Olympic ceremonies ‘worth up to £5bn’

Around 20,000 people from across the UK will perform in the four ceremonies next year.

Organisers have so far remained tight-lipped about which big acts will feature in the ceremonies at the start and end of the Olympic and Paralympic Games – rumours include performances from Take That, the Spice Girls and even Beatles legends Sir Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr, but nothing has been announced officially.

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games yesterday revealed that auditions for volunteer performers at the ceremonies closed on Saturday, with more than 100,000 hopefuls vying for a place.

Sir Martin Sorrell, head of advertising giant WPP, said: “The London 2012 opening and closing ceremonies will be four of the biggest moments in TV history, broadcast in over 200 countries to an audience of four billion people.

“The equivalent advertising value that will deliver for the UK could be up to £5bn, however with regards to perception of London and the UK and a tourism legacy you could say that they will be priceless.”

A team of leading British creative talent has been put in place to lead the direction of the Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies.

In May 2010 filmmaker and producer Danny Boyle was appointed as artistic director for the opening ceremony, while director Stephen Daldry, designer Mark Fisher, Hamish Hamilton – best known for his direction of live TV events – and Catherine Ugwu, producer of the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games, were appointed as executive producers across all four ceremonies.

And in February this year, Take That’s creative director Kim Gavin was appointed artistic director for the closing ceremonies of both the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Music directors for the opening ceremony are expected to be announced shortly.