PIC SHOWS: Celebrity chef Donal Skehan (left) getting into the spirit of Derry Halloween; Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland; and Winifred the Witch, on the ‘Awakening the Walled City Trail’ in Derry for ITV’s This Morning.
~ 900,000 viewers across GB tune into Halloween feature ~
29th October 2024 – Up to 900,000 viewers across GB will see the Derry Halloween festivities today (30th October) on ITV’s daytime TV show This Morning, with filming supported by Tourism Ireland.
The segment is fronted by celebrity chef Donal Skehan – who’s definitely getting into the Halloween spirit! He travels along the ‘Awakening the Walled City Trail’, bringing to life the rich folklore, history, and heritage of the city’s Halloween celebrations. The segment will include spooky stories with Charlene McCrossan from McCrossan Walking Tours, an interview with Jacqueline Whoriskey, the Festival and Events Manager with Derry City and Strabane District Council, and a special appearance from the city’s very own Winifred the Witch!
Journalists and broadcasters from around the world are here this week, to experience Halloween on the island where it all began. They’re reporting on festivals like Macnas, Púca, Bram Stoker and more. And festivals will be featured on 32 TV channels across the United States, reaching over 50 million, with renowned travel broadcaster Gabe Saglie livestreaming on the ground.
Alice Mansergh, Chief Executive of Tourism Ireland, said: “Tourism Ireland was delighted to work with Donal Skehan, bringing the magic of Derry Halloween to hundreds of thousands of GB viewers on ITV’s This Morning. Halloween is one of the world’s favourite festivals but not everyone knows that it originated on these shores around 2,000 years ago. At Tourism Ireland, we’re excited to invite visitors to experience Halloween where it all started, taking in our world-class festivals, spectacular scenery and warm hospitality.”
A healthy seasonal spread of overseas tourism business supports quality jobs in tourism, by creating a longer or year-round season. Tourism Ireland markets Halloween as an iconic reason to visit in autumn. Its ‘Home of Halloween’ multi-market campaign, celebrating the island of Ireland as the birthplace of Halloween around 2,000 years ago, is under way. The organisation’s aim is to raise awareness at scale and target consideration and bookings for this autumn, with Derry Halloween (the largest festival of its type in Europe), in particular, adding to the appeal of autumn scenery and heritage. Since it was launched, the campaign video has achieved results reflecting a strong audience response: 14 million views on English language YouTube; and over 100 million views across languages and channels (TV, cinema, online). Among those who’ve seen the campaign, there is now twice the level of recognition that Halloween began in Ireland and seven out of ten said they’re more likely to want to visit.
