The London Olympic Games of 2012 closed with a dazzling, and eccentric extravaganza of music and dance that rocked a stadium filled with royalty, celebrities, 10,500 athletes and a sea of cheering spectators.
One of the biggest cheers of the night came as five coloured London taxi drove into the centre of the stadium letting out five famous fares – the Spice Girls
The three-hour show featured the latest names in pop, a holograph of late Queen singer Freddie Mercury, the Spice Girls, and Monty Python actor Eric Idle singing Bright Side of Life ... with roller-skating nuns in Union Jack underwear.
George Michael appeared dressed in black leather and wearing shades to sing Freedom and the stadium shook as 50 geared-up scooters reflecting Britain’s Sixties’Mod era, raced in with the Kaiser Chiefs.
Nine supermodels strutted to a David Bowie soundtrack, singer Annie Lennox sailed in on a ghost galleon singing Little Bird and Ed Sheeran arrived on stage to sing Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here ... as a tightrope walker dangled over the stadium.
Comedian Russell Brand was followed by DJ Fatboy Slim, then three white convertible limousines drove in, opening up one-by-one to reveal pop stars Jessie J, Tinie Tempah and Taio Cruz.
One of the biggest cheers of the night came as five coloured London taxi drove into the centre of the stadium letting out five famous fares - the Spice Girls.
The reformation of Sporty, Ginger, Baby, Posh and Scary, the 1990s pop sensation girlie group, was one of the ceremony’s worst kept secrets as the band was spotted rehearsing but the cheers were deafening as the singers climbed into cages above the taxis and drove around the stadium singing Spice Up Your Life.
The holographic image of Queen singer Freddie Mercury who died in 1991, roused the whole stadium into an ear-splitting chorus of Deyo before Queen guitarist Brian May walked out to play Brighton Rock and We Will Rock You.
A burst of fireworks signalled the start of the formal proceedings of the night, with two male choirs singing the Olympic anthem as the Olympic flag was lowered and passed by London Mayor Boris Johnson to the 2016 host city, Rio.
Brazil then gave a taste of what can be expected in four years’ time with a colourful show of samba and tribal dancers and an appearance by famous Brazilian soccer player Pele.