TV star and designer Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen will turn on this year’s Blackpool Illuminations as part of a live switch-on concert at the Tower Ballroom. He replaces actor and comedian Johnny Vegas, who announced last week that he would have to pull out due to ‘unforeseen personal circumstances’.
Llewelyn-Bowen, who has collaborated with the Illuminations for several years, and has designed a number of spectacular installations, will switch on the lights on Friday, September 2. Commenting on the news, he said: “The Blackpool Illuminations represent something really special in the hearts of the British people and I am thrilled to be able to pull that famous switch in th magnificent Tower Ballroom.”
His appearance as switch-on star coincides with the unveiling of a dazzling makeover for the Golden Mile in which Llewelyn-Bowen has created a stretch of Art Deco-style features that will celebrate a golden age of 1930s glamour. The 21 overhead light installations form a brand new section entitled Neo Neon in front of The Blackpool Tower.
READ MORE: There’s a one-off preview of the Blackpool Illuminations - but you’ll need a bike
Each measuring almost 14 metres in length, the installations are divided into three separate styles - arches, wings and fans. Together, they will create a dazzling new look on the resort’s best-known stretch of promenade.
Councillor Lynn Williams, Leader of Blackpool Council, added: “Laurence is one of our greatest ambassadors and it is fitting that he should be pulling the switch in a year when he completely reimagined how the Golden Mile will look during the autumn and winter seasons.”
The annual Switch-On concert, which is being staged in association with MTV, will be filmed in front of a live audience in the ballroom. Almost 2,000 tickets for the show were issued via a free ballot that attracted tens of thousands of applications.
Hosted by Becca Dudley, the concert will include performances by Blue, Tom Grennan, Mae Muller, Fuse ODG and Nina Nesbitt. It will then be followed by the official Switch-On, triggering four months of Illuminations in the resort.
The concert and light switching will be streamed to a global audience via VisitBlackpool and MTV channels. Last year, the event attracted more than 160,000 views from as far afield as Australia, Canada and the United States.
For those eager to check out the dazzling lights, there's a way you can get a glimpse of the Blackpool Illuminations before they are officially switched on this Friday. For one night only on Tuesday August 30 the promenade will close to traffic for Ride The Lights, giving cyclists the chance to enjoy the illuminations three days before the switch on.
In this family-friendly event anyone who owns a bike will be able to ride along the seafront route and admire the displays as they go. Participants are encouraged to have some fun and decorate their bikes with their own lights. The event is suitable for all ages and the event is free.
The Blackpool Illuminations have once again been extended by two months and will shine bright from September to January, 2, 2023. For full timings and details of the switch-on event you can visit the Visit Blackpool website.
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
The best restaurants and takeaways open late at night in Greater Manchester
Instagram goes wild for "Manchester's new hotspot" with perfect posing wall
Manchester bar defends gender neutral toilets after backlash
A love letter to Italy, the Denton cafe with some of the best pasta in Greater Manchester
The sunflower meadow with sunflower ice cream in Greater Manchester
