Peter Andre to switch on Telford's Christmas lights tonight

The singer who rose to fame thanks to his hit single Mysterious Girl, will be pushing the button on the lights at Telford Shopping Centre. at 6pm.

Andre said he is delighted to be coming to the area and said it will be nice to have an evening off from Strictly's rehearsal room.

He said: "It's brilliant, it makes my day. You get shut away in these rooms doing rehearsals so it's great to hear that people are excited.

"I have been to Telford before but I can't remember what it was for but I know I have been."

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The star was last due to appear in Telford in September 2013 when he was scheduled to play a gig in the International Centre but it had to be cancelled.

He said: "I really hope we can come back to Telford again. I remember that cancelled show so I'm really glad I am coming to Telford because I'm so sorry for cancelling."

So many Andre fans are actually expected at the switch-on that this year's location has been moved.

The annual switch-on is usually held in the Ash Grey car park which is between Marks & Spencer and House of Fraser, but this year has been moved to the larger Red Oak car park, close to Boots and Debenhams.

In order to carry out the switch-on, the 42-year-old will be putting his preparation for this week's Strictly – live from Blackpool – on hold.

He said: "I've been rehearsing the jive, then we've got Blackpool at the weekend. It is quite fun and I'm hoping we do well.

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"It is really complicated but I'm enjoying it. We've got a big number with a rock song so it is going to be great fun hopefully. My favourite dance so far has to be the Charleston, I loved it, it was absolutely incredible."I couldn't believe last week the Viennese Waltz was my second highest, I was so glad, that was so good for a song that was so slow and so technical."

"Rehearsals have been full-on, sure. My wife Emily has been holding down the fort at home but when I'm home early I'm going to make a really nice dinner and we can spend some quality time together, so I'm really excited."

On Thursday, he won't be joined by his dance partner Janette Manrara for the switch-on.

"Janette is not coming with me. I'm going to rehearsals earlier in the day then going to Telford, then I think I'm going to Blackpool so I can rehearse the next day," he explained.

It means Andre won't be filming clips of his preparations in Telford to be shown ahead of his dance on the programme.

He said: "It would've been perfect. I'm hoping I can still take lots of video and share it on social media.

"We haven't done one of those videos yet so that would've been great."

Andre said he is looking forward to chatting with the two winners of the Shropshire Star's meet and greet competition when he comes to switch on the lights.

Rachel Evans, 36, from Shrewsbury, and Sonia Hayward, 37, from Dawley in Telford, were the lucky winners who will have a chance to speak to the star face-to-face.

The father-of-three said: "I love doing stuff like this, I love people and it is probably good that I do this job because it is all about people but normally I have to run in and out and don't get to see people so this is a great opportunity to meet people."

Though he appeared on I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here in 2004, he said he hasn't had chance to watch this year's series yet.

He said: "I haven't seen I'm a Celebrity so far and I'm such a big fan because I was on it.

"Tony Hadley is a good friend of mine and Chris Eubank I've met a few times but I don't know him as well."

At the start of the year, Andre will start a new tour with his latest album Come Fly With Me – made up of swing music.

He said: "That sound will be great in a big arena like the O2 or Birmingham. When we come on tour it won't just be swing it will be soul, funk, R&B, pop, everything, a real mix. It will be good fun.

"We're starting on the very last day of February. The show is going to be really spectacular, great lights, all different types of music."