Sophie Ellis-Bextor thanks 'naked' scene for career comeback ahead of New Year's Eve special

Murder on the Dancefloor singer Sophie Ellis-Bextor will be boogying into the new year with her New Year's Eve Disco, and she's getting help from some special guests

Kitchen disco queen Sophie Ellis-Bextor is bringing the party to BBC One on New Year's Eve(Image: Instagram)

Staying in is the new going out and nobody knows how to throw a better home disco than Sophie Ellis-Bextor.

The Murder on the Dancefloor princess had millions dancing in their kitchens during lockdown, and she will do the same tonight for her NYE Disco on BBC One and iPlayer. It means revellers won’t have to go to a heaving club of posers to get their Groovejet on at Midnight.

Sophie is all up for staying in, recalling her favourite disco experience: “I don’t think it’s a place, I think it’s a feeling. It’s actually more about the sense of freedom I get from music, even just listening on my headphones when I’m on the tube... and being less worried about what’s cool is incredibly liberating.”

Sophie wants viewers to get their dancing shoes “because I’ll be wearing mine” and is bringing out a host of glitter-ball guests from Jessie Ware to Jake Shears of Scissor Sisters. They’re all massive disco lovers so what is Sophie’s ultimate fave floorfiller?

She will be dancing the night away at 11.30pm on BBC One(Image: Redferns)

“I like songs that seduce you. Thelma Houston’s version of Don’t Leave Me This Way is the perfect example of that.”

2024 has been a huge year for the pop belle thanks to Murder On The Dancefloor going viral after it was used in the film Saltburn, in one infamous nude scene featuring Barry Keoghan. It became an even bigger hit second time around for Sophie, who gushed: “It’s a pretty glorious thing to happen, especially with an old friend like Murder On The Dancefloor.

She thanked Barry Keoghan's naked scene in Saltburn for her career revival(Image: AP)

"It’s like having a second honeymoon. Like a bit of magic lightning striking. When Murder first came out, I had to wait ‘til I went on tour to see people’s reactions. But now, with TikTok, you get to see an immediate insight into people having fun with your music, and that lends even more energy to what you’re doing.”

New Year is a time for resolutions and Sophie revealed: “I’ve been paying for two language apps for the last three years, and I keep not doing Italian. So I should probably just commit to actually learning a bit more Italian.”

Sophie at the Royal Variety Performance this year(Image: WireImage)

The diva recently released new single Freedom Of The Night and a full LP is due in the spring. She told AnOther mag what fans can expect: “I wanted something musically optimistic, upbeat, fun, with some really interesting collaborators. I’ve just had a ball, basically.

“It’s celebratory pop and I hope it can give other people that little pep in their step.”

So 2025 promises another big year for the Kitchen Disco Queen, but she’s giving thanks to one actor: “Barry. I mean, if it wasn’t him and his naked dancing!”

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