Doctor Who lights up Blackpool

With a flick of the switch, Doctor Who star David Tennant lit up the world famous Blackpool Illuminations.

Around 18,000 people crowded around the seaside resort's Promenade last night, close to the Blackpool Tower to see Tennant hit the button.

As he turned on the lights, he joked: "Red Rum once did this with his hoof.

"I'm delighted to be following in the hoof-steps of Red Rum.

"It's a little bit overwhelming to be honest."

The actor, complete with Daleks and Tardis, confessed he had never previously visited the illuminations before launching into a countdown and switching the lights on.

Radio 2 aired the switch-on live with music from chart toppers McFly, Natalie Imbruglia, Natasha Bedingfield, and Gareth Gates.

The event was hosted by Dale Winton, who attended last year's switch-on and who also fronts Radio 2's Sunday afternoon Pick of the Pops show.

Tennant flicked the switch at around 9.35pm last night at the end of a spectacular hour-long show building up to start of the illuminations.

The ceremony marks the start of the illuminations' 66-night run, which will see more than six miles of the promenade bathed in light.

Music videos and warm-up acts launched the start of the celebrations.

Bedingfield performed her new single Say it Again at Blackpool's Radio 2 Arena and boy band McFly also appeared at the launch of a UK tour.

The light displays take a total of 65,000 staff hours over 22 weeks to erect.

The illuminations cost around £2.4 million to stage and the equipment itself is worth about £10 million.

Designers use more than a million lamps to create the show.

The lights are expected to attract more than 3.5 million visitors to Blackpool during their nine week run.

Visitors are expected to spend around £275 million during the illuminations period.

The lights will shine until Sunday, November 4.

Copyright Press Association 2007.

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