Ten years on from Danny Boyle's extraordinary Olympics opening ceremony in London, Britain is gearing up yet again to put on a show for the world to enjoy.
The Commonwealth Games 2022 will get underway this evening (Thursday 28 July) with an opening ceremony in Birmingham. It will kick off nearly two weeks of competition, involving 6,500 athletes across 19 different sports.
The ceremony, which is directed by Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, will take place at the Alexandra Stadium - the same venue that will host all track and field events.
The show will be about three hours long and is expected to celebrate the talent and diversity of the West Midlands. The key moment will be the Parade of Nations, as athletes from countries across the Commonwealth walk into the stadium under their flag. England's flag bearers will be weightlifter Emily Campbell and diver Jack Laugher.
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The opening ceremony begins around 7pm on Thursday 28 July and should end at about 10.30pm. It will be shown live on BBC One from 7pm. It can also be streamed live on the BBC Sport website and BBC iPlayer.
Tickets for the Commonwealth Games are currently on sale at Birmingham2022.com. There are five ticket categories with category A the most expensive and category E the least expensive. Tickets for the opening ceremony range from £22 to £290.
The Earl of Wessex, vice-patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation, has sent a message of support to all those involved in Birmingham 2022, ahead of the opening of the Commonwealth Games on Friday evening.
Edward said: "The stage is now set and the show is about to begin. To everyone involved in the production, whether behind the scenes or front of house: thank you, good luck and enjoy yourselves. I know from all your preparations that you want to make Birmingham 2022 a brilliant and memorable experience.
"It is to those who actually have to go on to the stage, the performers and those who are about to compete, that I wish particular good luck, to achieve your best and to inspire the next generation.
"Whatever your role or involvement, I hope you have an experience of a lifetime and enjoy every moment."
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