Peter Andre to top the bill at Countdown to Christmas

Multi-million selling chart-topper and TV star Peter Andre has today been revealed as the headline live act for Newport Now BID’s Countdown to Christmas spectacular.

Running from 2pm to 5.30pm on Saturday, November 15, Countdown to Christmas will feature live music, fairground rides and celebrity guests, culminating in the official switching on of Newport’s city centre 2025 Christmas lights and a breath-taking fireworks display.

Pop star, TV presenter and actor Peter Andre has been a star since the mid-1990s – initially as a chart-topping singer.

During his musical career, Peter has sold more than 2.3 million singles and albums in the UK alone. His singles Flava, I Feel You and Mysterious Girl all reached number one in the UK charts as part of a haul of 10 top 10 singles. Peter has also achieved four top 10 albums in the UK, including the chart-topping Natural.

Over the last 30 years, Peter has become one of British TV’s most popular stars – with appearances on shows such as I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here, Peter Andre’s 60 Minute Makeover, Strictly Come Dancing and Cooking With The Stars.

He has also starred in a West End production of Grease, and this year featured in the TV crime drama series The Sunshine Murders.

Peter, who has more than 5 million social media followers, will be performing some of his biggest hits live as the headline musical act. Support acts, who were announced earlier this week, will be local performers Josh Hicks, Xempa and MACY.

Peter will also be switching on the Christmas lights with the city’s mayor Councillor Kate Thomas.

There will also be live stage appearances from the cast of Rapunzel, this year’s Riverfront Theatre panto.

Organised and delivered by the Newport Now Business Improvement District (BID) in partnership with Newport City Council, Friars Walk and Newport City Radio, Countdown to Christmas will mirror the BID’s hugely-successful previous annual events. This year’s event is funded by the UK Government via the Shared Prosperity Fund.

Last year’s Countdown to Christmas attracted almost 12,000 additional people into the city centre compared with an average Saturday.

There will be fairground rides in the city centre and along the riverfront, face painters and costume characters in the streets surrounding the stage.

The day also marks the start of free parking on Saturdays in council-owned car parks in the city centre, which runs until December 27, and of Newport Bus’s new app-exclusive ticket allowing up to four people to travel all day anywhere in the city (zone 1) for just £13.

The event will culminate with the Christmas lights switch-on at 5.15pm followed by the fireworks display at 5.30pm.