The Celebrity Traitors stars celebrate Covent Garden's Christmas light switch-on

Covent Garden officially ushered in the festive season last night as its world-famous Christmas lights were switched on.

In a nod to the area’s theatrical heritage, stars of stage and screen gathered for the grand moment, including a surprise Traitors reunion.

Mission: Impossible actress Hayley Atwell took centre stage to press the all-important button, joined by fellow ‘Faithfuls’ Celia Imrie and Sir Stephen Fry, who recently appeared together on The Celebrity Traitors.

They were also joined by Dame Darcey Bussell, Sir Derek Jacobi, Matt Henry MBE and Stephen Mangan, as crowds gathered beneath the iconic Market Building balcony to witness the spectacle.

This year’s decorations see the Market Building shimmering under 40 giant gold bells adorned with bows, 12 oversized red baubles and eight spinning mirror balls.

The piazza’s famous 55-foot Christmas tree of course stands proudly at its heart, surrounded by 150,000 LED lights cascading through Seven Dials and glowing above Neal’s Yard.

The celebrations mark the start of a seven-week programme of festive fun, featuring live performances and exclusive pop-ups.

Keep scrolling to see photos of the magical switch on moment below: