Circuit for an illumination apparatus for a display device including: - two or more illumination means (1111, 1121, 1131) coupled in series; - a first power supply providing a first voltage referenced to a first reference potential and/or providing an essentially constant current to the series-connection of illumination means (1111, 1121, 1131); - first switches (1113, 1123, 1133) associated with each respective illumination means (1111, 1121, 1131), for selectively enabling and disabling the respective illumination means, wherein each of the respective first switches has an individual reference potential (V REF1, V REF2) corresponding to the potential at a first one of the current conduction electrodes of its associated illumination means, each switch having a control terminal; - a signal source generating individual first control signals for each of the first switches, the first control signals being referenced to the first reference potential; characterised in that the circuit further includes: - local power supplies associated with each one of the respective first switches, wherein each local power supply is connected, for charging, to a second power supply via a respective first diode, the second power supply providing a second voltage referenced to the first reference potential, wherein second diodes (1141, 1151, 1161) are connected between each of the first ones of the current conducting electrodes of the illumination means and a common connection line, the second diodes blocking any current flow between the first ones of the current conducting electrodes of the illumination means, the common connection line being connected to the first reference potential via a second switch, wherein the first ones of the current conducting electrodes of the illumination means are each conductively connected to the first reference potential over one respective second diode when the second switch is closed; and - individual coupling means associated with each of the respective first switches, receiving the corresponding individual first control signal referenced to the first reference potential and applying a corresponding derived control signal to the control terminal of the associated first switch, wherein the derived control signal (S1', S2', S3') is referenced to the respective individual reference potential of the associated first switch (V REF1, V REF2). - two or more illumination means (1111, 1121, 1131) coupled in series; - a first power supply providing a first voltage referenced to a first reference potential and/or providing an essentially constant current to the series-connection of illumination means (1111, 1121, 1131); - first switches (1113, 1123, 1133) associated with each respective illumination means (1111, 1121, 1131), for selectively enabling and disabling the respective illumination means, wherein each of the respective first switches has an individual reference potential (V REF1, V REF2) corresponding to the potential at a first one of the current conduction electrodes of its associated illumination means, each switch having a control terminal; - a signal source generating individual first control signals for each of the first switches, the first control signals being referenced to the first reference potential; - local power supplies associated with each one of the respective first switches, wherein each local power supply is connected, for charging, to a second power supply via a respective first diode, the second power supply providing a second voltage referenced to the first reference potential, wherein second diodes (1141, 1151, 1161) are connected between each of the first ones of the current conducting electrodes of the illumination means and a common connection line, the second diodes blocking any current flow between the first ones of the current conducting electrodes of the illumination means, the common connection line being connected to the first reference potential via a second switch, wherein the first ones of the current conducting electrodes of the illumination means are each conductively connected to the first reference potential over one respective second diode when the second switch is closed; and - individual coupling means associated with each of the respective first switches, receiving the corresponding individual first control signal referenced to the first reference potential and applying a corresponding derived control signal to the control terminal of the associated first switch, wherein the derived control signal (S1', S2', S3') is referenced to the respective individual reference potential of the associated first switch (V REF1, V REF2).