Noddy Holder gets his Walk of Stars honour

Slade singer Noddy Holder has become the third person to receive a star on Birmingham's Walk of Stars, in a festive ceremony on the canal.

The star was presented to Holder in December on board a canal boat, during the Broad Street Christmas Canal Boat Light Parade, in front of crowds gathered along the towpath.

The voice of Christmas

It was a fitting setting for the man whose voice is heard in shops, pubs and homes across the country every December. Slade's Merry Xmas Everybody, with its famous shout of "It's Christmas!", was a number one hit in 1973 and has returned to the charts many times since.

The song has become one of the best loved Christmas records of all time, and earns royalties for Holder and his bandmates every year. It is played so often in December that for many people the season does not really start until they have heard it.

The Slade years

Holder was born in Walsall in 1946 and formed Slade in the 1960s with Dave Hill, Jim Lea and Don Powell. The band became one of the biggest acts in Britain in the early 1970s, with a string of number one singles including Coz I Luv You, Take Me Bak 'Ome and Cum On Feel The Noize.

Their deliberately misspelt song titles and loud, stomping sound made them instantly recognisable, and Holder's powerful voice and trademark top hat covered in mirrors became part of pop history. The band had six UK number one singles, all in the space of three years.

Holder left Slade in the early 1990s and has since forged a successful career as a broadcaster and actor. He has presented radio shows and appeared in the ITV comedy drama The Grimleys, set in the Black Country in the 1970s.

The Walk of Stars

Holder joins Ozzy Osbourne and Jasper Carrott, who received the first two stars earlier this year. The Walk of Stars was launched in the summer to honour people from Birmingham and the surrounding area who have made their mark on the world.

The stars are set into the pavement along Broad Street, and the organisers hope the walk will attract visitors to the area. More stars are planned for next year.

The Canal Boat Light Parade has become a popular part of Christmas in the city. Decorated narrowboats sail along the canal near Broad Street and Brindleyplace, lit up with festive lights, as families line the banks to watch.

A popular choice

Holder's star has proved a popular choice with the public. Slade's music has a special place in the hearts of many people in and around Birmingham, where the band played many gigs on their way to the top.

His honour also means that three of the first stars have gone to entertainers whose accents and humour are rooted in this part of the country, something many locals see as a point of pride.

With Christmas just around the corner, there could hardly have been a better time to celebrate the man behind one of the season's most famous songs.