Leicester City Council has spent £6,000 hiring celebrities to appear at events, it has emerged.
The authority has revealed a list of public figures it has paid over the past three years to host, compere or perform at its functions.
They include children's television presenter Floella Benjamin and ex-Hollyoaks actor Jeremy Edwards.
Former BBC weatherman, singer and presenter Des Coleman was hired five times.
X factor contestants MK1, Apprentice hopeful Melody Hossaini and basketball player Cory McGee were also taken on for events.
A Freedom of Information inquiry prompted the council to release some details of celebrity appearances but it declined to say how much each individual was paid per event.
The authority did, however, say the cost of hiring them for eight functions was about £6,000.
The Leicester City Council-funded appearances were largely at awards ceremonies, such as the annual Celebrating Success events to recognise the achievements of children in care.
A city council spokesman said: "Seven were awards ceremonies to celebrate the achievements of Leicester's looked-after children.
"Celebrities are brought on board as presenters, comperes, guest speakers and performers – and co-present and perform alongside with our looked after children.
"This helps ensure events are memorable and inspiring occasions for the young people taking part.
"The city council organises these annual events as part of our corporate parenting responsibility."
The council said Floella Benjamin, now Baroness Benjamin - a Liberal Democrat peer, visited Leicester as part of Black History Month in October.
She gave talks at Highfields library and to classes of children from nearby Uplands Junior and Bridge Primary schools.
The city council spokesman said: "It would not be appropriate to release the amount paid to individuals, as this is personal and commercially sensitive information.
"However, we can confirm the overall cost for all eight appearances listed – which covers three years – was in the region of £6,000."
In October, Kasabian appeared at a city centre event staged by the council to see off the ultimately unsuccessful document bidding for the Leicester to be crowned UK City of Culture 2017. The band was not paid.
Similar Freedom of Information requests were submitted to other authorities.
Responses revealed Nottingham City Council had not spent anything hiring celebrities since May 2010, while Derby City Council spent £8,500.
That included £2,350 to former Pop Idol contestant Gareth Gates to switch on the city's Christmas lights in 2011.
In Leicester, that task is traditionally performed by the city's lord mayor as part of his ceremonial duties.
