Blackpool Illuminations Switch-On

Ahead of Friday's big Switch-On night, here's everything you need to know about the new Blackpool Illuminations season.

Transcript

00:00Every autumn, something magical happens on the Lancashire coast.

00:17Welcome to the Blackpool Illuminations, the world-famous light show

00:20that has been dazzling visitors for over a century.

00:24First switched on in 1879, the Illuminations began with just eight arc lamps

00:29on Blackpool Promenade. Back then, they were called Artificial Sunshine.

00:33Today, they stretch for over six miles, featuring over a million bulbs,

00:37stunning installations and jaw-dropping digital projections.

00:41This isn't just a light show, it's a piece of living history.

00:44Over the years, celebrities who have flicked the famous switch include

00:47Ken Dodd, Doctor Who, Peter Kaye, Robbie Williams, Frank Bruno, the Bee Gees,

00:54and even racehorse, Red Rum.

00:55And this year is no different. This Friday, the iconic switch-on event returns,

01:01kicking off the 2025 season with a bang.

01:04Held at the Tower Festival headland, it'll feature live performances,

01:07celebrity guests and, of course, singer Olly Murs,

01:10switching on the world-famous lights for the very first time.

01:14The free switch-on event is ticketed and sold out,

01:17but live screens on the promenade will allow anyone who missed out

01:20to still be a part of the show.

01:22The illuminations will go on at 9.15,

01:25and the lights will stay on until one in the morning.

01:28They'll be then lit nightly from eight o'clock,

01:30with earlier switch-on times as the nights draw in.

01:33On the last day, the 4th of January 2026,

01:36they'll shine from 4.30 in the afternoon till half-past ten.

01:43Whether you're here for the nostalgia, the family fun,

01:45or just to soak up the spectacle,

01:47the Blackpool Illuminations continues to be

01:49one of Britain's brightest traditions, literally.