No more 'ridiculous' celebrity fees for Kettering's Christmas lights events as council looks to keep it local

Thousands of pounds have been spent to bring big TV names to the town’s switch-on events
Watch more of our videos on Shots! 
and live on Freeview channel 276
Visit Shots! now

Big name celebrities switching on Kettering’s Christmas lights will be a thing of the past after a council agreed to keep it local in the future.

In recent years the now-defunct Kettering Borough Council, and its replacement North Northamptonshire Council (NNC), have spent thousands of pounds bringing TV stars to the town to kick off festive celebrations.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

But Kettering Town Council (KTC), which has agreed to take on the event from NNC from 2023, has decided not to fork out for celebrities but to use local people and acts to front it.

Samia Longchambon, centre, next to NNC leader Jason Smithers at last year's big switch-onSamia Longchambon, centre, next to NNC leader Jason Smithers at last year's big switch-on
Samia Longchambon, centre, next to NNC leader Jason Smithers at last year's big switch-on

Cllr Craig Skinner (Con, Ise Lodge), chairman of the council’s markets and events committee, said: "Councillors are always mindful that we are spending taxpayers' money and look to reduce expenditure where possible.

"We felt that this was an area in which we could make some savings without compromising the overall quality of the event. This decision also reflects the strong feedback we had from our budget consultation and on the night at the last switch-on about using local people in the future, not celebrities.

“We are committed to ensuring that the event continues to be high quality and vibrant and I look forward to sharing more details as plans are developed in the coming months.”

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The move was welcomed by Cllr Clark Mitchell (Lab, Avondale Grange), whose recent Freedom of Information request revealed exactly how much celebrities had been given to attend Kettering’s Christmas celebrations.

Former EastEnders star Cheryl Fergison was paid £1,245 after she replaced Lindsay Lohan, who sent a video apology to the town having previously pledged to turn them on, in 2016. Ms Lohan had been invited to do so by MP Philip Hollobone after a Twitter outburst during on the night of the EU referendum in which she said: “#REMAIN Sorry but #KETTERING where are you.”

Hometown hero comedian James Acaster turned on the lights in 2017 and was not paid a fee. The following year, in 2018, Kettering’s snooker star Kyren Wilson flicked the switch and a donation was made to a chosen charity.

In 2019 actor Will Mellor, who has appeared in Hollyoaks, Casualty and Two Pints of Lager and a Packet of Crisps, was paid £2,075 to turn the town’s lights on.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Covid pandemic meant there was no big public switch-on in 2020 but comedian Hugh Dennis, who was born in Kettering, kicked off the town’s celebrations in a virtual ceremony. He was paid £1,800, the council’s Freedom of Information response revealed.

Wollaston’s Paralympic gold medal swimmer Maisie Summers-Newton had the honour in 2021 and a donation was made to charity.

And finally two months ago Samia Longchambon, who plays Maria Connor in Coronation Street, was the last celebrity to be paid to attend the town’s lights switch-on. The Freedom of Information response revealed £2,500 had been budgeted for her attendance but that it was yet to be paid at the time of the response.

Cllr Mitchell said: “There’s only two people you need and that’s Santa Claus and the mayor. The kids want to see Santa, the adults want to see the mayor. That’s it.

"To pay a celebrity to come and do it is just ridiculous.”