Going out in a blaze of golden glory: Awe-inspiring shots from the fantastic fireworks show which closed London’s 2012 Olympics
- An unbelievable 26 million people tuned in to watch the show
- The Spice Girls, Take That, George Michael and many more acts wowed the packed Olympic Park at official end to London Games
- Monumental firework display at the climax finished Games with a bang
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After Britain’s most successful Olympic Games for more than a century, it was only fitting that the closing ceremony should provide a spectacular send-off for the athletes who lit up London 2012.
And last night’s extravaganza didn’t disappoint, for it included one of the most spectacular fireworks displays that this nation has ever seen.
Some 80,000 lucky ticket-holders with seats inside the Olympic Stadium witnessed thousands of rockets explode on a night of celebration.
But hundreds of thousands more people in London also got to experience some of the festivities as the fireworks lit up the night sky to be seen for miles around.
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Glorious send-off: Fireworks lit up the Olympic Park in Stratford, east London, as London 2012 drew to a close
Finale: The closing ceremony in the Olympic Stadium provided one of the most spectacular fireworks displays Britain has ever seen
Finale: A heart-stopping array of colours zigzagged through the night sky above the Olympic Park as fireworks concluded the London 2012 Olympic Games
Alight: Fireworks exploded into the London night sky as the Olympic closing ceremony came to a spectacular end
Golden wonder: Fireworks explode over the stadium as London hands the Olympic baton to Rio de Janeiro
Impressive: Fireworks shoot across the arena as athletes gather in formation underneath to make the shape of the Union flag
Inside the stadium, audience members and athletes looked on as the Olympic Park was illuminated by a breathtaking display
It’s over: Fireworks lit up the Olympic Village in Stratford, east London as London 2012 drew to an emotional close
Spectacle: Bright reds, greens and golds break out above the Olympic Stadium during the closing ceremony
Oohs and aahs: Rockets soar over the stadium as the Games in London are brought to a close
The fireworks display was one of the highlights of a ceremony which included stunning performances by comedians, musicians, dancers and actors.
Monty Python star Eric Idle provided a moment of hilarity, appearing onstage to lead the crowd through a singalong rendition of Always Look on the Bright Side of Life.
A bizarre troupe of dancers performed around him, including jigging Morris Dancers, a choir of rugby players and skating nuns.
When the song finished, a human cannonball was launched across the stadium.
Pop icons Queen performed live with Jessie J, and the Spice Girls, Madness, Queen, Take That and Annie Lennox all appeared on stage to entertain the crowd.
An audience of more than 26 million people watched the spectacular musical celebration for the Olympic closing ceremony.Acts such as Take That and the Spice Girls were among the stars who performed at the Olympic Stadium.
Overnight figures showed that at its peak the BBC’s audience reached 26.2 million at 9.35pm.
The figure was only slightly down on Danny Boyle’s opening ceremony just over a fortnight earlier, which drew 26.9 million at its height.
Colourful: Hundreds of fireworks explode around the stadium to mark the end of a successful Games for Britain
Inspiring: Some 80,000 lucky spectators were in the stadium to watch the breathtaking displays
Wonderful: The Olympics enthralled many for 16 days, but all good things must come to an end
The event — ending with a breathtaking fireworks display and the flame in the cauldron being extinguished — pulled in 26 million on BBC1, with a further 200,000 watching on a dedicated Olympic channel at the programme’s peak.
The average audience for the entire ceremony on BBC1 was bigger than the opening event. Last night it was watched by 22.9 million, compared with the opening event, which had an average of 22.4 million.
BBC1 controller Danny Cohen said: ‘It has been an absolute privilege to broadcast the London 2012 Olympics on BBC1.
‘It’s been a phenomenal Games and Team GB’s amazing achievements have helped draw huge audiences to BBC1 and put the channel right at the heart of the action.
‘We’ve had fantastic feedback about the quality of the BBC’s coverage and all the teams involved deserve huge thanks and praise.’
Last night’s figures come on the back of huge figures for the blockbuster sporting events during the fortnight of London 2012.
Usain Bolt’s 100m final a week ago was the biggest of the games with 20 million tuning in, while 17.1 million watched Mo Farah take the 10,000m gold.Tom Daley’s bronze-winning performance during the 10m platform final on Saturday night pulled in 15.9 million.
The closing ceremony also featured Ed Sheeran covering Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here, with a high wire artist above the stadium recreating the cover image for the band’s 1975 album.
Annie Lennox, George Michael, Madness and One Direction were also among the performers.
Beautiful: The fireworks display continues as the Olympic cauldron is slowly lowered to mark the end of the Games
World party: The closing ceremony brought to an end 16 days of thrilling competitions involving athletes from across the globe
Light show: Rockets shoot above the Olympic stadium in one of the most spectacular displays ever seen in Britain
Something different: A photograph taken with a fisheye lens provides an unusual view of the firework display
Extravaganza: The fireworks could be seen for miles around as they exploded over the stadium
Other stars who performed included the Pet Shop Boys, Kaiser Chiefs, George Michael, Tinie Tempah, along with faces such as Kate Moss, Russell Brand, Julian Lloyd Webber, Naomi Campbell and Darcey Bussell.
The show reached its climax when The Who rolled back the years with their rock clasics..
Aimed at celebrating one of Britain’s strongest cultural exports over the last 50 years, the musical extravaganza marked the end of the country’s most successful Games in more than 100 years.
Evoking images of the past from Winston Churchill and Edward Elgar, through the psychedelic 60s to the highs and lows of the Games, the closing ceremony culminated with a glimpse of the carnival that awaits in Rio in four years’ time.
As the flames in the Olympic cauldron got weaker, the phoenix flew higher over the crowd in the stadium below
Phoenix from the flames: As the Olympic flame died, it was replaced by a Phoenix which rose above the stadium
As the cauldron separated, the Olympic flame slowly faded until it was no more and the Games was officially over
Take That: After much speculation over whether they would perform or not after Gary Barlow’s tragic loss of his stillborn daughter, Take That — minus Robbie Williams whose wife is due to give birth — took to the stage with hit single Rule The World
Rock behemoths: Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend of The Who headlined the Olympic Closing ceremony with a medley of their biggest hits, including Baba O’Reilly
Artists from the Royal Ballet, including British ballerina Darcy Bussell, performed as the Phoenix descended from the roof of the Olympic Stadium
Football superstar: Pele appeared on stage, wearing Brazilian colours, for a performance with former street cleaner Renato Sorriso
Ready for Rio: Brazilian performers gave the world a taste of what to expect when the Games moves to Rio de Janeiro in 2016
Proud: Locog chairman Lord Coe, right, delivers a speech as IOC President Jacques Rogge watched during the Closing Ceremony
London mayor Boris Johnson passed the Olympic Flag to Rio de Janeiro Mayor Eduardo Paes, helped by IOC president Jacques Rogge
End of an era: The Olympic flag was lowered by representatives from the Army, Navy and Royal Air Force
Brian May of Queen performed together with Jessie J during the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games
From beyond the grave: The late Freddie Mercury, on a giant screen, led Queen out onstage for their performance at the Closing Ceremony
Muse’s guitar player Matthew Bellamy joined a star-studded list of performers at the Olympic Closing Ceremony
Comedy legend: Monty Python star Eric Idle appeared at the Closing Ceremony to lead the audience through a singalong of his hit Always Look On The Bright Side of Life
Monty Python’s Eric Idle tussled with a band of morris dancers as he performed to the 80,000-strong crowd inside the Olympic Stadium
Heavenly: Nun and angels form the backdrop for Monty Python star Eric Idle’s Closing Ceremony performance
A brave performer was shot from a cannonball during Idle’s sketch, a nod to Britain’s rich comic history
Indie icon: Liam Gallagher and his band Beady Eye followed The Spice Girls with a performance of Oasis number one hit Wonderwall
Spice up the stage: The Spice Girls reformed to perform a spectacular set on the top of black London taxis at the Closing Ceremony
Traditionally, the closing ceremony is a chance to celebrate what the athletes have achieved, with Lord Coe describing the night as a time to ‘party, party, party.’
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Entering the Olympic Stadium, the audience was treated to a vision of working London wrapped in newspaper as they were taken to the heart of the capital’s busy rush hour.
As well as typically rainy weather forecasts and stocks and shares, the reams of print celebrated British literary greats from the earliest surviving Anglo-Saxon poetry to current poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy, with extracts from Shakespeare and Milton along the way.
A series of ramps — covering the track where Mo Farah and Jessica Ennis made history — formed a black and white Union Jack, the first of many versions of the flag to feature in the extravaganza.
Unwrapped on a newspaper rubbish truck, singer Emeli Sande, who performed in the opening ceremony, delighted the crowds with hit song Read All About It.
Percussion group Stomp emerged to swing from the scaffolding, playing models of the capital’s landmarks including Big Ben and the London Eye as if they were instruments.
Supermodel: As the stadium was turned into a giant catwalk, London-born model Kate Moss appeared wearing a gold Alexander McQueen dress
Shimmering: Naomi Campbell, draped in gold, took over, strutting in a dazzling gold McQueen dress with a long train
Style: Supermodels Lily Cole, Karen Elson, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell walk the catwalk in a show of British beauty and design
Within moments, The Beatles’ hit Because, performed by London gospel choir Urban Voices Collective, merged into Edward Elgar’s Salut d’Amour by cellist Julian Lloyd Webber on top of the Royal Albert Hall. As the morning traffic jam came to life, newspaper-clad vehicles from black cabs and vintage cars to folding bikes revved their engines and honked their horns as newspaper-dressed businessmen and women portrayed a busy Monday morning on Waterloo Bridge.
Winston Churchill, played by King’s Speech actor Timothy Spall, stood atop Big Ben reciting the same lines from Shakespeare’s The Tempest which helped open the Games 16 days ago: ‘Be not afeard: the isle is full of noises.’
As the deafening noise grew to a crescendo, Churchill brought the worldwide audience’s focus to the royal box as a fanfare announced the arrival of Prince Harry and International Olympic Committee president Jacques Rogge.
As Union flags were waved from car windows, the packed stadium was led in the British National Anthem by the London Symphony Orchestra and the Urban Voices Collective.
Arriving in style: Jessie J arrived onstage performing in the back of a white Rolls Royce
Trio: Jessie J, Tinie Tempah and Taio Cruz performed during the Closing Ceremony
Right here, right now: British DJ and musician Fatboy Slim performed his most famous hits in a giant translucent octopus
Comedy star Russell Brand performed his sketch during the Olympic Games Closing Ceremony
Russell Brand sings I Am The Walrus aboard a psychedelic tour bus, a nod to the movement in British history notably popular with bands Pink Floyd, The Beatles, The Who, The Rolling Stones and The Stone Roses
After the armed services raised the flag, printed grey clouds on the stadium floor were pulled back to reveal an artistic explosion of red, white, and blue created by Damien Hirst.
As Michael Caine’s classic 1969 film The Italian Job was shown on the screens, the yellow Robin Reliant of Only Fools and Horses fame made an explosive entry, with Batman and Robin staggering from the wreckage in reference to one of the classic British comedy’s most famous episodes.
Madness joined the stage with the infectious beat of Our House as the cast ripped newspaper from the cars, revealing bright vehicles with multi-coloured balloons floating from their boots.
Echoing the song’s original video, saxophonist Lee Thompson was lifted to play solo high above the track.
A total of 160 guards from the Massed Bands of the Household Division marched behind Madness before playing Blur’s Parklife.
The Pet Shop Boys, riding on rickshaws, performed West End Girls, followed by X Factor phenomenon One Direction with their hit What Makes You Beautiful.
In another nod to the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, 10 large trucks burst open to reveal street parties representing all walks of London life.
Some 30 gymnasts from Britain’s Got Talent troupe Spelbound contorted themselves to illustrate the lyrics of The Beatles’ A Day in The Life.
British singer Ed Sheeran performed Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here, accompanied by Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason (not pictured) Mike Rutherford and The Feeling’s Richard Jones
British singer Annie Lennox performed ‘Little Bird’ aboard a giant wooden gallion during the Closing Ceremony
Mods: The Kaiser Chiefs performed on The Who’s Pinball Wizardon scooters during the Olympic Games Closing Ceremony
Comeback: Pop icon George Michael performed Freedom as well as his new single White Light
The reclusive singer took to the stage to perform for fans and athletes inside the Olympic Stadium
Imagine: A sculpture in the shape of late Beatles band member John Lennon was formed onstage during the Closing Ceremony
John Lennon’s face appeared on the big screen as a choir of 100 people from Liverpool, where Lennon was born, sang Imagine. The choir included members of the Liverpool Philharmonic Youth Choir and Liverpool Signing choir
Flagbearers from participating nations paraded during the Closing Ceremony of the London 2012 Olympic Games
United nations: Flagbearers took part in the athletes’ march during the Closing Ceremony
Represnting the world: Athletes from the 200 plus nations competing at London 2012 appearred in the stadium, waving their nations’ flags
Team GB: A British athlete dances with a Union flag as athletes from all over the world parade during the Closing Ceremony
Team GB: Sailing gold medal winner Ben Ainslie proudly carried the British flag into the Olympic Stadium
Excited athletes enter the Olympic stadium during the Closing Ceremony ready to say farewell
Ray Davies sings ‘Waterloo Sunset’, during the Closing Ceremony
Artists arrange white boxes within the Olympic Stadium. The boxes represented the 303 events that took place during London 2012
The boxes formed a striking pyramid in the centre of the stage
As the day drew to a close, The Kinks’ frontman Ray Davies arrived in a black cab singing his 1960s hit Waterloo Sunset.
As a funfair scene emerged, a shimmering river of 270 children from 10 schools in the six east London host boroughs weaved its way through the melee to Sande’s reprise of Read All About It.
As many of the 10,000 athletes from the 204 nations involved in the Games flooded into the stadium, filling the areas between the ramped stage, they joined hands during Elbow’s performance of Open Arms and One Day Like This. Huge cheers greeted British sailor Ben Ainslie as he carried the Union flag into the stadium.
‘Wow. This is it… The end,’ Ainslie tweeted.
‘We should all be very proud to have held the greatest Olympics in modern times. Huge thanks to everyone involved.’
Following the flag-bearers, thousands of athletes walked through the spectators, medals round their necks, high-fiving fans and waving to the cameras.
A British military marching band performed Blur song Parklife during the Closing Ceremony
Flying the flag: The bright colours of the Union Jacks were waved and provided a sharp contrast to the white and black newspaper print
Bang on: Stomp performed in front of the London skyline stage set
But conscious of the night’s tight timings, a series of stage hands clad in black ran alongside the athletes, comically lifting their knees to their chest to hurry them along.
As athletes gathered in the segments between the ramps to the stage, some perched on others’ shoulders.
And while the fans eagerly videoed and took photos of their sporting heroes, the athletes could be seen returning the favour, clutching their own cameras to capture the crowd on film.
Billions of viewers were treated to another interpretation of the Union Flag as the athletes, in their national colours, formed a mosh pit around the stage.
White boxes representing the 303 Olympic events formed a pyramid on to which the winners, losers, blood, sweat and tears from London 2012 were projected.
After the traditional men’s marathon victory ceremony, the 70,000 volunteer Games Makers were honoured with a shower of petals before darkness and silence descended.
The showcase of British music continued with the voice of Freddie Mercury singing Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Boy band One Direction performed during the Olympic Closing Ceremony
Neil Tennant, singer of the Pet Shop Boys, performed during the Closing Ceremony
Closing: As the sun set in London, the Olympic Stadium prepared for the London 2012 Closing Ceremony
From the darkness along the ramps, a sculpture of John Lennon’s face was formed as Imagine was sung by choirs from his birthplace, Liverpool.
George Michael came in singing his 1990s anthem Freedom ’90 before segueing into his latest record White Light.
Spotlights then picked out the Kaiser Chiefs playing The Who’s Pinball Wizard after a dark blue light descended on the stadium.
As inflatable silver pinballs bounced around the athletes, Kaiser Chief Ricky Wilson joined 50 Mods on scooters for the performance.
A sequence of sound waves were sent around the stadium on more than 70,000 pixel screens next to each seat before floating up to form images of David Bowie on the screens.
A compilation in homage to Bowie culminated in Fashion before stunning billboard images of nine British supermodels preceded their entrance.
As the drapes were pulled off, Kate Moss and Naomi Campbell, wearing Alexander McQueen, strutted along shimmering catwalks forming the Union Jack.
With the Olympic cauldron shrouded in smoke, Annie Lennox emerged on the figurehead of a ghost galleon to perform Little Bird.
As the ship faded back into the smoke, two men in 1970s business suits walked a tightrope high above the field of play before shaking hands and bursting into flames, recreating the album cover of Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here.
Ed Sheeran was joined by original Floyd drummer Nick Mason, The Feeling’s Richard Jones and Genesis founder Mike Rutherford for the hit.
As segments of daily British life were shown to the crowds, comedian Russell Brand arrived on a psychedelic tour bus performing Pure Imagination from Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory and The Beatles’ I Am The Walrus with string quartet Bond.
The bus transformed into a fluorescent 50m octopus as Fatboy Slim rose from its head, spinning his decks as dancers performed to his hits Right Here, Right Now and The Rockafeller Skank.
Beginning of the end: Following on from Kenneth Brannagh’s turn in the Opening Ceremony, actor Timothy Spall — in character as Winston Churchill — also read lines from Shakespeare’s The Tempest to start the evening
Actor Timothy Spall posed as Sir Winston Churchill atop Big Ben, while Julian Lloyd Webber accompanied him on the cello
From classical to pop: Julian Lloyd Webber played the cello during the Closing Ceremony, which celebrated music across the centuries, as well as the decades
From limousines circling the track, Jessie J, Tinie Tempah and Taio Cruz emerged singing their respective hits Price Tag, Written in the Stars and Dynamite before joining together for pinbahis the Bee Gees’ disco tune You Should Be Dancing.
After a balletic performance of 10 taxis, five came to life illuminated in baby pink, sporty stripes, posh dynamite, the Union Flag and a scary animal print.
It was, of course, the much-anticipated reunion of the Spice Girls — reformed for one night only to perform Spice Up Your Life and Wannabe from the roofs of the cabs.
Former Oasis star Liam Gallagher continued the run of British classics with his band Beady Eye for the 1990s hit WonderWall.
As Electric Light Orchestra’s Mr Blue Sky filled the stadium, home-made flying machines made several attempts to get off the ground as a would-be rocket man played by Monty Python comedian Eric Idle collapsed under the stage, only to return to lead the crowds in a new version of Always Look On The Bright Side of Life.
Joined by a surreal collection of jigging Morris Dancers, a choir of rugby players and skating nuns, a human cannonball was launched across the stadium.
Muse, known for their fascination with outer space, took to the stage next with their London 2012 Olympic song Survival.
Four tipper trucks, driven to centre stage, exploded in a fury of pyrotechnics as their raised tailgates became screens showing footage of Freddie Mercury performing live in 1986 at Wembley Stadium.
With ‘deyo, deyo’ ringing out across the stadium, Queen’s Roger Taylor emerged while bandmate Brian May made his way through the crowd performing the guitar solo from Brighton Rock before joining Jessie J for the classic anthem We Will Rock You.
Read all about it: A London street scene was played out — with the whole set wrapped in newspaper
Classic comedy: Del Boy and Rodney’s Reliant Robin exploded during the Closing Ceremony
Only Fools and Horses: Del Boy and Rodney, dressed as Batman and Robin, appeared in the stadium
Masters of the House: Madness — led by frontman Suggs — perform Our House during a street party scene
Royal laughs: Prince Harry and Kate Middleton shared a joke during the Olympic Games Closing Ceremony
As an arrow pointed to Rio de Janeiro, the host city for 2016, the Greek flag was raised in honour of the origins of the Games.
After the Olympic Flag was lowered by members of the armed forces, the Olympic Anthem rang out sung by the London Welsh Male Voice Choir and the London Welsh Rugby Club Choir.
The capital’s mayor Boris Johnson had the honour of passing the flag to Mr Rogge, who in turn presented it to Rio Mayor Eduardo Paes, each waving it four times, as is tradition.
Celebrating the first time a South American country hosts the Games, a mix of cultures, music and dance marked the handover.
From a solitary street cleaner practicing Samba steps, a carnival parade invaded the stage as Brazilian pop singer Marisa Monte entered with a giant gown representing water goddess Yemanja, who is celebrated on New Year’s Eve on Copacabana Beach.
Actor-singer Seu Jorge joined an acrobatic group of Capoeira fighters and dancing couples, including model Alessandra Ambrosio, as the whole cast reunited in front of Rio’s skyline.
London 2012 chair Sebastian Coe then joined IOC president Jacques Rogge on stage, and addressed the crowd.
The Locog boss said: ‘We lit the flame and we lit up the world. Once again we have shown ourselves worthy. For that I want to say thank you.’
‘Thank you to the people of this country. At our closing ceremony we can say these are a Games by everyone.’
Actors paraded around the model of St Paul’s wrapped in newsprint, during the opening stages of the closing ceremony
Artists wave Union Jack flags as they perform with cars, wrapped in newspaper, as the closing ceremony got underway
Back on song: Emeli Sande, who sang Abide With Me during the Opening Ceremony, performed on the newspaper-covered stage
The colourful London landscape in the centre of the Olympic Stadium, with Tower Bridge, the London Eye and the Gerkin taking centre-stage
80,000 people in the Olympic Stadium counted down to the beginning of the opening ceremony, to the chimes of a replica of Big Ben
Scaled-down London! Landmarks of the capital made up the set for the Closing Ceremony
VIDEO: Gold. Team GB party with Princess Anne, the PM, Arnie…and Tony Hadley!
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