London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony

An estimated worldwide audience of one billion should tune in to watch the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony from the new state-of-the-art Olympic Stadium in the Olympic Park on 27 July 2012 - that's 15 percent of the world's population. To kick off the XXXth Olympiad, the London Organising City of the Olympic Games (LOCOG) have called on the artistic expression of Danny Boyle, the Oscar-winning director of Slumdog Millionaire, who will have Stephen Daldry of Billy Elliot fame as his trusty sidekick. Given the vast scale of Beijing's opening ceremony in 2008, you pity Boyle the sheer size of his task - although the Scot has promised "a thrilling, enthralling, captivating evening". The latest rumour is that a 27-tonne bell inscribed with a line from Shakespeare's The Tempest - "Be not afeard: the isle is full of noises" - will form the centrepiece of the ?81m ceremony. In 2008, China reminded the world of its growing clout - not to mention controversially computer-simulated fireworks and that lip-synching young singer - with a four-hour spellbinding spectacle that was dubbed "the greatest ever" by many press outlets, although was delivered at vast cost: a cool ?100m. In a world still reeling from the global financial crisis, there's little chance of London even coming close to Beijing in terms of sheer size and exuberance - but that's not to say it won't be a memorable event all the same.

Opening ceremonies are a chance for host city and nation to wow the world with their own culture and values - and London, with its double-decker buses, bowler hats, umbrellas, royal heritage, Union Jacks, black cabs, bobbies on the beat and bearskins, has a whole raft of inspirations to draw from. There's even been talk of Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr performing together in a demi-reformation of The Beatles. As well as the camp theatrics, the Opening Ceremony must also include the staples, such as: the receiving the Head of State of the host nation, the parade of nations, the speeches (from LOCOG chairman, Lord Coe and President of the IOC, Jacques Rogge), the playing of the Olympic anthem, the entry and raising of the Olympic flag, the oaths, the arrival of the Olympic Torch and, or course, the lighting of the Olympic Flame. All in all, don't expect anything as long or as overtly expensive (or political) as Beijing 2008 - but do still expect a jolly good show.