Episode 1

Jools welcomes Paul Heaton, whose record Jenius is his first ever number one album. He performs a couple of tracks from the album with his band, featuring lead vocals from Scottish singer-songwriter Rianne Downey, and they also perform a treat from Paul’s catalogue of hits from his work with The Beautiful South.

The remaining performing artists on the line-up are all making their TV debuts on the show. From south east London, Jools welcomes vocal powerhouse Skye Newman, who has enjoyed whirlwind success following the release of her two projects SE9 Part 1 and SE9 Part 2, which explore the 'complex dynamics of her childhood growing up in a council estate and the strength she has found in her own identity'. She performs two tracks, including her top five single Family Matters, and joins Jools at the piano for a chat and their emotional rendition of the Bill Withers song Ain’t No Sunshine.

From Northampton, Gospel-inspired rapper DC3 won a couple of awards at 2026’s MOBOs and is set to release his debut mixtape. He performs his single Kunta in UK with his band, a track inspired by the story of Kunta Kinte, an 18th-century African man who was sold into slavery.

Also from south London, three-piece indie band mary in the junkyard perform their track Blood, taken from their debut album Role Model Hermit, which draws on the 'storytelling techniques of folk music and utilises its 11 tracks to build an expansive world of fables, folk tales and veiled personal anecdotes'.

Completing the musical line-up is singer-songwriter Dermot Henry, hailing from Wiltshire, who began busking in the streets of Paris and now makes his TV debut performing his track I Love You, That’s All.

Jools also chats to the legendary Johnny Marr about his album The Age of Everything, as well as stories of his guitar collection and a recent auction which saw him sell over 80 guitars and studio equipment from his nearly 45-year career.