Dozens of children enjoyed the switch on of thousands of lights on the biggest Christmas tree Northampton has ever seen. The crowd cheered as Strictly Come Dancing’s Brian Fortuna switched on the lights on the 60ft tree in the Market Square at the culmination of a festive launch event on Saturday.

A flurry of “snowfall” added to the atmosphere as lights went on across the town centre.

Strictly Come Dancing star Brian Fortuna has been handed the honour of turning on Northampton’s Christmas lights, with the twinkle-toes performer headlining an all-star cast for the big switch-on.

Children will be able to speak to Father Christmas over a live satellite link to his North Pole grotto at the launch of the town’s seasonal celebrations on Saturday, November 26.

Strictly Come Dancing star Brian Fortuna has agreed to be a judge in the Chronicle & Echo’s own version of the hit BBC1 television show at Royal & Derngate next month, the Chron can reveal today.

The 29-year-old, from New Jersey, USA, will be in the town this Christmas to play the lead role in Aladdin at the theatre, and had no hesitation in agreeing to be on the panel of judges at Strictly Northampton on Saturday, November 26.

The award-winning musical play telling the poignant story of Eva Cassidy, Over the Rainbow, comes to The Courtyard in Hereford on October 2.

It features a talented cast of performers and musicians, including Sarah Jane Buckley of Hollyoaks as Eva Cassidy, with Maureen Nolan as her mother and Brian Fortuna (of Strictly Come Dancing) playing Danny, her brother.

The show has been enjoying sell-out performances throughout the UK and Ireland.

Following the huge success of previous productions such as The Hollow, Spider’s Web and most recently Witness for the Prosecution, The Agatha Christie Theatre Company is back with yet another gripping murder mystery from the woman who knew the genre best.

Richmond Theatre welcomes Agatha Christie’s Verdict to its stage between April 25 and 30.

Starring Ali Bastian, ex-Hollyoaks and Strictly Come Dancing favourite, the play is anything but a typical Agatha Christie whodunit.

Brian Fortuna and Ali Bastian, who briefly found love on Strictly Come Dancing, avoid an awkward reunion.

It could have been a moment of toe-curling awkwardness, but when Brian Fortuna and Ali Bastian were nominated for a joint award at the whatsonstage.com awards, they couldn’t have handled it in a more civilised manner.

They found love while starring in Strictly Come Dancing last year, but Ali Bastian and Brian Fortuna have ended their whirlwind romance.

‘The love affair is sadly all over. But Brian and Ali remain amicable and will continue to be friends’.

Brian Fortuna's Strictly Come Dancing outfits have been stolen by burglars after they broke into his home, according to reports.

The US dancer, 27, who quit the BBC One show after being dropped from Strictly Come Dancing's main line-up of professional dancers, was burgled at the weekend.

They met and fell in love when they were partnered together on Strictly Come Dancing.

But after being knocked out of show in the semi-finals, it was only right that Ali Bastian and Brian Fortuna should get another chance to show off their dancing skills.

Former Strictly Come Dancing professional dancer Brian Fortuna has allegedly banned his girlfriend Ali Bastian from appearing naked on screen. The couple met when they were partners in the last series of the ballroom dance show.

Fortuna has reportedly told Ali that he would not be happy with her kissing other men on camera.

Ali Bastian stands by boyfriend Brian Fortuna's decision to leave 'Strictly Come Dancing'.

The former 'Hollyoaks' actress - who got together with the professional dancer after they were partnered together in last year's series - explained the new role Brian was offered was not what he was looking for.

Brian Fortuna and Ali Bastian are devoted to each other but have no plans to take their relationship to the next step - yet.

The pair, who have been together since meeting on last year's Strictly Come Dancing, admit they are in no rush to get married.

Strictly Come Dancing star Ali Bastian has admitted that taking part in the show did wonders for her health. The former Hollyoaks star took part in the last series of the BBC show.

Bastian is currently dating her professional partner Brian Fortuna.

Sexy Strictly Come Dancing star Ali Bastian has brought in a Scots hypnotherapist - to help her battle stage fright.

Ali Campbell will calm the actress and dancer's nerves as she prepares to take part in a spectacular new West End show later this month.

Dancer Brian Fortuna has blasted Strictly bosses after he quit the BBC1 show.

The US mover left after they told him he wouldn't be partnering a celeb this year - and asked him to be part of a dance troupe instead.

Former Strictly Come Dancing star Ali Bastian has predicted that this year's show will go from strength to strength.

Bastian took part in the show last year and has been dating her professional partner Brian Fortuna since.

Strictly Come Dancing star Brian Fortuna quit the show last night after BBC chiefs demoted him and four other professional dancers and replaced them with younger stars.

Mr Fortuna, Ian Waite, Matthew Cutler, Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova - who are mostly in their 30s - were offered roles in a 'professional dance troupe', meaning they will no longer compete in the show or be paired with celebrities.

A shake-up of Strictly Come Dancing has cut the number of celebrities to 14 and sidelined five of the regular professionals.

Brian Fortuna, who partnered actress Ali Bastian last year, announced he was quitting the show after the BBC offered him a role as a performer rather than a competitor following the recruitment of three new male professionals.

Strictly Come Dancing's Brian Fortuna has announced he is leaving the show after changes were made to the format.

The American said he had decided to quit after he and some colleagues were asked to concentrate on professional-only routines in this autumn's series, rather than dancing with celebrities.

The number of celebrity dancers is to be cut this year from 16 to 14.

A BBC spokeswoman said: "We would like to thank [Brian] for all his hard work over the last two series."

'Dance spectacles'

The BBC has recruited three new male dancers for the 2010 series and asked five of its regular professionals - including 2009 semi-finalist Fortuna - to give up their usual mentoring role.

The show's producers wanted Fortuna, along with Ian Waite, Matthew Cutler and husband and wife Darren Bennett and Lilia Kopylova, to form a new professional group which would perform "show-stopping dance spectacles" each week.

But Fortuna said on Tuesday night that he had chosen to leave Strictly and concentrate instead on the West End stage show Burn The Floor, which will see him perform with his 2009 Strictly partner, actress Ali Bastian.

"I really enjoyed working on Strictly over the years - loved the fans and loved all the people I got work with - but there are changes planned for the next season so I've decided not to return to the show," he said.

"Both Ali and I are looking forward to seeing all our fans at the Shaftesbury Theatre."

Fortuna joined Strictly in 2008 when he partnered M People singer Heather Small.

He and Bastian began dating during their time on the show.

High School Musical

The BBC said the three new male professionals would each bring their own area of dance expertise.

Robin Windsor has been touring with Burn The Floor, a show he helped to choreograph.

Jared Murillo was a principal dancer in the first two High School Musical movies, while Artem Chigvintsev is a Latin champion and graduate of the US version of Strictly, So You Think You Can Dance.

BBC controller of entertainment commissioning Mark Linsey said: "I'm delighted to be welcoming three new, fantastic dancers to Strictly and am really excited about the introduction of a professional dance group, giving us even more opportunities to feature different areas of expertise and more genres of dance than in any other series."

The changes come a year after Strictly was embroiled in a row over alleged ageism when producers replaced veteran choreographer Arlene Phillips with former winner Alesha Dixon on the judging panel.