CHILDREN’S TV star Alex Winters is to kick start Huddersfield’s Christmas celebrations.
The CBeebies presenter will be in town to switch on the Christmas lights on Saturday, November 19.
And the celebrations will be joined by Huddersfield Town and Kirklees College.
The official launch of the festive season, the Christmas lights switch on, will take place from 4.30pm on the Piazza, with family entertainment and fun.
Organisers expect hundreds of young children will be delighted that it will be Winters who will be pushing the big red button.
Alex, who has previously acted in Doctor Who and Torchwood, has been presenting on the channel since 2009, appearing on Discover and Do from 9am-noon and 1pm-3.30pm, and on the ‘Bedtime Hour’ from 6-7pm.
He studied Drama and Theatre Studies with Psychology in Liverpool, and went on to work in a number of theatre projects before he achieved his dream to work on children’s television.
Over the two years Alex has presented CBeebies to date, he has introduced hundreds of programmes – but he has two favourites: Charlie and Lola, and Gigglebiz.
Huddersfield Town and Kirklees College have come together to support the Christmas switch on to make it one to remember.
Town will be playing a home game against Notts County earlier in the day (kick off at 3pm) so football fans can make a day of it and join the festivities after the final whistle, along with mascot Terry the Terrier and ambassador Andy Booth.
And dancers from Kirklees College will be performing on stage before the switch on.
The entertainment will begin with a Pulse Radio Roadshow starting at 4.30pm, with entertainment and competitions.
The party reaches its climax just before 6.30pm when Alex will be pressing the big red button to light up the town.
Clr Peter McBride, lead Cabinet member for regeneration said: “The switch on marks the start of the festive season for so many people and we’re really pleased to be working with Huddersfield Town and Kirklees College on the event.
“The switch on always attracts huge numbers to the town and this year should be no exception.”
Town’s commercial director Sean Jarvis said: “As a club at the heart of the local community we are delighted to be playing a part in this year’s Christmas lights switch on – one of the biggest events on the Huddersfield calendar”.
Melanie Brooke, vice-principal for corporate services at Kirklees College, said: “Being involved in the Christmas switch-on event is a great way for us to meet our local community”.
The Christmas lights will be followed on December 2 by the start of the three-day spectacular Festival of Light.
Spanish street theatre company Grupo Puja will present two shows in St George’s Square, expected to attract thousands.
