What Britain listens to at midnight on New Year’s Eve

For many people in Britain, there is one sound that signals the start of the new year: The chimes of the clock tower in Parliament Square in London, better known as Big Ben — although technically that name only refers to the bell itself.

For more than 90 years, it is a sound that has traditionally been broadcast at midnight by the BBC. For millions of people around the country, those chimes, together with a BBC radio announcer's official timecheck, is still the sound most strongly associated with New Year's Eve.

The 2014-2015 broadcast will be led by BBC announcer Steve Urquhart. For Urquhart, introducing those chimes is a task he undertakes with seriousness. "It's significant here [in Britain] because it's been the sound of a new year ever since 1922," he explained. "You know: 'Oh, we need to gather around the radio because the bells are coming on, so make sure you've got a drink or something.' It's just the moment when people stop."

The broadcast from Parliament Square has become more elaborate since those early days. This year, BBC TV will be broadcasting a live concert by Queen from the Square, with a brief pause at midnight. But for many, radio and the bells themselves are still the preferred method of counting down to midngiht.

One of the quirks of the broadcast is the fact that the announcer is nowhere near Big Ben itself. Although his or her voice is heard live at midnight, he or she is usually sitting alone in a radio studio half a mile away from Parliament at the BBC's London headquarters.  "We have the audio from Big Ben ready sent to us live from Parliament Square," Urquhart explains. "At the crucial moment, I fade it up and hear it ring out. Hopefully."

In fact it is not a process that has always gone smoothly. Twelve years ago, a technical problem meant that no sound from the bell tower was broadcast, causing consteration at pubs, bars and house parties across the country.

Urquhart has his own technique to combat any stage fright before the big moment. "I'lll make myself a nice cup of tea, go in there good and early, and then think of something to say. Not sure what it is yet."