I went from Blackpool to winning three Emmys and directing the Superbowl Half time show
“My love affair with live moments and with community, bringing people together around a story, a joke, a performance, a song- it started in Blackpool.”
To those who know the entertainment industry, Hamish Hamilton is a very big deal. Hamish has directed some of the world's biggest live television events, including every Super Bowl halftime show since 2010, the opening and closing ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic Games, the Academy Awards, the MTV Video Music Awards and the Grammy Awards.
Over the summer he directed the first-ever halftime show at a FIFA World Cup final, and he has planned tours for some of the world’s biggest artists, including Madonna, Beyonce and The Rolling Stones.
Most people, however, are oblivious to Hamish’s humble beginnings on the Fylde coast. Born and raised in St Annes and educated at Arnold School in South Shore, Hamish spent his entire childhood enjoying the wonders and thrills of Blackpool.
“It was an incredible place to grow up in,” Hamish told the Gazette when asked about his upbringing on the Fylde coast. “I would go out and go to the Pleasure Beach or the Illuminations, or the clubs or any of the shows on the piers. Blackpool's got a heart that many places haven't got, and that's down to the people.
“The honesty of Blackpool, the spirit of Blackpool, the vibrancy, the colour, the lights- it's definitely in my DNA. The Golden Mile has influenced every show that I've ever created or shot. My love affair with live moments and with community, bringing people together around a story, a joke, a performance, a song- it started in Blackpool.”
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“I'm incredibly proud of having grown up in Blackpool. I really acknowledge what the town gave to me. I didn't necessarily always realise that, but now, as I reflect a little more than possibly I have before, I look back on how great Blackpool is, what it gave to me and how it catapulted me.
“It gave me a kind of belief, and it gave me an immersion in culture, entertainment, comedy, music and people that I probably wouldn't have got anywhere else.”
Hamish now lives in London and regularly travels the world for work. Despite his status as one of the world’s leading live television directors, he still makes time to return to the Fylde coast, visiting Blackpool around once a month.
When asked about Blackpool’s City of Culture bid and his hopes for future investment in the town, Hamish said he wants residents to take more pride in where they live, and come together to help galvanise the town.
“Blackpool is definitely knocked back on its heels. It hasn't got that same confidence or swagger. I don't think Blackpool should ever apologise for what it is, because the welcome that you get here, it’s authentic.
“Blackpool is a jewel that has this incredible heritage, this incredible brand, and this incredible popularity. People still love it- everybody needs a bit of Blackpool in their life.”
“I think that winning the City of Culture, it’s not about the money. It’s about the spotlight being shown on this great town, and people feeling the warmth of that light and thinking, let's come together and bring this town alive again.
“For me, it's about transforming the energy and the confidence within the town, bringing people together, giving people the belief that they can do something and create and join a community. After that, the possibilities are endless.”