Jools Holland

Jools Holland (birth name Julian Miles Holland, born 24 January 1958) is an English pianist, bandleader, composer and television presenter, born in Blackheath, south-east London. He is associated with boogie-woogie, rhythm and blues and related styles, and has also had a long career in broadcasting. Holland is notable both as an early member of the rock band Squeeze and as the long-running host of the BBC music programme Later... with Jools Holland.

Holland developed his musicianship at a young age and began performing publicly while still a teenager. In the 1970s he became a session musician and joined Squeeze, contributing keyboards to the band’s early period and first albums before leaving in 1980. His early recording work also included solo releases and collaborations, reflecting an interest in traditional piano styles alongside contemporary rock and pop.

During the 1980s Holland expanded into television, becoming widely known as a presenter on the music programme The Tube. In 1992 he began hosting Later... with Jools Holland, a series combining live studio performances with interviews and ensemble playing, which became one of the BBC’s best-known contemporary music programmes. Holland also formed and led his own large ensemble, often billed as Jools Holland and his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, which has recorded and toured with a rotating selection of guest vocalists and instrumentalists.

Across later decades, Holland continued to release albums featuring his orchestra and collaborations with a wide range of artists. He also became associated with annual broadcast events such as Jools’ Annual Hootenanny, a seasonal programme featuring live performances and guest appearances. Alongside presenting, his career has included writing projects and public performances that have maintained his profile as both a musician and a broadcaster.

Holland’s legacy is closely linked to his role in bringing live music performance to mainstream British television over several decades. His work has provided a platform for established and emerging artists across genres, while his own playing has helped sustain public interest in piano-led rhythm and blues and boogie-woogie traditions within a modern broadcast context.