:00:34. > :00:38.Good evening, welcome to this BBC News special from inside the
:00:38. > :00:43.Olympic Park. It has been seven years in the making it, but after
:00:43. > :00:48.the preparations, the hype, and a few problems, the opening ceremony,
:00:48. > :00:54.the official start of the 2012 Olympics, is about to get under way.
:00:54. > :00:57.We will print you did build up for a night to remember. Our
:00:57. > :01:02.correspondents are out and about to bring to the latest on the
:01:02. > :01:06.countdown. David Bond is inside the Olympic Stadium.
:01:06. > :01:10.Yes, we cannot show you the field of play, but I can tell you there
:01:10. > :01:14.are lots and lots of workers scurrying away, putting the
:01:14. > :01:17.finishing touches to a ceremony which will be under way in less
:01:17. > :01:22.than four hours. Shane Hill is at Tower Bridge,
:01:22. > :01:28.where the Olympic flame arrived at lunchtime -- Jane Hill. It is being
:01:28. > :01:33.kept safely until tonight. Yes, we do not know the details,
:01:33. > :01:38.but we have been told it will be leaving here from Tower Bridge
:01:38. > :01:41.later, in spectacular style. Jon Sopel is out in the Olympic
:01:41. > :01:44.Park, where the crowds are gathering.
:01:44. > :01:49.I have never seen such an atmosphere, people whooping and
:01:49. > :01:54.hollering as they came through the gates. A fantastic scene, thousands
:01:54. > :01:59.of people coming in, the look at it -- be lucky ticket-holders.
:01:59. > :02:05.Let's begin with the Olympic flame, it has travelled almost 8000 miles,
:02:05. > :02:09.just a handful more to go. It has been carried by it almost 8000
:02:09. > :02:13.Torch bearers since it set off 70 days ago from Land's End. It has
:02:13. > :02:18.just five miles left to travel before it reaches the Olympic
:02:18. > :02:24.Stadium. Who the last torch-bearer will be, we still do not know, but
:02:24. > :02:32.it has been a magical journey as it set off by boat on a journey of
:02:32. > :02:37.almost 24 miles, from Hampton Court to Tower Bridge.
:02:37. > :02:42.Hampton Court Palace, by the Thames, one final day for the torch relay.
:02:42. > :02:50.The last stages of an 8000 mile journey, winding through the famous
:02:50. > :02:56.maze, and, at times, only just visible above the hedges. Then,
:02:56. > :03:02.from land, on to the porter, it was carried down to the river by
:03:02. > :03:09.Matthew Pinsent. Aboard Gloriana. Built for the Jubilee Pageant,
:03:09. > :03:13.today, they ringed the Olympic flame in a cauldron. Gloriana made
:03:13. > :03:18.her way downstream, among to the Rovers, more past medal-winners,
:03:18. > :03:24.and then to Tower Bridge, and City Hall, where it was welcomed by the
:03:24. > :03:28.flame -- by the Mayor of London. This is London's moment. Perhaps it
:03:29. > :03:34.will not come again in our lifetimes. But we will have the
:03:34. > :03:42.feeling that for the rest of our lives. We will always remember we
:03:42. > :03:46.were here on July 27th, 2012, when the Olympic flame came to City Hall.
:03:46. > :03:51.Earlier in the day, bells chimed up and down the country, run for three
:03:51. > :03:55.minutes as part of a piece of conceptual art. It was so amazing,
:03:55. > :04:00.it is so good to be part of something this big, we are really
:04:00. > :04:05.privileged. It was very tiring, they are quite heavy! There could
:04:05. > :04:09.be teething problems during the Games,... I cannot say they will
:04:09. > :04:16.not be hitches, because it is one of the biggest things you can do,
:04:16. > :04:23.26 major sports tournaments at the same time. And then this. Goodness
:04:23. > :04:30.me, are you all right?! It was a narrow miss. Health and safety!
:04:30. > :04:36.Disaster averted! You got a bit more TV than you were expecting!
:04:36. > :04:41.the last few hours County Down, the sense of anticipation is building
:04:41. > :04:47.it, from those taking part, like these dancers... It is going to be
:04:47. > :04:55.awesome. It is fantastic. It is such a buzz, everybody will love it.
:04:55. > :05:00.It is so exciting. I am so excited, it is an opportunity, it is a blast.
:05:00. > :05:05.And also, for those that have come to watch. We are ready for the
:05:05. > :05:11.opening ceremony. If it will be awesome. Just a few hours to go, it
:05:11. > :05:17.will be awesome. We are really glad to be here. The stage is set, the
:05:17. > :05:22.audience is arriving, and then all eyes will be on the athletes.
:05:22. > :05:27.I came into the park with a lot of the people who will be performing.
:05:27. > :05:31.They were so excited about their chance to finally appear, they have
:05:31. > :05:35.been rehearsing for three months, every weekend. You might be able to
:05:35. > :05:40.see the bridge behind me, the public have just started streaming
:05:40. > :05:48.in. They were allowed in from 5:00pm, and they are heading
:05:48. > :05:53.towards the stadium. David Bond is trackside.
:05:53. > :05:57.Yes, in a few hours, the ceremony will be under way. It is the big
:05:57. > :06:02.moment, the first opportunity for London and Britain to send a
:06:02. > :06:07.message to the world about the sort of Olympic Games it wants to host.
:06:07. > :06:12.Lots of details have leaked in the last few weeks about the content of
:06:12. > :06:18.Danny Boyle's ceremony, but he has still managed to retain a lot of
:06:18. > :06:23.the wild moments, and there will be a lot of surprises, I think, for
:06:23. > :06:28.people starting to enter the park, and who will come into the stadium.
:06:28. > :06:33.But clearly, it is a big night for London, for Britain, but I do not
:06:33. > :06:39.think it will just be about tonight, what follows after this, the next
:06:39. > :06:44.16 days of the sport, will be the key to this. You can sense the
:06:44. > :06:48.scepticism about London's hosting of the Olympic Games, the moaning
:06:48. > :06:53.about security and transport and ticketing, have fallen away as the
:06:53. > :06:56.torch has moved up the Thames. There is a lot of pride in what has
:06:56. > :07:02.been achieved so far, the organisers will be pleased, but
:07:02. > :07:06.there are still some tests to come. They have set their sights high, 47
:07:06. > :07:10.medals in Beijing, at least 48, that is what they are expecting
:07:10. > :07:14.this year. Yes, and in many ways, they were
:07:14. > :07:19.victims of their own success in Beijing, because they finished in
:07:19. > :07:24.fourth place in the bed will stable. I was speaking to some team
:07:24. > :07:28.officials yesterday, they are confident that the team here will
:07:28. > :07:32.be capable of emulating that success, or perhaps even going
:07:33. > :07:37.better, but it is also worth pointing out that this team is
:07:37. > :07:42.pretty inexperience, up to 60% of the team have never been to
:07:43. > :07:47.Paralympic Games before, so it will be a new experience -- never been
:07:48. > :07:54.to an Olympic Games before. People talk about home advantage, but it
:07:54. > :07:59.could go the other way, the sense of expectation might create even
:07:59. > :08:06.more pressure for them. But they are confident that they can deliver,
:08:06. > :08:09.and particularly deliver on more than the 19 gold medals they won in
:08:09. > :08:15.Beijing. That is inside the stadium, but
:08:16. > :08:21.outside, Jon Sopel has spent the day taking in the atmosphere.
:08:21. > :08:26.At lunchtime, there was a nervous atmosphere as everybody was
:08:26. > :08:31.anticipating what was going to be happening later. But now, the most
:08:31. > :08:38.fantastic atmosphere, all of the people. Let's introduce you to this
:08:38. > :08:43.lot of people, there must be something going on! Something
:08:43. > :08:49.special, a once-in-a-lifetime. have already got your gold medal!
:08:49. > :08:53.It is not real gold! You are cynical! We were lucky to get the
:08:53. > :09:01.tickets in the first draw, we applied for 80 sessions, and this
:09:01. > :09:05.was one of the three that we got. We are very lucky. Excited? Yes, a
:09:05. > :09:09.fantastic atmosphere. Did you have to queue up to get through
:09:09. > :09:14.security? All of the volunteers have been great, they have been
:09:15. > :09:22.entertaining this, laughing at our classes. Did you make them
:09:22. > :09:27.yourself?! No! Did you feel full list?! It has caused some interest!
:09:27. > :09:35.Quite a lot of people taking pictures. You are wearing a T-shirt
:09:35. > :09:39.from Athens. Yes, where did it start? I am not very patriotic, but
:09:39. > :09:45.this is where it has come to. you or from Essex, just down the
:09:45. > :09:48.road. Stratford was not a place to visit a few years back. We have
:09:48. > :09:54.seen it changed over the years, it has been fascinating to watch the
:09:54. > :09:59.venues. As well as getting tickets for the opening ceremony, have you
:09:59. > :10:04.managed to get tickets for any of the sport? Yes, several events, but
:10:04. > :10:11.my favourite will be the diving. We are supporting a Peter Waterfield
:10:11. > :10:15.and Tom Daley. You cannot wait! Have you been inside? Yes, it is
:10:15. > :10:20.amazing. It is stunning. The way they have made those diving boards,
:10:20. > :10:28.it looks fantastic. You have got Opening Ceremony tickets, diving,
:10:28. > :10:32.what else? Athletics, hockey, handball. Let me ask an impertinent
:10:32. > :10:40.question. If you had got every ticket you had bid for, would you
:10:40. > :10:45.have had to have had a massive overdraft? Yes. That was the case,
:10:45. > :10:51.we knew they would be few and far between, so we did for more than we
:10:51. > :10:56.could afford. It has been lovely meeting due. The crowds are coming
:10:56. > :10:59.in, it is very colourful and jolly, no problems with security getting
:10:59. > :11:04.through, and all these people want is to see the ceremony get under
:11:04. > :11:09.way. They are going to have a great
:11:09. > :11:12.couple of weeks! Even before tonight, sporting events are
:11:13. > :11:15.already under way. There was archery at Lord's this morning to
:11:15. > :11:20.determine the seedings, but there were problems when spectators
:11:20. > :11:26.turned up, expecting to be able to watch the event without tickets.
:11:26. > :11:30.The home of cricket for the first Test between bow and arrow. The
:11:30. > :11:34.first Test of an Olympic sport in London. The action is preliminary,
:11:34. > :11:39.the Archers are seeded according to their schools today. There were
:11:39. > :11:43.hundreds hoping to watch, left outside. This event was advertised
:11:43. > :11:49.as on ticketed. This family came from Oregon, thinking that was an
:11:49. > :11:54.invitation. My invitation, free to the public. We will do a free day
:11:54. > :12:01.for people to come in. Get a feel for it. It sounded like a generous
:12:01. > :12:07.gesture. How did you feel? What words am I allowed to use on the
:12:07. > :12:13.BBC? I am not very happy. My family is not happy. He was not alone.
:12:13. > :12:16.LOCOG explained tickets were never offered, but I met the family and
:12:16. > :12:21.friends of a Dutch Archer, feeling helpless and confused. We would
:12:21. > :12:29.like to see him participate, but we are not allowed access. We were
:12:29. > :12:32.told it was free. Now they say we are not allowed in. The men's
:12:32. > :12:39.ranking round progressed with South Korea in control, setting a new
:12:39. > :12:43.record score. Larry Godfrey led the British effort. Their team are rant
:12:43. > :12:48.in eighth place after the morning's competition. It would have been
:12:48. > :12:54.nice to have been higher, but you roll with what you have got. Today
:12:54. > :12:57.was about shooting the best we could. The other guys shot their
:12:57. > :13:02.best, and we were wrapped in eighth place. Everything happens for a
:13:02. > :13:06.reason. He is going well, but Britain face a quarter-final
:13:06. > :13:14.against South Korea. That is tougher than getting into an
:13:15. > :13:19.archery event. I am joined by an Olympian, Colin
:13:20. > :13:24.Jackson. It is lovely to see you. What an afternoon. It is
:13:24. > :13:31.sensational, walking around already, there is enthusiasm, excitement,
:13:31. > :13:36.cheering, it is wonderful. public have and they just come in.
:13:36. > :13:40.-- have only just come in. enthusiasm of the nation, it is
:13:40. > :13:47.coming alive, because it is happening, there is no turning
:13:47. > :13:52.back! I am working on the ceremony. I will be commentating on the whole
:13:52. > :13:57.proceedings, I am excited. Tomorrow, it is the big day, the sport begins
:13:57. > :14:01.in earnest. What do you think of our hopes as Team GB? It is no
:14:01. > :14:07.doubt that we have been prepared the best we have ever been prepared.
:14:07. > :14:12.I think we will achieve the medal target, so I am excited. The
:14:12. > :14:17.euphoric feeling that it will touch the nation will inspire our stars
:14:17. > :14:21.to go beyond anything they have done so far. What will be athletes
:14:21. > :14:25.be feeling right now? I hope that they believe they can have a bit of
:14:25. > :14:33.fun, they have worked hard. This is now their time to show the world
:14:33. > :14:40.what they can do. This is you competing. I am in the first lane.
:14:40. > :14:46.1988, South Korea. The race was won with a new Olympic record, and I
:14:46. > :14:51.won a silver medal. It was my first Olympic Games. I experienced a new
:14:51. > :14:55.culture, it was wonderful. Many athletes will be there for the
:14:56. > :15:05.first time, experience in London, and I hope we deliver an Olympic
:15:06. > :15:06.
:15:06. > :15:10.You can't beat a home games. can't. Now what team know what it's
:15:10. > :15:14.going to be like. The support has been phenomenal. They've witnessed
:15:14. > :15:18.it by the way that torch relay has gone around the whole country.
:15:18. > :15:21.They've seen how many people have got out of bed early in the morning
:15:21. > :15:26.to see the flame. Now they know that they have been inspired.
:15:26. > :15:31.They've got to perform. You have a busy few weeks ahead of you, thank
:15:31. > :15:35.you for sparing us the time. It is seven years since London beat the
:15:35. > :15:40.favourite, Paris, and was awarded the Olympic Games. What a journey
:15:40. > :15:47.it has been since then. The Culture Secretary at the time was Labour's
:15:47. > :15:50.Tessa Jowell, and she joins me now from outside Buckingham Palace. I
:15:50. > :15:56.think we can safely say you pretty much fired the starting gun for
:15:56. > :16:01.these Olympics. That's true. At the beginning of August it will be 10
:16:01. > :16:05.years. I think every single day for the last 10 years I have thought
:16:06. > :16:08.about London's Olympic Games, in some respect or another. But it
:16:08. > :16:14.wasn't a done deal. You have to work very hard to convince people
:16:14. > :16:18.that London should bid for these games. I did. I had to work very
:16:18. > :16:22.hard on my colleagues in government because the unavoidable fact is if
:16:22. > :16:25.you are going to bid to host an Olympic Games, although the bid
:16:25. > :16:29.comes from the National Olympic Committee, it has to be
:16:29. > :16:34.underwritten by the government. So if the government doesn't supported,
:16:34. > :16:40.then they can be no Olympic bid. So it was hard work, but in the end
:16:40. > :16:45.everybody came round. I think everybody came round, persuaded by
:16:45. > :16:50.two objectives. One, just the sense of national festival as a country
:16:50. > :16:55.that loves sport. The second is inspiring a generation of young
:16:55. > :17:00.people through sport, not just here but around the world. Third, which
:17:00. > :17:05.is what you are seeing behind you, is the regeneration of this part of
:17:05. > :17:09.east London. That kind of fast forward of 60 years of regeneration
:17:09. > :17:14.in just six. We can see pictures of the moment seven years ago when it
:17:14. > :17:21.was announced that London had won the bid. It was a big surprise.
:17:21. > :17:28.People expected Paris to get it. The City of London. I never get
:17:28. > :17:32.tired of watching that. Exactly. People did expect Paris. I was
:17:32. > :17:39.sitting next to Steve Redgrave. All the cameras had moved over to the
:17:39. > :17:42.Paris block. Steve said to me, Paris have one. It is like Sports
:17:42. > :17:46.Personality of the Year. The cameras have gone where the winning
:17:46. > :17:51.team is. But Seb Coe was the smartest of all, because he knew
:17:51. > :17:54.that the IOC's Director of Communications was sitting next to
:17:54. > :17:59.him. He probably knew a little bit ahead of the rest of us that we'd
:17:59. > :18:03.won. It has been such a long journey. Can you actually believe
:18:03. > :18:08.that we are here and in three-and- a-half-hour was time the Opening
:18:08. > :18:12.Ceremony will be under way? It is quite hard to believe. I am lucky
:18:12. > :18:16.enough to have been continued as a member of the Olympic board and
:18:16. > :18:22.been very involved in this final run-up, even after the last
:18:22. > :18:29.election as shadow Olympic Minister. But also, I'm living in the Olympic
:18:29. > :18:33.Village as part of the mayoral team that is overseeing the service to
:18:33. > :18:38.athletes. There's an absolutely first-rate team of people who are
:18:38. > :18:43.very experienced in running a facility for 17,000 athletes. So
:18:43. > :18:48.far, by and large people seem to be loving it. But I think the message
:18:48. > :18:52.for people today is just savour every moment of today. Lay down
:18:52. > :18:56.those memories. Live with them, because they will last for the rest
:18:56. > :19:01.of your life. You are absolutely right to say that tomorrow the
:19:01. > :19:04.sport begins and the sport takes over. Then, as we get to the end of
:19:04. > :19:09.this, we look to the future and look at what we've learnt from it
:19:09. > :19:13.and what we are going to do next to build on what we all hope is going
:19:13. > :19:17.to be an extraordinary achievement for our country. Sebastian Coe has
:19:17. > :19:21.talked all the way along about how this is about inspiring young
:19:21. > :19:25.people and to achieve great things. He has also talked about the legacy.
:19:25. > :19:30.You also spoken a lot about that, it's very important to you. But how
:19:30. > :19:35.long is it before you can judge the sort of legacy that a Games like
:19:35. > :19:43.these leave? You can already see legacy behind you. Every single one
:19:43. > :19:49.of those venues as legacy built in. We put aside the money, for
:19:49. > :19:52.instance for the Aquatic Centre, it to be converted for community use.
:19:52. > :20:02.Children and school parties don't necessarily want to swim in a 50
:20:02. > :20:06.metre pool, so we can turn the 50 metre pool into two 25m pools. The
:20:06. > :20:10.diving area has a flaw which makes it adaptable for other sports.
:20:10. > :20:16.There are eight major venues. Seven of them already have their long-
:20:16. > :20:20.term tenants. Also, 46,000 people have worked in the Olympic Park,
:20:20. > :20:24.and a quarter of those come from East London. 10 % of them were
:20:24. > :20:28.previously unemployed. So there is a legacy you can touch and feel,
:20:28. > :20:35.but there is also a legacy in the opportunities that have been
:20:35. > :20:40.created for people by being able to work in building the park. Thank
:20:40. > :20:44.you for talking to us. Enjoy your fortnight in the Athletes' Village.
:20:44. > :20:49.Let's have a look around the park now. The public have just started
:20:49. > :20:55.coming in. They are streaming across the bridge behind the,
:20:55. > :21:00.heading towards the stadium. It really is quite a sight. Enormous
:21:00. > :21:05.in size. If you can imagine, if you know Hyde Park in London, it is
:21:05. > :21:09.about the size of Hyde Park. An awful lot of walking to do, don't
:21:09. > :21:13.forget your most comfortable shoes. Most of the visitors to the Olympic
:21:13. > :21:17.Park will travel via Stratford train station. It is incredibly
:21:17. > :21:21.busy in central London at the moment and on the trains heading
:21:21. > :21:25.here. We have been talking to some of the people who are coming in. I
:21:25. > :21:30.met a couple of people who have been waiting since 10am today. They
:21:30. > :21:33.are from Texas and wanted to be amongst the first to get into the
:21:33. > :21:38.park. A bit is not as the Opening
:21:38. > :21:41.Ceremony itself that will set the whole tone for these Games, it's
:21:41. > :21:45.the logistics as well. Organisers are desperate to get that thousands
:21:45. > :21:50.of people into that Stadium tonight without a hitch, and also get them
:21:50. > :21:57.back out again. Thousands have taken the advice to arrive early.
:21:57. > :22:02.Among them are the Americans... Over here we've got the Brits.
:22:02. > :22:09.You've all got tickets for tonight. Yes. How excited are you? Immensely
:22:09. > :22:15.excited, can't wait. It's going to be amazing. I manage to get this
:22:15. > :22:20.golden ticket of my ankle. I think we saw you on BBC News earlier
:22:20. > :22:25.today at St Pancras. House move has the journey been? It's been really
:22:25. > :22:30.hectic. I've been photographed and interviewed non-stop since St
:22:30. > :22:34.Pancras. As you can hear, I'm looking at -- and losing my voice.
:22:35. > :22:39.You are doing a great job. What do you think of the British prospects?
:22:39. > :22:45.I can't wait. The vibe here is electric. I think it's going to be
:22:45. > :22:49.an amazing show. Come on, Team GB! Let's have a quick word with the
:22:49. > :22:54.Americans. What do you think of London's preparations for these
:22:54. > :22:59.Games? It's wonderful, we are very excited to be here. You are going
:22:59. > :23:05.to see some of the game's... Yes, we have gymnastics, swimming,
:23:05. > :23:09.basketball. We are ready! London is ready. You put on games in America,
:23:09. > :23:16.what do you think of this, are we doing it better than you?
:23:16. > :23:19.Absolutely. You guys are doing great. We are very impressed.
:23:19. > :23:29.Nations from all over the world are here. In a few hours' time they
:23:29. > :23:30.
:23:30. > :23:34.will be going in to enjoy that Wonderful! You are watching a BBC
:23:34. > :23:40.News special on the final countdown to the start of the London 2012
:23:40. > :23:44.Olympics. Right now we can talk to Liz Nicholl, but chief-executive of
:23:44. > :23:49.UK Sport. What a task you have when your hands. Are you able to sit
:23:49. > :23:53.back and say, well, it's all going to happen now? Well, for these
:23:53. > :23:58.Games we've done everything we can in terms of investing in the sports
:23:58. > :24:03.and their athletes, providing the very best support over this Orr
:24:03. > :24:07.year preparation. We are already starting to think about Brazil, to
:24:07. > :24:11.be honest. We can relax and watch the performances and look forward
:24:11. > :24:15.to the outstanding successes and hopefully a lot of medals. You are
:24:15. > :24:18.predicting at least 48 medals, that's better than Beijing. You are
:24:18. > :24:25.setting the bar highball stop when we came out from Beijing, a
:24:25. > :24:28.fantastic performance, 47 medals, we, prior to Beijing, thought that
:24:28. > :24:32.would be the best we could achieve for the nation of our size. But we
:24:32. > :24:36.came back and thought, we've got another four years of preparation,
:24:36. > :24:40.we have National Lottery funding and government funding, we need to
:24:40. > :24:45.be aspirational and looked to do even better than Beijing, and take
:24:45. > :24:50.advantage of the home support. we see these athletes, we see them
:24:50. > :24:55.going for their big moment, in the stadiums, but people don't realise
:24:55. > :25:00.how much money and time and effort goes into each and every one. It's
:25:00. > :25:03.an expensive business. It is, but it's not only about the money. It
:25:03. > :25:07.is the talent and commitment of these athletes, starting from a
:25:07. > :25:14.very young age. The money does help provide the head coaches and the
:25:14. > :25:17.very best in the world. Sports scientists, we can invest in the
:25:17. > :25:23.very best research and innovation, to big bikes go faster and boats go
:25:23. > :25:29.faster. Anything that is needed, we have got the ability to invest in
:25:29. > :25:35.bass -- in that. 400 million in the last four years alone. Yes, 100
:25:35. > :25:39.million a year. To compete against the best in the world is expensive.
:25:39. > :25:43.The feedback from our national lottery players is they think it is
:25:43. > :25:49.a good thing to do, to invest in success, because it is great to be
:25:49. > :25:56.part of it. The low point was 1996, Matt Lanter, but we came back with
:25:56. > :26:00.just one gold medal, 15 medals in total. -- Atlanta. That was when
:26:00. > :26:04.the National Lottery money started being pumped into sport. Yes, sport
:26:04. > :26:09.had been calling for it for some time, but that was the turn around.
:26:09. > :26:12.I remember prior to Sydney, we will only invest in about 15 million a
:26:12. > :26:16.year at UK level. So things have moved on tremendously. The lottery
:26:16. > :26:20.sales have increased. We've been able to invest in the best. For
:26:20. > :26:24.these Games, we are investing in every Olympic and every Paralympic
:26:24. > :26:29.sport. Not only those who have medal potential, but those who have
:26:29. > :26:34.a chance to shine and inspire youngsters. We have a lot of stars
:26:34. > :26:38.already, the likes of Rebecca Adlington, Tom Daley, who everybody
:26:38. > :26:44.knows. Do you think we will have new stars from these Games?
:26:44. > :26:47.Absolutely. Rebecca, an amazing staff from the last Games. Nobody
:26:47. > :26:52.would have predicted two gold medals from a young athlete like
:26:52. > :26:56.that. We will see some great, inspirational performances and
:26:56. > :27:00.surprises. That is what sport is all about, that's what makes it so
:27:00. > :27:03.exciting. What happens if you don't hit that magical number of 48, if
:27:03. > :27:08.you don't beat Beijing? Is it going to be a massive disappointment,
:27:08. > :27:11.will that be how we remember the Games? I don't think the general
:27:11. > :27:15.public will be disappointed, if there are enough memorable moments
:27:15. > :27:18.and a lot of podium success. We will be disappointed by UK sport
:27:18. > :27:22.because we've worked hard with the sports. We know the potential is
:27:22. > :27:27.there to achieve at least 48 medals, so we will be disappointed. But we
:27:27. > :27:32.will move on very quickly and start planning for the future. We are
:27:32. > :27:36.already aspiring to do what no host nation has ever done before, to
:27:36. > :27:39.actually maintain performances through to the next Games beyond
:27:39. > :27:45.the home advantage. That is the aspiration as we move through
:27:45. > :27:48.London. I hope you reach your goal. And many more beyond! Let's go now
:27:48. > :27:53.and talk more about the Olympic flame. It has been on an
:27:53. > :27:59.extraordinary journey. 70 days since it left Land's End. Millions
:27:59. > :28:09.and millions of people have turned out to see it. It arrived at Tower
:28:09. > :28:10.
:28:10. > :28:15.I can't quite believe it was 70 days. Remember those images of Ben
:28:15. > :28:19.Ainslie at Land's End in Cornwall, the first torchbearer. As you say,
:28:19. > :28:25.the torch relay ended in really beautiful style, here at Tower
:28:25. > :28:30.Bridge at lunchtime. The flame was a road on the role Bargh Gloriana,
:28:30. > :28:35.starting at Hampton Court Palace early this morning and ending here,
:28:35. > :28:42.at Tower Bridge. 16 oarsmen and women on board that beautiful
:28:43. > :28:46.vessel. A former Olympic champions. And it was this young go macro, 22-
:28:46. > :28:50.year-old Amber Charles, a basketball enthusiast from Newham
:28:50. > :28:56.in east London, who had the honour of being chosen as the final
:28:56. > :29:00.torchbearer. There were thousands and thousands of people cheering
:29:00. > :29:04.her as she stood by the Olympic rings that are on the water,
:29:04. > :29:09.nestled at the foot of City Hall. She was therefore a very long time,
:29:09. > :29:14.as people have lined both sides of the Thames to cheer her on. What a
:29:14. > :29:18.fantastic end to that 70 day be laid. The flames seen by more than
:29:19. > :29:23.14 million people in that period. In terms of what happens from here
:29:23. > :29:27.run-in, well, there is a secret here as well because how the flame
:29:27. > :29:30.will be transported from here at Tower Bridge to the Opening
:29:30. > :29:36.Ceremony tonight is indeed a closely-guarded secret. We have
:29:36. > :29:41.been told simply that it will leave here in a few hours' time in what
:29:41. > :29:48.was described to me as spectacular style. That is as much as we know.
:29:48. > :29:53.It will make its way to Stratford for tonight's Opening Ceremony.
:29:53. > :29:56.And what a moment that will be. Even though many members of Team GB
:29:56. > :30:00.will be taking part in the parade of nations during the Opening
:30:00. > :30:03.Ceremony later this evening, not all will. Among those who will be
:30:03. > :30:08.watching it all on television, I imagine, will be the three-times
:30:08. > :30:18.Olympic gold medallist Ben Ainslie, he is in Weymouth for us now. Good
:30:18. > :30:20.
:30:20. > :30:23.Hello. It is fitting that we should be talking to you, because you were
:30:23. > :30:29.the man that everybody will remember kicked off the Olympic
:30:29. > :30:35.torch relay 70 days ago, can you believe it is virtually over?
:30:35. > :30:40.flies. It has been an amazing period, the build-up to the Games
:30:40. > :30:45.here, and down in Weymouth and Portland. It is really exciting, a
:30:45. > :30:50.lot of people on the beach, even though they will be watching the
:30:50. > :30:55.opening ceremony from here. cannot be at the ceremony, you are
:30:55. > :31:01.competing Seion, so it does not work with your schedule. Or you
:31:01. > :31:08.disappointed? Absolutely. It would have been a huge honour to walk out
:31:08. > :31:13.into the Olympic Stadium. But yes, sadly, with our schedule, it is not
:31:13. > :31:18.really that smart to end up with a late night, with racing so soon
:31:18. > :31:26.afterwards. I had to be sensible. Does that mean you do not get to
:31:26. > :31:32.see all of it? I think we will probably get the team around and we
:31:32. > :31:36.will stay up and watch it happen, but we will miss out on everything
:31:36. > :31:41.else that goes along with being in the stadium. It will be an
:31:41. > :31:45.incredible atmosphere for everyone, we will be supporting the team, it
:31:45. > :31:49.will be fantastic for the people in the stadium and the team going out
:31:50. > :31:56.in front of everyone. You are going for your fourth gold medal, what is
:31:56. > :32:01.it like being a British athlete at a home Olympic Games? It is so
:32:01. > :32:05.different from any other Olympic experience that I have had. You
:32:05. > :32:15.feel the atmosphere, how excited everyone is, all of the support
:32:15. > :32:22.that you get, it is fantastic, it is Age UK inspiration and are the.
:32:22. > :32:27.-- order. There is a responsibility to succeed. There is an expectation
:32:27. > :32:32.for us to succeed, you feel that, but at the same time, you have to
:32:32. > :32:38.focus on your game. How difficult is it for you, because you have got
:32:38. > :32:42.your gold medal, everybody knows you are going for another one,
:32:42. > :32:48.there is a sense that people think you will be able to do your sport,
:32:48. > :32:54.get the medal, and it will not be difficult. It is good! I wish it
:32:54. > :32:59.was that Azi! Unfortunately, it is not, there is a huge and I did
:32:59. > :33:04.effort that goes into the preparation. -- huge amount of
:33:04. > :33:08.effort. At the end of the day, the athletes have the responsibility to
:33:08. > :33:16.get it right when it counts. Tell us about running with the Olympic
:33:16. > :33:24.torch. This is year with the flame, 70 days ago. What was it like?
:33:24. > :33:29.was incredible. For me, growing up in Cornwall, it was special to be
:33:29. > :33:34.there when the flame landed, and in Land's End to start of the relay.
:33:34. > :33:38.To see the excitement on the people's faces, especially the
:33:38. > :33:45.youngsters, there has been a lot said about Legacy, to see the
:33:45. > :33:55.delight on their faces, it will inspire a generation. Very best of
:33:55. > :33:56.
:33:56. > :34:00.luck to you. We hope that you achieve what you want.
:34:00. > :34:07.Let's have another look around the park, because the pictures are
:34:07. > :34:16.quite sensational. The crowd that is pouring into the park, it is
:34:16. > :34:23.only 25 minutes to 6pm, the ceremony does not start until 9pm.
:34:23. > :34:28.It is quite spectacular to see. The Olympic stadium, you can see the
:34:28. > :34:32.Aquatics Centre, 65,000 people are going to be coming in here tonight,
:34:32. > :34:37.not that 80,000 capacity, because they have had to take some of the
:34:37. > :34:43.seats out to accommodate the spectacle. This is Danny Boyle's
:34:43. > :34:47.spectacle that he is putting on. Over here, that is that Athletes'
:34:47. > :34:51.Village, a lot of the national flags hanging out from the windows.
:34:52. > :34:56.It is going to be home from home for the competitors for the next
:34:56. > :35:02.two-and-a-half weeks, it has got apartments for 14,000 athletes,
:35:02. > :35:08.shops, restaurants and leisure facilities.
:35:08. > :35:12.Away from the funfair and the first, the competitors' home, built just
:35:12. > :35:18.moments away from the Olympic Park, and most of the time, completely
:35:18. > :35:22.private. This really is special access, this is a place you are not
:35:22. > :35:26.going to see much of a over the next couple of weeks. It is that
:35:26. > :35:33.Athletes' Village. This is where they come to sleep and relax. You
:35:33. > :35:39.can see the blocks, South Korea, Switzerland, Denmark. This is where
:35:39. > :35:45.they come to relax and rest after competition. Most of the time. Over
:35:45. > :35:49.there, where they go to have some fun. This village has been built
:35:49. > :35:52.and designed with specific request from the athletes themselves. They
:35:52. > :35:58.said it was important to them to get away from the pressure of
:35:58. > :36:02.competing. Here inside the bar, you can play Paul, table football,
:36:02. > :36:09.computer games, catch up with your friends, and get a much-needed
:36:09. > :36:14.drink. A bottle of your finest, please. Thank you. Soft drinks only,
:36:14. > :36:19.of course. Some of these athletes have serious appetite. This place
:36:19. > :36:24.is open 24 hours a day for that very reason. It is basically a big
:36:24. > :36:30.tent serving every type of food you can imagine. Lots of it. When you
:36:30. > :36:35.say to people it is 17,000 square metres of temporary space for a
:36:35. > :36:39.dining hall, it is huge, but it has got character and personality.
:36:39. > :36:43.the moment for the mayor of the Athletes' Village to reflect on how
:36:43. > :36:47.it has been received. The cables have and the athletes Commission,
:36:48. > :36:55.Jonathan Edwards and Tanni Grey Thompson, a group of athletes
:36:55. > :36:59.advising us. They suggested simple things, make sure you have got long
:36:59. > :37:06.beds for tall people. A tailor-made home, as the competitors prepare
:37:06. > :37:11.for one of the most important moments in their lives.
:37:11. > :37:14.Let's get away from the Athletes' Village and back into the Olympic
:37:14. > :37:22.Park. Jon Sopel is there with some of the thousands of people pouring
:37:22. > :37:32.Welcome to the Olympic Park, we have been following Team GB, but
:37:32. > :37:34.
:37:34. > :37:40.the fantastic thing is the bringing together of nations. He is from the
:37:40. > :37:47.Netherlands, he does not speak English! Are you excited to be
:37:47. > :37:57.here? Very excited. I cannot wait to get inside the stadium. You are
:37:57. > :38:01.Team GB! Thank you! You have come from India. Yes! Excited to be
:38:02. > :38:11.going to the ceremony? Absolutely. Looking forward to seeing the
:38:12. > :38:13.
:38:13. > :38:23.sport? Yes! Archery! Go, India! we are going to look for the best
:38:23. > :38:24.
:38:24. > :38:31.costumes of all, you look fantastic. Where are you from? Ethiopia. Of
:38:31. > :38:35.these your traditional costumes? Yes, we are a group of musicians.
:38:35. > :38:44.hope you have a wonderful evening. You will be supporting Ethiopia
:38:44. > :38:50.throughout? Of course, yes. We would like to say hello, Ethiopia!
:38:50. > :38:57.Some of the colour and people and excitement here in the Olympic Park,
:38:57. > :39:02.with just a short time to go. Fantastic, it sounds like they are
:39:02. > :39:10.having a wonderful time. They have been pouring in, what time were
:39:10. > :39:19.they allowed in? 5:00pm. This is their first taste of the park.
:39:20. > :39:27.Yes, are you impressed by the park? Very! Everybody is happy. Fantastic.
:39:27. > :39:35.Amazing. Well you have a good time? Yes! I love your sticker. I do a
:39:35. > :39:39.good forward to rig? It is going to be great. Have a lovely evening.
:39:39. > :39:44.Really nice to talk to you. Everybody is going to have a good
:39:45. > :39:49.evening. The enthusiasm here is infectious.
:39:49. > :39:54.This is not the first time that London has staged the Olympics, the
:39:54. > :40:04.last time was also at a time of economic hardship, following the
:40:04. > :40:08.
:40:08. > :40:14.Second World War. We look back at London's backdrop to 1948, a
:40:14. > :40:19.capital blitzed and still bearing the scars. Hardly a time or place
:40:19. > :40:24.for fun and games. And yet, it held out a make-do and mend invitation
:40:24. > :40:29.to reignite the Olympic spirit. Britain's hopes were high. The
:40:29. > :40:34.Olympic trials suggested home-grown heroes would be going for gold. One
:40:34. > :40:39.young star was this man, the British record mild weather, in the
:40:39. > :40:46.form of his life. But not what you would call a pampered athlete.
:40:46. > :40:52.had a masseur. He would use the same thing that he used on horses.
:40:52. > :40:56.He would put it all over you, it smelled awful. You could smell it
:40:57. > :41:03.for a week. It was very primitive. It was good enough to get into the
:41:03. > :41:11.Olympic final. On August sixth, he lined up. It was a windy day, it
:41:11. > :41:17.was wet, raining. I was in fourth position in one part of the race.
:41:17. > :41:21.But I did not have enough speed. finished in sixth place. London
:41:21. > :41:29.1948 was not to be about British success. The big winners came from
:41:29. > :41:36.abroad. This is the role of honour. It is just a wash with great names.
:41:36. > :41:42.Looking at the women's athletics, the star of the show. 100 metres,
:41:42. > :41:47.200 metres, 80 metres hurdles, and a relay gold medal. She was feted
:41:47. > :41:51.as a star. All she could say, I do not know what the fuss is about.
:41:52. > :42:00.The feel-good factor was enjoyed in many other countries as well.
:42:00. > :42:03.London's legacy was to give people hope for a brighter future.
:42:03. > :42:07.Let's go to the present, because he has been the driving force behind
:42:07. > :42:13.the Games, he has been there since the beginning, and he was crucial
:42:13. > :42:19.in bringing the Games to London. Lord Coe, an Olympic champion
:42:19. > :42:27.himself, can you believe we are here? 3 1/4 hours away from the
:42:27. > :42:31.opening ceremony. I cannot believe it! I am excited, it is a fantastic
:42:31. > :42:35.day, and I am so in awe of all of the people that got us to this
:42:35. > :42:40.point. Thousands and thousands of people have helped us on this
:42:40. > :42:47.journey. It is amazing to see the public coming in. The meadows and
:42:47. > :42:51.the river, the village, people enjoying what we are here for,
:42:51. > :42:56.which you can sometimes overlooked, the sport. People just want to get
:42:56. > :43:02.into the sport, and looking forward to a show that is packed full of
:43:02. > :43:05.fun tonight. There is going to be a lot of focus on that. It is
:43:05. > :43:10.important, what Danny Boyle has done, what pressure on his
:43:10. > :43:15.shoulders, this is the defining image of Britain. I am supposed to
:43:15. > :43:20.say a few years -- few words that will be picked up around the world,
:43:20. > :43:25.but I do not feel as nervous as he must, but he is not, he is
:43:25. > :43:32.remarkable, he is cool and calm. He has worked on this, he is
:43:32. > :43:37.passionate, and it will surprise and it will have big moments. It is
:43:37. > :43:43.quite poignant in places. The real challenge is, it is not just about
:43:43. > :43:47.this, it is also about 203 other nations, over 100 heads of state in
:43:47. > :43:54.the stadium tonight. There were a few extra tickets that had not been
:43:54. > :43:59.sold,... In the end, it was just a handful. I can tell you, they will
:43:59. > :44:04.not be an empty seat in the house. 65,000 people will be in there, it
:44:04. > :44:11.will be broadcast to a two 1 billion people. One way or another,
:44:11. > :44:15.they reckon 4 billion. Watching the whole Olympics, I think that is.
:44:16. > :44:22.Yes, and at the end of that time, 4 billion people will have seen the
:44:22. > :44:30.show. It is a big show! Are you nervous? You are looking slightly
:44:30. > :44:35.nervous. Probably. We are all at that point, we just do not want to
:44:35. > :44:39.let people down. It has been a great journey, we feel
:44:39. > :44:44.responsibility, we want to make people feel proud. I want them to
:44:44. > :44:49.leave tonight smiling at something they saw, and then getting into the
:44:49. > :44:53.sport. The football has started, I was at Old Trafford last night,
:44:53. > :45:03.70,000 people, the second largest crowd ever at an Olympic football
:45:03. > :45:05.
:45:05. > :45:08.Do you think we will come back with lots of medals? Are I hope so, but
:45:08. > :45:13.I don't want to be heretical about this. I've always been less
:45:13. > :45:15.bothered about where we are in the medals table. And that SAT -- and
:45:16. > :45:22.allied to the British Olympic Association has challenged
:45:22. > :45:26.everybody to finish fourth, we did in Beijing. I want moments that
:45:26. > :45:30.young people look at, either in the stadium, at live sights or on
:45:30. > :45:35.television, and go, hey, that's what I wanted to, that's the sport
:45:35. > :45:38.for me. I want them then to go and join clubs and be involved. Thank
:45:39. > :45:43.you very much indeed. You will be inside the stadium tonight, but
:45:43. > :45:46.there will be millions of as outside the stadium. Thousands of
:45:46. > :45:50.them will be in Hyde Park. A lot of people will be able to watch the
:45:50. > :45:54.Opening Ceremony there, with the added bonus of a live concert
:45:55. > :46:00.featuring, among so others, Duran Duran. Lizo Miss Bimbo was with
:46:00. > :46:04.them there now. One of the group's performance
:46:04. > :46:08.tonight, representing England, there are four bands and artists
:46:08. > :46:13.representing different places across the UK. Duran Duran, you've
:46:13. > :46:16.had some incredible highlights to your career. How does today compare
:46:17. > :46:21.to performing at Live 8? It it's the biggest show we've ever played
:46:21. > :46:25.in London town. It's amazing out there. We are excited to be part of
:46:25. > :46:29.the whole London 2012 thing. It is a real honour of representing
:46:29. > :46:32.England, of all the bands that could be chosen. What was it like
:46:32. > :46:37.when you were asked? It was phenomenal. It was a great honour,
:46:37. > :46:41.we feel very English. But we feel British, too. Yes, we are in the
:46:41. > :46:44.right place. The this is a great day for London, a great day for the
:46:44. > :46:50.country. All the people waiting, what do you think the atmosphere
:46:50. > :46:55.will be like when you get on stage? Dynamite, electricity everywhere!
:46:55. > :47:00.We are very excited. There are three other great bands on with us.
:47:00. > :47:02.We've been looking forward to it for a while. It's the last stage in
:47:02. > :47:09.our European Tour, and is the opening of the Olympics - what more
:47:09. > :47:14.could you ask for! I was speaking to Snow Patrol, they describe you
:47:14. > :47:18.as absolute legend. I spoke to lot of fans out there, including
:47:18. > :47:21.teenage girls, they said they were looking forward to just seeing
:47:21. > :47:27.Duran Duran. They weren't even born when you had your first hit in the
:47:27. > :47:29.1980s. What is the secret to your longevity? Wherever we go we have a
:47:29. > :47:33.cross generational thing going on now boast I think we can thank the
:47:33. > :47:37.internet for that. I think the kids can tap into any generation of
:47:37. > :47:41.music these days. It's great for us because it's really opened up our
:47:41. > :47:47.audience to different ages. Thank you very much for talking to as,
:47:47. > :47:53.enjoy the concert this evening. They are on stage just before 8pm.
:47:53. > :48:00.Four different bands and artists, all of the people waiting for the
:48:00. > :48:05.perfect start of London 2012. One of the most striking features
:48:05. > :48:10.of this Olympic Park is the Orbit. It is 35 storeys high, it is made
:48:10. > :48:12.of steel and can also be seen from miles and miles around. There's a
:48:12. > :48:16.greater viewing platform up there for the public as well. It was
:48:16. > :48:23.designed by the Turner prize- winning artist sculptor Anish
:48:23. > :48:27.Kapoor up. He is with me now. It is spectacular. It is so striking, you
:48:27. > :48:31.cannot miss it. What was your thinking behind it? Firstly, one
:48:31. > :48:35.must say that in the modern Games it is terribly important that
:48:35. > :48:42.culture plays a real role. As education does and that sport does,
:48:42. > :48:45.of course. In these Games, the Cultural Olympiad had a wonderful
:48:46. > :48:53.forum all through, and will continue to, and right across the
:48:53. > :48:59.country. Orbiter -- Orbit is surprising to me, as much as
:48:59. > :49:04.everybody else. I think it's a really courageous Commission. It
:49:04. > :49:09.has been a difficult journey but one that we've managed to win in
:49:09. > :49:14.the end. They it is going up. A difficult journey. Why do you say
:49:14. > :49:20.you were surprised, because it was so unusual? A first of all, it's
:49:20. > :49:26.the only bird call object in the park. It has ambitions that are
:49:26. > :49:33.both about public access and it is a difficult work. It requires a
:49:33. > :49:39.certain amount of time and participation. The powers-that-be,
:49:39. > :49:42.politicians and others, bought into it and took part in it, it says
:49:42. > :49:47.something about modern aspiration in Britain today. I hope that's
:49:47. > :49:51.what these Games are about. I heard a friend than walking past it the
:49:51. > :49:55.other day, he was telling a group of people he was with, this is the
:49:55. > :50:00.Orbit, the British call it the Eiffel Tower. What reaction have
:50:00. > :50:04.you had to it? To make a tower these days you have to refer to the
:50:04. > :50:09.Eiffel Tower. It was the first of its kind. Interestingly, technology,
:50:09. > :50:12.in terms of how things are put together, the stadium and the Orbit
:50:12. > :50:17.were put together a much in the way that I would put things together.
:50:17. > :50:22.But what Cecil and I have done is deconstruct the tower. It is as if
:50:22. > :50:27.it is continually making itself. The public can go up there, there
:50:27. > :50:32.is a lift, thankfully, to the top. Yes, and then a long stare all the
:50:32. > :50:35.way down, if you want to take it. And what a view from the top as
:50:35. > :50:40.well. It's a view of London that one doesn't have, because other
:50:40. > :50:44.views of London of from the West looking east. This is also very key
:50:44. > :50:50.to the legacy of this Park. That is the most important thing. As an
:50:50. > :50:54.artist, I'm deeply interested in the idea of real participation.
:50:54. > :50:59.That thing that says, come on, come and join me, let's go and look at
:50:59. > :51:04.something together that changes the way we understand the world to some
:51:04. > :51:09.extent. I hope Orbit is about that. This sense of really taking part.
:51:09. > :51:14.Thank you very much for joining us. As the clock ticks ever nearer to
:51:14. > :51:18.the moment the Opening Ceremony begins, the precise content of it
:51:18. > :51:22.is still being kept under wraps. But one thing is clear, London 2012
:51:22. > :51:30.has definitely got some stiff competition from the Olympic
:51:30. > :51:36.opening ceremonies of the past. proclaim open the Olympic Games of
:51:36. > :51:41.London... London, 1948. It was a little bit homespun. The whole
:51:41. > :51:44.arena suddenly filled with a great cloud of pigeons. Instead of
:51:44. > :51:49.today's multi-million-pound sponsorship deals, the athletes
:51:49. > :51:56.received... A free pair of Y-fronts to every man in the British team.
:51:56. > :52:00.And the ceremony - some margin, a band and, as a finale... The massed
:52:00. > :52:05.choirs of the BBC, Harrow town, Westminster Council and the
:52:05. > :52:10.National Provincial Bank sang the Hallelujah Chorus. And that was it.
:52:10. > :52:19.Since then, we've had 60 years of moments like this. The Los Angeles
:52:19. > :52:26.Rocket Man. Barcelona's flaming arrow. Muhammad Ali in Atlanta.
:52:26. > :52:29.Each country trying to find moments that the world will remember.
:52:29. > :52:33.is a lake, it rained in three minutes. This man was the man
:52:33. > :52:41.behind the Athens Opening Ceremony. He flooded the whole Olympic
:52:41. > :52:44.stadium and then floated the flaming rings. For the Greek
:52:44. > :52:48.Olympic President, the opening spectacle was what mattered. They
:52:48. > :52:55.were very focused. The President knew that it was all about the
:52:55. > :52:59.Opening Ceremony. She's not going to get credit for a brace -- race.
:52:59. > :53:06.And there was political will, that was the productive thing. There was
:53:06. > :53:11.a keen focus. Four years later, he was a consultant on this. The
:53:11. > :53:15.ceremony that topped them all. Beijing. It was very spectacular
:53:15. > :53:20.but it wasn't a heart-warming experience for me. It was
:53:20. > :53:24.impressive, but in a kind of frightening way. I didn't feel
:53:25. > :53:29.emotional leap about it. I didn't feel it as a celebration of the
:53:29. > :53:36.humanity and optimism and hope and youth. I thought it was a great
:53:36. > :53:40.show of strength, a wonderful chess piece exercise. Four years on and
:53:40. > :53:45.we've been given this sneak peek at what Danny Boyle has commuted to
:53:45. > :53:49.represent Britain. A bit humbler, a lot cheaper and, he hopes, it will
:53:49. > :53:55.be all right on the night. Whatever comes our way comes our way,
:53:55. > :53:59.because it is live and it's the one time only. I'll never do one
:53:59. > :54:04.again... It is extraordinary to be involved in it. And things can go
:54:04. > :54:09.wrong, as South Korea realised when it stops found an interesting place
:54:09. > :54:15.to roost. One can't help feeling that the doves may be in for a
:54:15. > :54:20.surprise. But the real test is - does it set a mood that reflects
:54:20. > :54:30.both the Olympics and something of what we want to tell the world
:54:30. > :54:32.
:54:32. > :54:36.You can watch the ceremony live on the BBC tonight. Coverage starts at
:54:36. > :54:40.7pm on BBC One. The man who will be guiding us through it all is Huw
:54:40. > :54:44.Edwards. You've been watching the rehearsals, are we in for a treat?
:54:44. > :54:48.We are in for a treat, I will say that straight away. I'd say
:54:48. > :54:52.something else, too, having listened to your chat with Lord Coe.
:54:52. > :54:57.Of course he is nervous, and he's right to be nervous. We are all a
:54:57. > :55:02.bit nervous because we all wanted to go well. It is a showcase for
:55:02. > :55:08.London and for the UK across the world. But it is quirky, it's a
:55:08. > :55:13.little eccentric at times, very British I suppose you could say it.
:55:13. > :55:16.It's a very unexpected elements. I should say, too, for those of you
:55:16. > :55:19.who imagined that those on the commentary team have all the
:55:19. > :55:23.secrets, there are some critical pieces of information that have not
:55:23. > :55:26.been shared with us, so it will be as much of a surprise for us on the
:55:26. > :55:31.commentary team as it will be for you watching at home when things
:55:31. > :55:36.unfold in this Stadium this evening. That is why we are all really on
:55:36. > :55:42.tenterhooks. You know what the scene is like here. It is very
:55:42. > :55:47.tranquil. It is very green. It is very calm. But it is no secret that
:55:47. > :55:51.this is going to change, and the changes will be dramatic, they'll
:55:51. > :55:58.be colourful, there will be some fantastic music and there will be
:55:58. > :56:02.some very big names involved. A process of change to reflect the
:56:02. > :56:06.way British society has changed over the last two to three
:56:06. > :56:09.centuries. I'm not going to say much more than that. It brings it
:56:09. > :56:14.right up to the modern age and all of the developments and revolutions
:56:14. > :56:18.of the modern age. With some brilliant soundtrack and, as I say,
:56:18. > :56:23.some big mysteries, too. There will ring that big bell at the start of
:56:23. > :56:28.the ceremony? How will the torch come to the stadium? Who will carry
:56:28. > :56:32.it in? Who will be the torch bearers here? They are very big
:56:32. > :56:39.questions and will set the seal on what I think is going to be a real
:56:39. > :56:43.treat all of us. A tantalising glimpse their inside the Olympic
:56:43. > :56:48.Stadium. That is it. It has been seven years in the planning and
:56:48. > :56:52.preparation, but now the waiting is almost over. In three at this time,
:56:52. > :56:58.the Opening Ceremony will begin, the athletes will enter the stadium,
:56:58. > :57:03.the Olympic flame will be it. London 2012 will be under way. From