2nd September - 6th November 2016

Blackpool Illuminations 2016 Details

Switch on Celebrities

Barbara Windsor will switch on the 2016 Illuminations!

The 2016 Switch On celebrity has been announced. It is Dame Barbara Windsor!!!! The Carry On and Eastenders star, 79, said: Some people say we want this, we want that and I say oh, I´d love to switch on the Lights in Blackpool. I just feel a great love for it and I´m so, so thrilled to be doing it, I cannot tell you, I´m just over the moon.

The details of the 2016 Switch On performers are: Ashley Banjo will be directing some of the switch on show after his amazing work on the 10th anniversary of Britains Got Talent. Diversity will perform a bespoke set and after their amazing performance last year The Vamps will be back on Blackpool Tower Headlands stage.

Ashley Banjo

Who better to direct Friday´s extravaganza than Ashley Banjo? He´s the talented choreographer of Britain´s Got Talent´s winning dance troupe Diversity. Ashley will be curating the lead-up to the big switch-on, which includes some very special guests.

Diversity

Ashley´s show will include an exclusive performance from Diversity, who will be premiering their act before they head off on a nationwide arena tour early in 2017.

Fleur East

Fleur became an overnight sensation after performing Mark Ronsons infectious Uptown Funk on The X Factor. After finishing runner-up on the show, she went on to release her first solo album, which included the huge hit single Sax.

She took America by storm earlier this year and most recently released a show-stopping fashion collection with top British womens brand Lipsy.

Fatman Scoop

Isaac Freeman III, better known by his stage name Fatman Scoop, is famous for performing on former UK number-one Be Faithful with the Crooklyn Clan, and for being an American hype man, hip hop promoter and radio personality famed for his raw voice.

Scoop has also featured on two hit songs: Mariah Carey´s It´s Like That, and Missy Elliott´s Grammy award-winning Lose Control. A presenter on the popular New York radio station WQHT, he creates a regular podcast entitled Man and Wife TV, with his wife Shanda Freeman.

The Vamps

The Vamps are back under the world-famous Blackpool lights! After they rocked the switch-on last year, they are here once more to do exactly the same again and really get the party started!

DJ Fresh

Chart topping DJ Fresh is to perform at this year rose to fame with her incredible voice when she featured on Sigala´s chart smash ´Say You Do´ earlier this year. At just 16 she is a true pop star in the making and has already been compared to the likes of Rhianna and Ariana Grande.

DJ Fresh shot to fame in recent years working with the likes of Sian Evans, Rita Ora and Sigala. With over 2.5 million record sales, two number one singles and a further two top six singles to his name.

Imani Williams

She rose to fame with her incredible voice when she featured on Sigalacs chart smash Say You Do earlier this year. At just 16 she is a true pop star in the making and has already been compared to the likes of Rhianna and Ariana Grande.

She´s gone on to work with top writers and producers from all around the world and her debut solo single Dont need no money is set to be released later this month

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To get things started a Blackpool Introduces showcase will kick start the night. It will feature the best of talent from local venues including Verity Kinnon, James Edgar and Axi Wild. The line-up will also include Blackpools own Stacey McClean, formerly of spin-off band S Club 8 and special sets by Club MTV.

More details comming soon....

Celebrity switch on stars have included:

• 2016 Barbara Windsor
  2015 Tim Burton
  2014 Peter Kay
  2013 Jonathan Ross
  2012 Olympic medal winners - Beth Tweddle, Karina Bryant, Luke Campbell, Sophie Hosking, Max Whitlock, Steven Burke & Smooth/Real Radio
  2011 Keith Lemon & Smooth/Real Radio
  2010 Robbie Williams & Smooth/Real Radio
  2009 Alan Carr & Radio Two
  2008 BBC Top Gear Team & Radio Two
  2007 BBC Dr Who - David Tennant & Radio Two
  2006 Dale Winton & Radio Two
  2005 Chris Evans & Radio Two
  2004 Geri Halliwell & Radio Two
  2003 Blue & Radio Two
  2002 Ronan Keating & Radio Two
  2001 Steps & Radio Two
  2000 Westlife & Radio Two
  1999 Gary Barlow & Radio Two
  1998 Chris De Burgh & Radio Two
  1997 Michael Ball & Radio Two
  1996 Eternal & Radio One
  1995 Bee Gees & Radio One
  1994 Shirley Bassey
  1993 Status Quo & Radio One
  1992 Lisa Stansfield
  1991 Derek Jameson and Judith Chalmers
  1990 Bet & Alec Gilroy "Coronation Street" (Julie Goodyear & Roy Barraclough)
  1989 Frank Bruno
  1988 Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sarah Brightman
  1987 Frank Bough, Ann Gregg & Kathy Tayler, BBC "Holiday" programme
  1986 Les Dawson
  1985 Joanna Lumley, BBC "Children in Need"
  1984 Johannes Rau (Minister-President, North Rhine Westphalia & David Waddington, QC, MP (Minister of State, Home Office)
  1983 Cast of "Coronation Street" (Doris Speed aka Annie Walke)
  1982 Rear Admiral "Sandy" Woodward
  1981 Earl & Countess Spencer
  1980 Cannon and Ball
  1979 Kermit the Frog and the Muppets
  1978 Terry Wogan
  1977 Red Rum
  1976 Carol Ann Grant (Miss United Kingdom)
  1975 Tom Baker (Dr Who)
  1974 Wendy Craig
  1973 Gordon Banks
  1972 Danny La Rue
  1971 Cast of "Dad´s Army"
  1970 Tony Blackburn
  1969 Canberra Bomber
  1968 Sir Matt Busby
  1967 Dr. Horace King (Speaker)
  1966 Ken Dodd
  1965 David Tomlinson
  1964 Gracie Fields
  1963 Cliff Michelmore
  1962 Shirley Ann Field
  1961 Violet Carson
  1960 Janet Munro
  1959 Jayne Mansfield
  1958 A E ´Matt´ Matthews
  1957 John H Whitney (American Ambassador)
  1956 Reginald Dixon
  1955 Jacob Malik (Russian Ambassador)
  1954 Gilbert Harding
  1953 George Formby
  1952 Valerie Hobson
  1951 Stanley Mathews
  1950 Wilfred Pickles
  1949 Anna Neagle
  1939 Cancelled when war broke out, no display during War years or indeed until 1949
  1938 Councillor Mrs Quayle
  1937 Alderman Ashton and the Duke of Kent
  1936 Sir Josiah Stamp
  1935 Audrey Mossom (Railway Queen)
  1934 Lord Derby

The concert during which the guest will throw the switch marks the start of Blackpool´s Big Switch On Weekend. We hope that thousands of fans of the celebrity, and of Blackpool, will join us in the celebrations and that they stay to enjoy all the free events Blackpool will be hosting throughout the weekend and indeed during the Illuminations Season.