Jools Holland

Acclaimed solo artist, music presenter and band leader Jools Holland has been working in the music industry since the early 1970’s and continues to be a popular music act and music journalist, maintaining a successful career for more than four decades. Known as the founder of the music act Squeeze, Jools Holland has worked as a TV presenter for almost twenty five years, hosting his own series Later with Jools Holland on BBC 2 since the early 1990’s. During his career as both a musician and TV presenter Jools Holland has collaborated with a wide variety of notable solo artists, including Eric Clapton, George Harrison, Sting, Bono and Sir Tom Jones.

A pianist, Holland also sings and plays the guitar and, in his role as a TV presenter, frequently performs alongside his guests on Later with Jools Holland. He has also held other roles as a television and radio presenter, most notably manning his own show on BBC Radio 2. Not content with being one of the most well-respected and beloved music specialists or television and radio presenters in the UK, Jools has continued to produce music and perform live as a solo artist throughout his broadcasting career. Owner of his own recording studio Holland boasts performances before huge live crowds and international audiences and has held shows at the Royal Albert Hall, Millennium Stadium and Buckingham Palace.

As well as his regular position as the host of Later with Jools Holland, Holland has also worked as a television and radio presenter in America, spending several years as the co-host and performer on the NBC music series Sunday Night. Back in the UK Jools Holland OBE hosts an annual New Year’s Eve broadcast entitled Hootenanny as well as working as the TV presenter for a number of music documentaries including 2012’s London Calling and 2014’s The Life of Rock with Brian Pern.

Alongside his successful broadcasting career Jools has released multiple books and more than ten UK solo artist albums, three of which achieved gold sales status or higher. He has released specialist collaborations with a wide variety of artists and notably collaborated with Sir Tom Jones on a collection of popular R&B music. Such is the national respect held for Holland that, in 2006 he was appointed Deputy Lieutenant for Kent as well as being made an honorary fellow of Canterbury Christ Church University. He was awarded an OBE for services to the British music industry as a TV presenter and musician at the 2003 Queen’s Birthday Honours and in 2012, Jools Holland OBE became an honorary colonel of the Royal Engineers 101 in the City of London.