Tim Burton, Blackpool Pleasure Beach's “biggest fan”, will switch on the Blackpool illuminations this year.
The Edward Scissorhands film director, who was in Blackpool shooting scenes for his new film Miss Peregrine’s Home for Peculiar Children earlier this year, will switch on the illuminations in front of 20,000 people on 4 September.
Burton joins Professor Green, Al Murray and The Vamps to appear at the three-day iFest event.
A spokesman for Blackpool Council said it has a long association with the director, who has visited the resort a number of times. He told The Independent: “We’ve had dealings with him a number of times in the past. He was filming his latest film in town earlier in the year and he has done another music video, a Killers video, two or three years back.
“We've always known he is quite a big fan and loves Blackpool."
Blackpool is a popular seaside resort
Fifteen thousand tickets for the weekend event were given away for free but a further 5,000 remain up for sale.
Cllr Gillian Campbell, Deputy Leader of Blackpool Council, said: "Having one of the most famous film directors in the world turn on the Blackpool Illuminations is a major coup and shows the high regard the town is held in the hearts of our famous visitors.
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"Millions of people around the world have enjoyed the films Tim has directed including Edward Scissorhands, Batman and Planet of the Apes. We know he is a huge fan of Blackpool and we are delighted that he has agreed to switch the Illuminations on for us on the biggest night of Blackpool’s year."
