13 stars who switched on Sunderland's Christmas lights

Football managers have been a popular choice over the years, and then-Sunderland boss Mick McCarthy joined the Mayor and Mayoress, Coun Jim Scott and his wife Margaret, to do the honours.

Rhys Minto, 14, who was Sunderland's Young Achiever of the Year after losing his mum to the human form of BSE and was diagnosed with a brain tumour, joined the Mayor, Coun Bill Stephenson to perform the ceremony.

Back to football, and in 2006 Sunderland striker Dwight Yorke did the honours with the Mayor of Sunderland, Coun Tom Foster.

Hollywood legend Mickey Rooney was the unlikely star who turned on the lights in 2007. The 87-year-old, who was making his panto debut as Baron Hardup in Cinderella at the Empire, was accompanied by his wife Jan.

More panto stars did the honours in 2008 - oh yes they did! Starsky & Hutch idol Paul Michael Glaser, singer Sheila Ferguson from The Three Degrees and Emmerdale actor Dale Meeks were in Aladdin at the Empire.

Organisers stuck with the panto theme in 2009, but it's fair to say the stars were slightly less well-known. Step forward Steve Luck (The Cook), Steve Walls (Smee) local lad James Baxter (Peter Pan) and Santa.

Back to football for 2010, and the latest incumbent of the manager's office at the Stadium of Light, Geordie Steve Bruce, helped the Mayor, Coun Dennis Richardson, switch on the lights and start the fireworks display.

Another Geordie? It's OK, this one's Steve Cram and he supports Sunderland.  He joined the Mayor, Coun Norma Wright, and Olympic and Paralympics hopefuls Alyson Dixon and Fiona Tozer.

The Mayor, Coun Iain Kay, was joined by Emmerdale actor Tom Lister, who was playing Captain Hook in panto at the Empire, and the city’s Olympic women’s footballer Jill Scott and trampolinist Kat Driscoll.

Gus Poyet was a popular boss at the Stadium of Light for a while, helped by a derby win in his first home game, and that earned him the honour of pressing the button a few weeks later with the Mayor, Coun Bob Heron.

From a football hero to a pop star: Faye Tozer from 90s band Steps flicked the switch at the Crowtree Leisure site in 2014. She didn't have to go far - she lives in Boldon, and was appearing in panto at the Empire.

It was about time we had an X Factor star, and Italian singer Andrea Faustini duly obliged in 2015, helping the Mayor, Barry Curran and his wife Carol, perform the official switch-on.

Having had an X Factor star last year, this year it was The Voice UK's turn to provide the celeb, with singing starlet Chloe Castro pushing the button, with the help of Faye Tozer and Tracey Beaker actor Amy Leigh Hickman.