Emma Willis hosted a special event in London to launch Disney's 100th anniversary celebrations.

The TV presenter fronted the Disney100 Debut event in the UK capital which was attended by former S Club 7 star Rachel Stevens, ex-Pussycat Dolls singer Kimberly Wyatt and TV personality Jess Wright where they were all treated to previews of experiences, exhibitions and concerts being held across the world next year to mark the company's centenary.

It included performances from Disneyland Paris and cast of Disney musical 'The Lion King'.

The company is planning celebrations throughout 2023 to mark the milestone including 'Disney100: The Concert' which will tour Europe performing some of Disney's best-loved musical works from films such as 'Beauty and the Beast' and 'Mary Poppins' to songs from the Pixar, 'Star Wars' and Marvel universes.

The tour will include dates in the UK in cities such as Glasgow, London, Manchester and Liverpool from from May 31 to June 8 as well as performances across Europe.

Fans will also be able to attend 'Disney100: The Exhibition' - a showcase of artworks, artefacts, costumes and props from Disney history - which will run in the US from February with European dates running from March and a UK leg slated for autumn 2023 at the ExCeL centre.

Other special experiences taking place next year include 'Wonder of Friendship – The Experience' - which is described as a "multi-sensory experience targeted at Gen Zs and Young Adults to celebrate the Wonder of Friendship".

It will open in London and include experiences and installations set across four rooms based around 'Alice in Wonderland', 'Lilo and Stitch', 'The Lion King' and 'Mickey and Friends'.

It will run from May to October 2023 across countries including the UK, France, Germany and Spain.

Nicole Morse, Vice President Brand and Franchise Marketing Strategy, Disney EMEA, said: “Anyone who has seen a child’s face light up watching 'Frozen' or meeting Buzz Lightyear in real life knows the sense of wonder we are celebrating tonight.

"For 100 years, Disney has had the privilege of bringing our stories and characters into people’s lives and bringing joy to fans around the world. Tonight is the perfect way to kick off our 100th anniversary celebrations as we begin our second century of creating magic. We are so very grateful for our fans, and we can’t wait to bring all these Disney100 experiences to them here in the UK and across Europe, Middle East and Africa."