Friday 4 November 2016

Lindsay Lohan replaced by Cheryl Fergison for Kettering's big Christmas lights switch-on

Lindsay Lohan replaced by Cheryl Fergison for Kettering's big Christmas lights switch-on
 
Kettering residents rejoice after Lindsay Lohan is replaced with Cheryl Fergison in their Christmas Lights switch-on.
 
Unconfirmed rumours have been circulating the last few days that Lindsay Lohan turned down Kettering Borough Council's offer to turn on their Christmas lights this year.
 
Instead, Cheryl Fergison, who played Heather Trott in Eastenders, will have the honour.

As popular as Lindsay Lohan is around the world, Kettering residents have come out in favour of Cheryl Fergison turning on their lights instead.

One Kettering local said: "So glad Cheryl Fergison is doing it, no one wanted Lindsay Lohan. Cheryl will do great."

Another resident rejoiced: "This is great news, Cheryl Fergison to do the Christmas lights in Kettering. I love her. Can't wait to see her in the pantomime as well."

Although @andy_from_sligo said on Twitter: "Cheryl Fergison is to turn on xmas lights in #Kettering then - why didn't they ask Sonia, shes just moved there lol #eastenders

Cheryl who played Heather Trott in Eastenders for five years until her character was brutally murdered by Ben Mitchell revealed on twitter:

"Hi all yep I'm switching on the Xmas lights in Kettering on 24 th of November so I hope to see you all there can't wait to meet the peeps."

Adding:

"Sorry 2 disappoint some folks but I'm not Lindsay Lohan! but I am going 2 b switching on Kettering Xmas lights .. The party starts here."

Cheryl might be more well known for her role in the popular British soap, but she has also been in hit BBC television shows such as Doctor Who and Allo' Allo'.

Since leaving Eastenders, Cheryl has struggled to get rid of the ghost of Heather Trott. She did Big Brother in 2012, and was a contestant on ITV's Your Face Sounds Familiar in 2013. But she is still looking for that next big role on television.

Replacing Lindsay Lohan to switch on Kettering's Christmas Lights was an obvious choice.

Cheryl is currently starring in Kettering's yearly panto, Beauty and the Beast, at the Lighthouse Theatre, as Malevolent.

So, if you have a spare few hours, pop to Kettering town to see the former soap push the big red button.
 
The Story with Lindsay Lohan and Kettering's Christmas Lights

Back in June, on the date of the European Union exit vote, Lindsay Lohan tweeted that she had no idea where Kettering was, after her disagreeing with Kettering voting to leave the EU.
 
It got the Kettering MP, Philip Hollobone, fuming. She soon apologised, deleted the tweet and, after an invite from the Conservative MP, agreed to come to Kettering to switch on the Christmas lights.
 
Everyone was jumping with joy. It would surely be a huge coup to get an A-List Hollywood star to come to the sleepy midlands town for the big Christmas lights turn-on.

In the past, Kettering could only arrange not-quite stars to push the button. Daren Day, a star of the West End, and former "I'm a Celebrity, get me out of here," contestant has had the honour. As has Jake Wood, who played Max Branning in the television soap, Eastenders.

So, if Hollywood came to Kettering, it would be a huge boost for the town, known only as the "Home of Weetabix."

But it's never that simple. A war was brewing.

Kettering Borough Council repeatedly said they had tried to get in contact with Lindsay Lohan, but the Mean Girl's star had just ignored them.
 
Philip Hollobone told BBC news, "She said she would come and switch on the Christmas lights at Kettering but, despite everyone's best efforts, it's simply not possible to track her down."
 
Hollobone added, "I'm a great believer in if you have made a pledge, then you should honour it. However, the people of Kettering know what celebrities can be like, so we weren't counting our chickens too much."
 
A few days ago, Kettering Borough Council confirmed, "We have made direct contact with Lindsay Lohan's representatives."
  
They added, "Understandably, Lindsay Lohan is very busy, but her representatives are looking to see whether she can make it work."
 
But that's not the whole story.
 
Philip Hollobone MP, told BBC news they had made "multiple" efforts to contact Lindsay Lohan about coming to Kettering, but were unsuccessful.
 
"Despite everyone's best efforts, it's simply not possible to track her down."
 
However, a representative for Lindsay Lohan has revealed they hadn't, in fact, heard anything at all from either Philip Hollobone, or Kettering Borough Council.
 
Their combined efforts to try and embarrass Lindsay, or shame her into honouring the tweet she made about turning on the Christmas lights in Kettering, was shameful.
 
But Kettering Borough Council have now made contact.
 
The representative told the Independent Newspaper: "We heard from the council for the first time late yesterday afternoon. Any claims Philip Hollobone made that he tried to get in touch with her by official means are completely unfounded."
 
He added: "Lindsay will be there if her schedule allows."
 
Kettering Borough Council have now backtracked. A spokesperson has come out and said, "All the efforts we made were in the public arena."
 
Adding: "Due to the limited resources available to them, the council struggled to find the best official contact for her."
 
They also apologised for any misunderstanding caused.
 
Kettering Borough Council are now in talks with Lindsay Lohan's agent to arrange for her to come to Kettering to switch on their Christmas Lights, which would be a huge boost for the town, and a night to remember for all residents.
 
Philip Hollobone issued a statement: "It is great news that contact between Kettering Council and Lindsay Lohan has now been made."
 
He went on to say: "Everyone understands that Lindsay Lohan is a world famous actress and a busy person. Clearly, if she makes time from her busy schedule to attend, everyone in Kettering and across the UK would regard her as a really good sport."

Read the previous stories about Lindsay Lohan

Lindsay Lohan to switch on Kettering town's Christmas Lights

Lindsay Lohan in hiding over Christmas lights debacle

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