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After a fortnight of highs, lows and non-stop action, this edition of the Olympic Games is drawing to a close. Paris 2024 kicked off with a bang with its opening ceremony on July 26 and will officially wrap up with a closing ceremony on Sunday August 11.
And Paris is preparing to celebrate the end of the Games in style. With a lineup that currently features Snoop Dogg, Billie Eilish and Tom Cruise (and has rumours buzzing about Taylor Swift), the closing ceremony may well be just as spectacular as the opening party down the Seine.
With the aid of the BBC and Discovery+ (and un-hampered by the time difference), us Brits have been able to watch every moment of the Paris 2024 Games, from the gymnastics and cycling to the athletics – watching Team GB win a spectacular number of medals. And we’ll be able to watch the closing ceremony, too. Here’s everything you need to know about watching it from the UK.
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Paris 2024 Olympics Closing Ceremony UK start time
The Olympics Closing Ceremony takes place on Sunday August 11 at 8pm GMT (9pm local time in Paris), just a few hours after the final event – the women’s marathon – ends.
Length
The grand Parisian farewell to this year’s Olympics will last 2 hours 15 minutes.
You can see a full schedule for the ceremony here.
TV channel and how to watch
BBC One will air coverage live from Paris from 7pm until 10.30pm. You can also stream the ceremony on BBC iPlayer for free.
Subscribers to Discovery+ have access to full coverage of all Olympics events. They’re also offering a £3.99 package exclusively for the duration of the games. If you already pay for Sky TV, you can activate a ‘standard plan’ on Discovery+ at no extra charge.
Location
Unlike the opening ceremony, which took place outdoors down the River Seine, the finale of this year’s Games will be held at the Stade de France. This is the same stadium where athletics, para-athletics and rugby were held during this year’s Olympics.
Hosts and performers
Hollywood action man Tom Cruise will perform a Mission Impossible-style stunt at the ceremony, as France passes the flag to the USA, which will host the next Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. Cruise will be joined by fellow Americans comedian Jimmy Fallon and sports commentator Mike Tirico, who will host the Paris 2024 Closing Ceremony.
The rest of the performer lineup is yet to be revealed. Organisers promise the show, which is called ‘Records’, will feature more than 100 acrobats, dancers and other live artists.
You can find more info on the lineup here and
Team GB flag bearers
We’ve yet to hear confirmation of the athletes carrying the flag for Team GB on closing night. Diver Tom Daley and rower Helen Glover were the flag bearers at the Opening Ceremony.
How many medals did Team GB win at the 2024 Paris Olympics?
The team comes back with their heads held very high indeed, having won well over 50 medals. For a breakdown of who’s won what, see the full medal list here.
London 2012 Olympic Closing Ceremony
The finale of the London 2012 Olympics was an ode to the British street party, featuring a Union Jack projection courtesy of artist Damien Hirst, which covered the floor of the stadium.
The Urban Voices Collective sang a Beatles cover before performing the national anthem with the London Symphony Orchestra. The rest of the music lineup featured songs from all the usual suspects in the British canon: David Bowie, The Kinks, Oasis, Queen and The Who.
Actor Timothy Spall delivered a speech from Shakespeare while dressed as Winston Churchill, and Prince Harry attended the event in lieu of the Queen. And who could forget the iconic Spice Girls reunion?
LA 2028 Olympics
Sunny Los Angeles has been confirmed as the venue for the 2028 Olympics. No doubt the next hosts will bring their signature California cool to the Olympic festivities.
You can find out all about LA 2028, from dates and tickets to venues, on Time Out here.
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