Tag: Celebrities

Robbie Williams Switches Blackpool On

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On Friday 3 September 2010, global pop icon Robbie Williams returned to one of his favourite childhood holiday destinations to switch on the world-famous Blackpool Illuminations. The highly anticipated event drew thousands of spectators to the town’s iconic seafront, officially launching the annual display of lights that would run for a record 66 consecutive nights. The switch-on ceremony has long been a staple of the resort’s calendar, but Williams’ involvement that year added a particular buzz of excitement, thanks to his massive fanbase and his own nostalgic connection to the town. While Robbie did not perform on the night, his… Read more »

Peter Kay Switches on Blackpool’s Illuminations for Star-Studded Weekend

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Britain’s most popular comedian, Peter Kay, switched on Blackpool Illuminations in 2014. In a rare public appearance, the Phoenix Nights star, whose name has been synonymous with Blackpool since his record selling “Live at the Top of Tower” DVD, charmed the 20,000-strong crowd at Blackpool’s seafront Festival Headlands.Fireworks launched from the top of The Blackpool Tower as the lights turned on the Golden Mile and along the length of the town’s famous Promenade. The Bolton-born comedian revealed his delight at turning on the famous display in an exclusive interview with Rock FM. He told the station: “Blackpool is a huge… Read more »

Jonathan Ross & Gary Barlow Switch-On the Illuminations

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Celebrity broadcaster Jonathan Ross flicked the switch for Blackpool Illuminations in 2013, a different show as the event had been extended for a whole weekend! It even made national news that year after The Script had to cancel their appearance at the last minute. With only 48 hours notice, it was a huge challenge for Blackpool to find a replacement but they managed to do it in style by getting Gary Barlow to appear as the headline act. The Take That star, Gary Barlow, brought the Illuminations alive with an amazing show. Plus singer-songwriter Eliza Doolittle performed as a special… Read more »

Nigel Farage Speaks at Blackpool’s Imperial Hotel

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On 20 June 2024, Nigel Farage brought his Reform UK campaign to Blackpool, addressing a sold-out crowd at the Imperial Hotel. Prior to his speech, Farage unveiled a new campaign poster in the town and spoke to local media including the Gazette, positioning Reform as the only real alternative to both Labour and the Conservatives. He urged locals to “join the revolt,” claiming that Britain was broken and only his party had the answers to fix it. Responding to a question on what Reform could do for Blackpool, Farage pointed to the party’s flagship pledge: raising the personal income tax… Read more »

Elvis Costello and His Father Were Blackpool Favourites

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Elvis Costello has graced Blackpool with his performances on multiple occasions. On 13 June 2013, he appeared at the Blackpool Opera House as part of his “Revolver Tour.” This distinctive tour featured a giant spinning wheel that determined the setlist, allowing audience members to influence the selection of songs performed each night. He returned to the same venue on 9 March 2020, this time accompanied by The Imposters for their “Just Trust” tour, which highlighted tracks from their 2018 album Look Now, alongside timeless favourites from Costello’s expansive repertoire. Looking ahead, Costello and The Imposters are set to perform at… Read more »

Blackpool Police Confirm David Schwimmer’s Innocence

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On 24 October 2018, Blackpool Police appealed to the public for help identifying a man caught on CCTV carrying a crate of beer—immediately sparking viral attention due to the suspect’s uncanny resemblance to Friends actor David Schwimmer. The image, shared on the police force’s Facebook page, drew widespread amusement and thousands of show-related comments. The post gained even more traction when Schwimmer himself responded with a tongue-in-cheek video. Mimicking the suspect’s actions in a New York store, he furtively glanced at a camera while carrying beer, captioning the video: “Officers, I swear it wasn’t me. As you can see, I… Read more »

Jimi Hendrix Plays Live at Blackpool Opera House

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ABC Odeon Cinema – 14 & 15 April 1967 Continuing with the UK package tour featuring The Walker Brothers, Cat Stevens, Engelbert Humperdinck, The Californians, The Quotations, and MC Nick Jones; The Jimi Hendrix Experience performed two shows at the Odeon Cinema in Blackpool. Hendrix later said in an interview, “Although I wasn’t scared starting my first big tour, we did wonder how they would accept us, there being so many different acts and us probably the most extreme of all. In Blackpool, the police slipped Mitch and Noel through side doors and took me around the block five times… Read more »

David Durie Makes His FA Cup Debut Against Manchester City

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David George Durie (13 August 1931 – 30 August 2016) was an English professional footballer widely admired for his prolific scoring ability and exemplary conduct, spending the majority of his career at Blackpool Football Club. Born and raised in Blackpool, Durie attended Revoe School and signed with his hometown club in 1952. Initially brought in as cover for Allan Brown, he gradually carved out his own place in the team. He made his league debut on 23 February 1953 in a 2–0 defeat to Charlton Athletic and scored his first goal later that season in a 5–1 loss at Middlesbrough…. Read more »

Blackpool Loses Footballing Giant Bill Parr in Tragic Plane Crash

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William (Bill) Wilfred Parr (23 April 1915 – 8 March 1942) was an accomplished England amateur international footballer and wartime RAF pilot, whose promising sporting career was tragically cut short during the Second World War. Born in Revoe, Blackpool, Parr attended Revoe School and began playing football locally with Grasmere Road Methodists, all while working at Blackpool Town Hall. Despite his amateur status, he broke into Blackpool FC’s first team, making 18 appearances. His natural pace and talent on the right wing caught wider attention, and by the late 1930s he had established himself as an England amateur international, earning… Read more »

Stanley Mortensen Signs with Blackpool Football Club

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Stanley Harding Mortensen (26 May 1921 – 22 May 1991) was a distinguished English professional footballer, best remembered for his remarkable performance in the 1953 FA Cup final, commonly referred to as the “Matthews Final.” During this match, he made history by becoming the only player to score a hat-trick in a Wembley FA Cup final. Mortensen was also the first player to score for England in a FIFA World Cup qualifying match and later became the first England player to find the net in the World Cup itself. Wartime career Born in South Shields, Mortensen enlisted in the armed… Read more »