38Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
0:07:38 > 0:07:44Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! The International Olympic Committee
0:07:44 > 0:07:54has the honour of announcing that the gains of the 30th Olympiad in
0:07:54 > 0:07:54
0:07:54 > 0:17:57Apology for the loss of subtitles for 41 seconds
0:17:57 > 0:18:012012 are awarded to the City of Wow! That looked pretty special
0:18:01 > 0:18:05from here. I would imagine it looks good from where you're sitting as
0:18:05 > 0:18:11well. From Shirley Bassey de Coldplay, that was the most
0:18:11 > 0:18:17stunning thing. That is how we do things in London. Welcome to 2012.
0:18:17 > 0:18:22That wasn't bad. Best thing I've ever seen. And you got a good seat.
0:18:22 > 0:18:26That's what you get for getting here at 1pm. At this stage in a
0:18:26 > 0:18:32country such as Spain, they might eat 12 grapes to celebrate. In
0:18:32 > 0:18:38Japan they would bank on a halt -- bang on a gong at 108 times. In the
0:18:38 > 0:18:44UK, we link arms and wheezing the famous old song from Robert Burns,
0:18:44 > 0:18:47# Should auld acquaintance be forgot.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50# And never brought to mind. # Should auld acquaintance be
0:18:50 > 0:18:57forgot. # And the days of auld lang syne.
0:18:57 > 0:19:07# For auld lang syne, my dear. # For auld lang syne.
0:19:07 > 0:19:16
0:19:16 > 0:19:17# We'll tak a cup of kindness yet. # For the sake of auld lang syne.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20# Should auld acquaintance be forgot.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22# And never brought to mind. # Should auld acquaintance be
0:19:22 > 0:19:25forgot. # And the days of auld lang syne.
0:19:26 > 0:19:34# For auld lang syne, my dear. # For auld lang syne.
0:19:34 > 0:19:35# We'll tak a cup of kindness yet. # For the sake of auld lang syne.
0:19:35 > 0:19:40# Should auld acquaintance be forgot.
0:19:40 > 0:19:45# And never brought to mind. # Should auld acquaintance be
0:19:45 > 0:19:51forgot. # And the days of auld lang syne.
0:19:51 > 0:19:58# For auld lang syne, my dear. # For auld lang syne.
0:19:58 > 0:20:04# We'll tak a cup of kindness yet. # For the sake of auld lang syne.
0:20:04 > 0:20:11# For auld lang syne, my dear. # For auld lang syne.
0:20:11 > 0:20:21# We'll tak a cup of kindness yet. # For the sake of auld lang syne.
0:20:21 > 0:20:36
0:20:36 > 0:20:40# For auld lang syne. That was good fun. I thought I
0:20:40 > 0:20:46wasn't going to get a partner for a minute. Auld Lang Syne on the Bank
0:20:46 > 0:20:52of the Thames for the New Year, wonderful. My dad is in his 60s and
0:20:52 > 0:20:55he still doesn't know the words! 2012, the most incredible of years.
0:20:55 > 0:20:59Whether it is the euros or the Olympics or the Diamond Jubilee or