'Corona heroes' switching on Blackpool Illuminations revealed

A group of Britain’s "Corona Heroes" will switch on this year’s Blackpool Illuminations, it has been revealed.

The group, including a consultant and two nurses, will turn on the famous lights at a virtual switch-on event, that will be streamed by MTV on 4 September.

The selected group of seven corona heroes will be joined at the Tower Ballroom by Ashley an Jordan Banjo, Blackpool singer Rae Morris and the Illumination's curator Laurence Llewlyn-Bowen.

The "Corona Heroes" who will turn on this year's Blackpool Illuminations. Credit: Visit Blackpool

The full group are (from top left to right):

  • Rachelle Sutton - a nurse moved out of the family home and lived in a hotel so that she could complete 12-hour shifts at the Nightingale Hospital in Manchester.

  • Donna Doyle - The catering manager from Alder Hey Hospital who had to double the number of meals being produced on-site during the pandemic.

  • Kirsty Jones - The nurse from Blackpool’s Trinity Hospice moved into a flat by herself in order to continue her work but also protect her husband who was shielding.

  • Leona Harris - A nurse from Rossendale who raised over £75,000 to buy ipads for hospital patients and care home residents.

  • Dr Jason Cupitt - The consultant who led the Covid-19 response at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

  • David Anderson and Jasper the therapy dog - Hospital chaplain David and his cockapoo have provided support and comfort to sick patients in East Lancashire hospitals.

  • Will Ritchie - The six-year-old boy from the Wirral was born with a severe visual impairment and epilepsy, during lockdown he went from walking 100m to 1500m a day.

The Illuminations will also feature a further tribute to NHS staff and key-workers for their work during the pandemic, with 48 people having their faces made up in lights.The switch-on moment in the ballroom will be part of an hour-long streamed event that will be freely accessible on VisitBlackpool and MTV channels.

It will feature at-home performances by Melanie C, Becky Hill, Fleur East, Tom Grennan, Joel Corry, as well as a performance by Diversity.

Laurence Llewelyn-Bowen, who helped select the winning nominations for the Corona Heroes section in the Illuminations said: "We have all been truly humbled by the volume and nature of the nominations that we received.

"Every single nomination has illustrated the dedication and self-sacrifice that has been made by so many individuals during this pandemic, whether they be NHS staff, care workers, delivery drivers, fund-raisers or others who have put their own lives on hold to support the sick and the vulnerable."

"I only wish that we could include all of the nominations within the Illuminations display because each and every one deserves their place in the limelight."