Joe lights up our lives at the big turn on
CROWD pleaser Joe McElderry proved to be a right turn on last night as he pulled the switch for Newcastle’s Christmas lights.
The X Factor star and South Shields favourite whipped up some festive spirit before he pressed the button which illuminated around 20,000 twinkling lights.
He took to the stage at the Monument where around 5,000 people had gathered to watch the annual treat.
And the singer, who will be starring in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat at Metro Radio Arena over Christmas, wore the coat of many colours over his suit to belt out hits from the show before ditching it to deliver some Christmas songs.
Fans in the crowd, which stretched from Grainger Street to the Monument, sang along and cheered when he finally flicked the switch and a canopy of lights sparkled overhead, with decorations in the nearby streets following suit.
Excitement had started to build an hour ahead of the switch-on with on-stage entertainment, hosted by Metro Radio breakfast presenters Steve and Karen, getting underway at 5.30pm.
Among those waiting to hear Joe were mother and daughter Lorraine and Georgia Dingwall who had travelled in from Durham especially to see the singer, arriving at 1.30pm to bag a good spot.
Lorraine said: “We’ve never been to watch Newcastle’s lights before but we came to see Joe McElderry. My 17-year-old daughter is a huge fan.”
This year’s Christmas lights event teamed up with NSPCC (The National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children).
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