Jonathan Ross is Switch-On star 2013

Jonathan Ross will switch on this year's Blackpool Illuminations.

And he’s doing it because he loves the town.

The ITV star visited the resort with his family last year and was “blown away” by the place.

And his visit for this year’s Switch-On – on Friday, August 30 – will coincide with his and screenwriter wife Jane Goldman’s 25th wedding anniversary celebrations.

Jonathan – ‘Wossy’ to his three million followers on Twitter – said: “I am thrilled to have been asked to switch on the Illuminations. We visited Blackpool last year and were blown away by what a great place it is for families.

“To be asked to come back this year and switch on the Lights is fantastic and we are all looking forward to spending another weekend in resort.

“I can’t believe I’m going to get to stand in front of Blackpool Tower and actually flick the switch on the Lights.”

The announcement that Jonathan is to switch on the Lights comes a week after Irish rockers The Script were announced as the headline act at the Switch-On concert on Tower Festival Headland with special guest Eliza Doolittle.

Natalie Wyatt, Managing Director of Marketing Blackpool, said: “We’ve wanted Jonathan as our Switch-On star for some time so we are delighted he has accepted.

“Jonathan and his family made it quite clear when they visited Blackpool last year just how great they thought the resort was.

“They are fantastic ambassadors for us and it’s only right we give Jonathan this opportunity to visit again and be the star of our biggest event of the year.”

This year marks a big change to the format for Switch-On and for the first time the resort is hosting a weekend of concerts on Friday and Saturday to utilise the The Tower Festival Headland.

The Script will perform a full concert on Friday ahead of Jonathan coming on stage to mark the official start of the Blackpool Illuminations season, which shines until  November 10.

Details of who will be performing on Saturday, August 31, will be revealed soon.

Tickets for The Script are priced at £34 and are available from VisitBlackpool Tourist Information Centre, See Tickets, Ticketmaster and GigsandTours.

For more information go to:

www.seetickets.com, www.ticketmaster.com, www.gigsandtours.com, www.visitblackpool.com.

You can also register for updates at www.visitblackpool.com/switchon.

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