From next week, people will be able to register online to be in with a chance of getting a ticket to the Lights extravaganza on September 3.
Tickets will be allocated at random in a lottery-style.

And Real Radio and Smooth Radio, who are behind this year's Switch On weekend, will announce the rest of the star studded line up in the coming days.

Hoteliers and tourism leaders have hailed the announcement that music legend Robbie will be man behind the switch this year as a massive coup for the resort.

Claire Smith, vice-chairman of StayBlackpool and owner of the Number One guest house, said: "You can't really top Robbie can you?

"The news just keeps getting better and better for Blackpool at the moment.

"I am sure many of the smaller hoteliers will have been flooded with calls for rooms after the announcement was made.

"He appeals to everyone, from teeny bopper girls to women of a certain age."
http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpo....2401.jp

Robbie Williams will turn on Blackpool's famous Illuminations, it was announced today.
The singer, 36, rumoured to be about to marry his American girlfriend Ayda Field, will visit the Lancashire resort for the traditional big autumn switch-on on September 3.

Williams, who releases his new single Shame on October 4, is no stranger to the town, having filmed the video for his hit single Advertising Space in Blackpool.

Williams said: "Blackpool has so many happy memories for me and it will be a real thrill to turn on the 2010 Illuminations which I am told are seen by three million people every year.

"This will cap my 20th year of making music and I can't think of a better place to celebrate that than Blackpool."

Last month Take That ended months of speculation by announcing Williams was rejoining the band for a new album. He walked out 15 years ago.
Los Angeles-based Williams and Field have been together for more than three years since meeting through friends.

They are reportedly going on a two-week honeymoon before he arrives back in the UK to promote the new Take That material.

According to reports from the US, Williams' Take That bandmates are not attending the "intimate" wedding ceremony on Santa Catalina.

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news....1109.jp

15,000 lucky people will find out tomorrow – via e-mail – they have won a coveted ticket to the must-see Switch On bash.

Blackpool Council leader Peter Callow said: "The response to this year's event has been phenomenal.

"Even if we turned the whole town into a stadium we wouldn't be able to fit all the people who have applied in.

"The whole town will be throbbing on Switch On night –it's going to be absolutely fantastic.

"Robbie is an A-List celebrity and he is absolutely red hot at the moment.

"He has also been so kind about Blackpool. It's his first engagement following his wedding and he's said he can't think of abetter place to be, which coming from a world traveller is amazing."

A quarter of all the Switch On tickets will be allocated to Blackpool residents. Those who have missed out will be able to watch the festivities via a giant screen erected on St Chad's headland.

And it is not just the crowds who are getting excited. The Switch On stars cannot wait to get to the resort.

X Factor finalist Olly Murs, who dueted with Robbie in the final of the competition, is calling for the singing sensation to perform with him on the night.

The cheeky Essex boy told The Gazette: "I'm really excited about the Lights Switch On –thanks for having me.

"It'll be great to see Robbie, it's amazing to see him so happy. "I'm sure he's over the moon about his marriage to Ayda Field and grinning like a Cheshire Cat.

"It'd be nice to do a duet with him. If he asked me I'd definitely be up for it!"
http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpo....6394.jp

The car, which is hotly tipped to break the World Land Speed Record, is believed to reach face wobbling, mind bending speeds of up to 1,000 miles per hour.

On Friday however, the car will be on show at Blackpool Airport for car lovers, budding engineers and school children alike to marvel at.

John McNicholas, ambassador for the car said: "We really hope we will get some good interest with Bloodhound.

"It is a real coup for the town.

"Not only is the whole project completely British, it is innovative, iconic and unmissable.

"It has a great team behind it and I believe it is more than capable of smashing the land speed record.

"I particularly hope the sight of it may inspire many young engineers of the future, it is incredible to behold."

Bloodhound SSC will be parked outside Blackpool Airport between 10.30am and 3pm on Friday.

Later the car will be on display at different venues throughout the weekend as part of the TVR rally.

The speed of the car is such it could cover four and a half football pitches in one second.

The current record holder is the British-designed Thrust SSC, which achieved 763 miles per hour breaking the sound barrier in 1997.
http://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/blackpo....8512.jp

The star, newly-reunited with Take That, will flick on the lights which will shine bright for 66 nights until November 7.

Thousands of people are expected to flock to the resort to see Williams with a special switch-on concert also taking place.
http://www.google.com/hostedn....r3BxrgA

The star, newly-reunited with Take That, will flick on the lights which will shine bright for 66 nights until November 7.

Thousands of people are expected to flock to the resort to see Williams with a special switch-on concert also taking place.

Up to 42,000 hopefuls logged onto the visitBlackpool website in one week to request a total of 152,569 tickets for the gig following the announcement that Williams would be appearing.

The concert, in a purpose-built arena off the Promenade, will feature opera singer Russell Watson, boy band The Wanted, X-Factor runner-up Olly Murs, pop singers Gabriella Cilmi and Alesha Dixon, girl group Bond and US pop rockers The Plain White T's.

Williams, who will not perform, will switch on the illuminations at 9pm.

A big screen at St Chad's headland on the Promenade will show the concert and the switch-on for those who were unable to get tickets.

Cllr Maxine Callow, Blackpool Council's cabinet member for regeneration and tourism, said: "This is truly a wonderful line-up and we're delighted that we'll be welcoming thousands of people to the resort for switch-on night and that we are able to support businesses yet again by providing people with another reason to visit Blackpool."

Read more: http://www.mirror.co.uk/celebs....Tjon8Ln

The former “kiss me quick” north-west seaside resort has been on a real winner since its football club was promoted to the Premier League.

And its new, glamorous appeal will be sealed tonight when Take That star Robbie Williams, 36, switches on the famous illuminations.

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The light show on the resort’s promenade is sure to attract thousands more visitors this month.

Blackpool leapt from ninth to fourth in the league table of top UK hotel searches.

It leapfrogged the likes of Brighton, Manchester and Glasgow in the table, compiled by the travel comparison website travelsupermarket.com

The top three are London, Edinburgh and York. The website’s Bob Atkinson said: “Undoubtedly the promotion of Blackpool’s football club is a welcome boost to hoteliers and the town’s economy as a whole.

“In addition to visiting for a football match, Blackpool has a lot to offer whether you’re travelling with your family, friends, or as a couple.”
http://dailystar.co.uk/news....revival

The star will flick the switch on the lights, which will shine for 66 nights along their six-mile stretch of the resort's seafront.

Williams, newly-reunited with his Take That band mates, will not be performing at the event's concert.

More than 150,000 ticket applications were made for the 15,000-capacity gig at the promenade's Central Arena.

The concert will feature singer Russell Watson, boy band The Wanted, X-Factor runner-up Olly Murs, pop singers Gabriella Cilmi and Alesha Dixon, girl group Bond and US band The Plain White T's.

Williams will switch on the world-famous light show - which generates an estimated £275m for the resort - at 2100 BST.

A big screen at St Chad's headland on the Promenade will show the concert and the switch-on for those who were unable to get tickets.

Councillor Maxine Callow, Blackpool Council's cabinet member for regeneration and tourism, said: "This is truly a wonderful line-up and we're delighted that we'll be welcoming thousands of people to the resort for switch-on night and that we are able to support businesses yet again by providing people with another reason to visit Blackpool."
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-11174416