Take That, George Michael to feature in London 2012 closing ceremony
Published Jun 9 2012, 19:32 BST | By Paul Martinovic
A selection of big names in pop have been confirmed for the Olympics closing ceremony, including Take That, The Who and George Michael.The two-and-a-half hour show will be held in London's Olympic Park, and watched live by a potential audience of millions.
© PA Images / Ian West/PA Wire
© PA Images / Yui Mok/PA Wire
A committee source told the Daily Mirror: "It is imperative the games close in spectacular fashion and that there is substance as well as style.
"The committee wanted four major artists, representing Britain over the past 50 years, to headline."
The finale to the London 2012 games will also feature Emeli Sandé and is being overseen by Kim Gavin, who worked as creative director on Take That's comeback 'Circus' tour.
A spokesman for Gavin said: "Kim has worked with Take That before and the boys, including Robbie Williams, will put on their most dazzling show."
The show will also mark George Michael's stage comeback after being diagnosed with pneumonia last year. He has not performed live since last November.
Gavin has also been responsible for a number of other major live events in the UK in recent years, including the Concert For Diana and the Help for Heroes gala.
Watch the video for Take That's 'The Flood' below:
Adele & Leona Lewis are singing an original song in the Olympics Opening Ceremony! Honestly, more people watch the openings then the end. j/s
June 12th 2012 at 2:30pm
bloody hell-fire! what are these comments and why are they making them? the who, andrew bailey? their most recent hit was on 78, i think. magic bus? surely a magic daytrip to the seaside, followed by ambulance to a&e... poor paed(o) townsends will need a carer to smash his guitar for him and roger's gonna have to sing 'hope i die before i...oh...'. and, bukhtar, adele? at the signing off to the games? fine if you want a billion people reminiscing about their lost loves and then slashing themselve with their sharpened visa cards (no other cards are available). i am an old fart who'd rather see def leopard performing but even i can see that take that are better now than ever, even if barlow is starting to outstay his welcome this year. and, as for leona, she's had two hits that were covers and two other hits that were the same. all epic but not exactly prolific. her careers's plateaued like cowell's haircut. finally, scrubber, 100% agree. 'featuring' robbie williams is like herpes... you can temporarily get rid of it but it never really goes away. he's become the hristopher biggins of pop and if he 'entertain's me one more time or let's fat bald men sing along to angels again i might have to bomb stoke in retaliation.
personally, i think we should bring the beverely sisters out of retirement...
June 10th 2012 at 4:06pm
Adele's like the most famous British popstar out there at the present time... and we aren't utilising her? She has a beautiful voice and the world loves her. I suppose she may have refused an offer, but I highly doubt it.
June 10th 2012 at 3:56pm
THE WHO! Eventually, a band who deserve respect.
June 10th 2012 at 2:25pm
Oh god why is it the likes of Take That, The Who and George Michael are doing the closing ceremony? No disrespect to them but their golden years are gone but they're still trying to milk for their old hits with now out of tune voices. This is supposed to be the 'modern games' so why not let the younger generation of music artists perform? The likes of Leona Lewis, Adele etc, these artists are huge internationally but aren't good enough for the Olympics? That's pathetic.
June 10th 2012 at 12:37pm