Across:
8 Could describe 2 down as (could describe ‘Bill’ as BOYISH) youthful (BOYISH),
9 Second to none? (PREMIER-) Fourth-rate? (fourth ‘ratE’ = -E) (PREMIERE) That’s a first! (PREMIERE),
10 Opens 22 across (opens ‘call centre’ = CALL) in Ring (CALL),
11 Start 26 across (‘call in’ = CALL) with information technology (IT) initially activated (initially ‘Activated’ = A) 24-hours (DAY) (CALL IT A DAY) from a Bandon place of work (abandon place of work = CALL IT A DAY),
12 Auntie (auntie) broadcasted (= homophone indicator) (‘auntie’ = ‘anti’ = ANTI-) college (-C-) and school (-S) (ANTICS) pranks (ANTICS),
14 All that remains (SKELETON) of a rough draft, in a writing sense (SKELETON),
15 Having the power (CALLING THE SHOTS) of vocation (CALLING) to take article (THE) by order to The Bar (SHOTS) (CALLING THE SHOTS),
18 Lead guitarist (lead ‘Guitarist’ = -G-) in German city (Hanover = HAN-OVER) (HANGOVER) calls out for The Cure (HANGOVER),
20 Influence (IMPACT) of the devil (IMP-) at the end of 13 down (the end of ‘illegal act’ = -ACT) (IMPACT),
22 College (C-) is for everyone (-ALL) – take heart (CENTRE) (CALL CENTRE), it’s going to answer your concerns (CALL CENTRE),
24 Nonsense (GUFF) from some backward (= reverse indicator) well-off fugitives (some backward ‘well-ofF FUGitives’ = ffug = GUFF),
25 Local criticism (local ‘criticism’ = STICK-) starts to exercise research staff (starts to ‘Exercise Research Staff’ = -ERS) (STICKERS) producing tacky notes indicating the babes are on Board! (STICKERS),
26 Macmillan has no Mam (‘Macmillan’ has no ‘Mam’ = cillan = CALL IN) to visit (CALL IN).
Down:
1 Gangster (DO-N) admits tipping off many an individual (tipping off ‘Many An Individual’ = -MAI-) (DOMAIN) from estate (DOMAIN),
2 Proposed legislation (BILL) involved in setting up (= reverse indicator) digital library (involved in setting up ‘digitaL LIBrary’ = llib = BILL),
3 European (Czech) report (= homophone indicator) (‘Czech’ = ‘check’ = CHECK-) on wrongdoing (-S-IN) (CHECKS IN) officially arrives (CHECKS IN),
4 Reveal a policy covering up (‘reveaL A POlicy’ covering up = lapo) review (= reversal indicator) (lapo = OPAL) by one of The Stones (OPAL),
5 Criticise (REVILE) writing (from the 3rs = R-) with bad (-EVIL-) English (-E) (REVILE),
6 Wild (= anagram indicator) parties (parties = PIRATE S-) at stylish (-HIP) (PIRATE SHIP) home of Captain Hook overseas? (home of Captain Hook overseas = PIRATE SHIP),
7 Great escape (BREAK OUT) for Shatter (BREAK) on holiday (OUT) (BREAK OUT),
13 It’s forbidden (ILLEGAL) to make a scene (ACT) (ILLEGAL ACT) in The Abbey – they might deem that sort of performance unlawful? (ILLEGAL ACT),
14 Individual (-I-) in The Sun (sun = star = S-TAR) (SITAR) gets played by musician (SITAR),
16 A (A) complex (= anagram indicator) claret (claret = LA C-RTE) – round, initially aromatic (initially ‘Aromatic’ = -A-) (A LA CARTE) and from a nice menu presumably (a Nice/French menu presumably = A LA CARTE),
17 What the witness produced at the bar perhaps (EVIDENCE) for The Confirmation (EVIDENCE),
19 “Victor (V-) takes drink at The Centre (‘drInk’ at the centre = -I-) from the large jug” (-EWER) (VIEWER) – The Observer (VIEWER),
21 Party (Fianna Fáil = -FF-) in American Quarter (American quarter = coin = CO-IN) (COFFIN) – the late place the Count frequents (Count Dracula in COFFIN),
23 Examination (TEST) on the outskirts of temperate rain forest (on the outskirts of ‘TEmperate rain foreST’ = TEST),
24 Bottled gas, at best, missing (‘bottled gas’ ‘at best’ missing/without ‘at best’ = oldg = GOLD) the precious stuff (GOLD).