Switch on 2021
Marlow celebrates a live Christmas Switch On with Chris Evans
It seemed the whole of Marlow turned out for the Christmas Switch On last evening, Thursday 25 November, as Chris Evans, radio presenter and local resident, flicked the switch from the top of the double-decker bus in the High Street.
The crowds roared and cheered when Marlow’s beautiful lights display was illuminated, while ‘snow’ fell and street entertainers performed. Children marvelled at the twinkling huge Christmas tree on The Causeway as the lights came on.
Mayor Richard Scott wished everyone a Happy and safe Christmas and thanked all the sponsors. “Without sponsors, our very special Christmas lights wouldn’t be possible,” he said. “Thank you for your generosity once again.”
“Marlow is the best place in the world!” Chris Evans said, recalling last year’s event, when he was filmed secretly turning on the lights in the middle of the night due to Covid restrictions.
Chris led an ‘official world record-breaking countdown’ from 100 before turning on the lights, and paid tribute to Marlow community policeman Robin Hughes, who is due to retire in December after 21 years of service in the town.
Secret Switch On 2020
Insomniacs and early risers might have asked themselves what Chris Evans was doing, whizzing around the town in his red sports car in the darkness of the small hours of Thursday 19th November, hotly pursued by a film crew – all fully socially distanced of course!
He was surreptitiously switching on Marlow’s stunning new Christmas lights, creating a rather different version of Marlow’s annual celebrity Switch On event. Chris announced his night time activities life on 19th November on his Virgin Radio breakfast show, to the surprise of the residents of the town, who were delighted to see the now-famous lights display.
A short film of the radio presenter, with his son, Noah, switching on the lights from various locations, can be seen here: https://we.tl/t-1NYB6RMpFC In the film Chris talks of his love of the town and living here and he and Mayor Richard Scott wish everyone a very Happy Christmas. At the close of the film, Marlow Bridge is briefly illuminated, thanks to the lighting company Lumatech.
We are hugely grateful to Chris for helping us to switch on our renowned Christmas Lights this year,” the Mayor said, “We were sorry to have to cancel the live event, but hopefully this will make up for it. The team has done a fantastic job in creating the film and we very much hope people will enjoy the results.”
On behalf of the Council, the Mayor expressed his gratitude to Brand Events and their production team for their hard work in creating the film, and to all of our wonderfully generous sponsors without whom the Christmas lights would not be possible.
