Celeb-filled Commonwealth Games video celebrates best of Birmingham
‘We’ll raise the roof!’ Heart-warming Commonwealth Games video celebrates best of Brum as excitement mounts for tonight’s opening ceremony where Queen’s Baton relay message will be revealed – as Boris Johnson insists it IS worth the money
- Two-minute clip features host of Brummie icons including Lenny Henry, Julie Walters and Alison Hammond
- The fictional Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders, played by actor Cillian Murphy, also makes an appearance
- It comes before tonight’s opening ceremony will feature the Prince of Wales and Camilla in lieu of the Queen
A heart-warming video celebrating the best of Birmingham was released today as excitement builds for the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games tonight – after outgoing prime minister Boris Johnson insisted they are the worth the £778 million of taxpayers’ money, even as the country faces a cost-of-living crisis and soaring inflation.
The two-minute clip features a host of icons from the West Midlands city, including comedian Lenny Henry, actress Julie Walters and Good Morning Britain’s Alison Hammond, as they describe Brum as the ‘beating heart of England’.
The fictional Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders, played by actor Cillian Murphy, also makes an appearance to declare: ‘This is our city’, before the video ends with him saying: ‘We’ll raise the roof!’, in a clip taken from the hit TV series.
It comes before tonight’s opening ceremony will feature the Prince of Wales and Camilla in lieu of the Queen.
While she will not be there in person, a message from the monarch, 96, will be delivered following the completion of the Queen’s Baton Relay.
The two-minute clip features a host of icons from the West Midlands city, including comedian Lenny Henry (pictured), actress Julie Walters and Good Morning Britain’s Alison Hammond, as they describe Brum as the ‘beating heart of England’
The fictional Thomas Shelby from Peaky Blinders, played by actor Cillian Murphy, also makes an appearance to declare: ‘This is our city’, before the video ends with him saying: ‘We’ll raise the roof!’, in a clip taken from the hit TV series
The Queen’s Baton Relay is touring England for 25 days in a celebration of sport, culture and communities during the final countdown to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games (crowds pictured in Birmingham on Thursday)
It was announced last week that the Queen will not attend the opening ceremony. Instead, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla will be there in her place. Prince Charles will give a speech and deliver a message from his mother
Excitement is building for the Games, which were last held in the UK in 2014, in Glasgow. More than 5,000 athletes from 72 nations will compete in 280 events across 19 sports. (Pictured: Baton bearers Dr Beverly Lindsay OBE, Darnish Amraz and King Gurcharan Mall with the Queen’s Baton during the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay visit to Aston Hall on July 28, 2022, Birmingham)
The Games, which were last held in the UK in 2014, in Glasgow, will take place over 11 days. More than 5,000 athletes from 72 nations will compete in 280 events across 19 sports. (Pictured: Performers gather during the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay on July 28, 2022)
The relay began in October last year and sees a baton, similar to the Olympic torch, visit all 72 competing nations before being presented to the Queen or her representative at the opening ceremony. A message inside the torch, written by Head of the Commonwealth – currently the Queen – is then read out.
The event has already been mired by protests after demonstrators gathered outside Aston Hall for the final leg of the Baton Relay today to ‘raise awareness’ of the fact that many LGBTQ+ athletes would ‘never be selected’ from certain Commonwealth countries due to their ‘unconscionable’ laws against homosexuality.
The Games, which were last held in the UK in 2014, in Glasgow, will take place over 11 days. More than 5,000 athletes from 72 nations will compete in 280 events across 19 sports.
Ahead of the opening ceremony, outgoing PM Mr Johnson told the Commonwealth Business Forum in Birmingham today: ‘You can feel the excitement here in this mighty city of Birmingham because the athletes are already here in their thousands, from 56 countries, 72 nations and territories around the world.’
He added: ‘Already you can hear the voices on some parts of the media of those who doubt that the whole thing will be worth it.
While she will not be there in person, a message from the monarch, 96, will be delivered following the completion of the Queen’s Baton Relay (Pictured: People gather during the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay on July 28, 2022)
Trevor McIntosh takes part in the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay on July 28, 2022
Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries also defended the expense of hosting the event, which had a £778 million budget funded by the Government and Birmingham City Council. (Pictured: revor McIntosh takes part in the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay on July 28, 2022)
Labour leader Keir Starmer during visit to Action Indoor Sports in Birmingham where he was meeting community sports volunteers ahead of his attendance at the Commonwealth Games opening ceremony this evening
Kye Owen takes part in The Queen’s Baton Relay as it visits Birmingham as part of the Birmingham 2022 Queens Baton Relay on July 28, 2022
‘And people say, can we afford it? Should we have done it with the pressure on the cost of living? Will there be a legacy from the £778 million of taxpayers’ money that has gone into these Games?
‘And so right now, I want you to know I am here to tell you that I am supremely confident that the answer to that question is yes. A thousand times, yes. I say so because I remember, almost exactly 10 years ago, an identical moment of nerves just before the beginning of the London 2012 Games.’
Mr Johnson, who was London mayor at the time of the 2012 Summer Olympics, insisted they ‘continue even to this day to deliver thousands of jobs, growth, regeneration’ in the capital.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer will also attend tonight’s ceremony. He was seen visiting an Action Indoor Sports centre in Birmingham where he met with community sports volunteers.
It came after Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries also defended the expense of hosting the event, which had a £778 million budget funded by the Government and Birmingham City Council.
Ms Dorries rejected claims it was a ‘vanity project’ and stressed the importance of the Commonwealth as a trading and geopolitical bloc.
Birmingham was awarded the Games after scheduled host Durban in South Africa pulled out over financial problems.
Ms Dorries told Sky News: ‘It’s not a vanity project… This is hugely important.
‘Are you saying we shouldn’t have the Commonwealth Games? I think we are proud and honoured to have picked up the baton when it was dropped elsewhere in the world and to continue to run these Commonwealth Games in the amazing way that we have done.
‘Everybody here – thousands of people – are extremely proud, including the volunteers behind me right now, extremely proud of what we’re doing.’
In his speech, the Prime Minister joked the ‘whole EU’ should become a Commonwealth member.
‘I think we have consistently beaten France. Every time we have consistently beaten Germany and more importantly, still, we have beaten Australia,’ he said.
‘And though France and Germany are not members of the Commonwealth, or not yet. Why not? Get them in. Get the whole EU in. A logical solution.’
Members of the Team England Cycling team during a training session at the Lee Valley VeloPark, ahead of the 2022 Commonwealth Games on Thursday
England’s Adam Peaty trains at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre in Birmingham on Thursday
Team Kenya warms up during a 3×3 Basketball training session ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Smithfield on July 28, 2022
A detailed view of the Beach Volleyball court ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games at Smithfield
Members of the New Zealand Cycling team during a training session on Thursday at the Lee Valley VeloPark
Ms Dorries also told LBC: ‘The city is buzzing, it’s alive. It reminds me of the 2012 Olympics. The feeling in Birmingham and the West Midlands is incredibly upbeat and positive.’
She added: ‘I think the Commonwealth today is more important than ever, particularly given what’s happening in Ukraine and with Russia and also with China.’
The final leg of the Queen’s baton relay was met with a gay rights protest ahead of tonight’s opening ceremony.
Around 30 demonstrators gathered outside Aston Hall on Thursday, led by human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who said he was trying to ‘raise public awareness of homophobia in the Commonwealth’.
Mr Tatchell was joined by members of the Out and Proud African LGBTI group, who he said had fled persecution in their home countries.
Some protesters wore T-shirts displaying the words ‘we exist’, and the group took part in chants such as ‘freedom, equality, homosexuality’.
The event has already been mired by protests after demonstrators gathered outside Aston Hall for the final leg of the Baton Relay today to ‘raise awareness’ of the fact that many LGBTQ+ athletes would ‘never be selected’ from certain Commonwealth countries due to their ‘unconscionable’ laws against homosexuality
Around 30 demonstrators gathered outside Aston Hall on Thursday, led by human rights campaigner Peter Tatchell, who said he was trying to ‘raise public awareness of homophobia in the Commonwealth’
Many of the demonstrators held placards which read ‘Commonwealth countries ban selection of LGBT+ athletes’ and ‘abolish anti-LGBT+ laws in the Commonwealth’.
Speaking to the PA news agency, Mr Tatchell said: ‘We’re here with LGBT+ people from Commonwealth countries who have fled persecution.
‘Some of these people have been arrested, jailed, tortured and even subjected to attempts to kill them with the sanction of their own Commonwealth countries.
‘It is unconscionable – it is in defiance of the Commonwealth charter.’
Mr Tatchell continued: ‘Our main role today is to raise public awareness of homophobia in the Commonwealth.
‘We also want to point out that the Commonwealth Games Federation says that these games are open for everyone – but that’s not true.
‘An LGBT+ athlete in a Commonwealth country where homosexuality is against the law would never be selected for their national team no matter how good they were.
‘They’d be put in prison instead.’
Ultimate guide to the Commonwealth Games: What time does the Opening Ceremony TV coverage start, which nations are competing and where did it get its name? All your questions answered as tournament kicks off in Birmingham TODAY
By Harry Howard for MailOnline
Tens of thousands of spectators are set to watch the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham tonight.
More than 5,000 athletes from 72 Commonwealth nations are set to compete in 11 days of sporting events.
Prince Charles and his wife Camilla, as well as the Earl and Countess of Wessex, will attend tonight’s proceedings at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium.
Athletes will compete in 22 sports, with tickets still available for nearly all of them.
The Birmingham event marks the first time the Commonwealth Games have been held in Britain since 2002.
Below, MailOnline answers all your questions.
Tens of thousands of spectators are set to watch the opening ceremony of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham tonight. Above: Comedian Lenny Henry hold’s the Queen’s Baton during the Baton Relay yesterday
What time and where is the opening ceremony?
The Opening Ceremony will take place at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham.
It will begin at 8pm this evening and is expected to last for three hours.
The Games are being held in Birmingham this year after being chosen as the host way back in 2017.
This is the third time England has hosted the event after London in 1934 and Manchester in 2002.
A total of 15 venues across the West Midlands have been selected to hold different sporting events, including the famous NEC Arena in Birmingham city centre and Coventry Stadium – home to the Wasps rugby team and Coventry City FC.
The Opening Ceremony will take place at the Alexander Stadium (pictured) in Birmingham. It will begin at 8pm this evening and is expected to last for three hours
How can I watch the opening ceremony and the games themselves?
The coverage of the opening ceremony will be on BBC One and will begin at 7pm. It is set to last until 10pm.
In total, the BBC will be showing more than 200 hours of live coverage of the games on BBC One, BBC Two and BBC Three.
There will also be up to 11 livestreams to watch online, on either BBC iPlayer or the BBC Sport website.
A highlights show – Tonight at the Games – will be shown on BBC One each night.
What Royals are expected to attend?
It was announced last week that the Queen will not attend the opening ceremony.
Instead, Prince Charles and his wife Camilla will be there in her place. Prince Charles will give a speech and deliver a message from his mother.
Her Majesty has taken a step back from attending some events in an official capacity over the last few months as she deals with ‘mobility issues’.
She is the patron of the Commonwealth Games Federation (CGF) and Head of the Commonwealth.
Prince Charles and Camilla will be aided by The Earl and Countess of Wessex at the opening ceremony. Prince Edward is vice-patron of the CGF.
Other royals, including Prince William and his wife Kate and Princess Anne, will attend various events throughout the 12-day games.
On Friday, Anne will visit the Commonwealth Games Athletes’ Village at Warwick University where she will meet athletes competing in the games.
She will then watch the Rugby Sevens at Coventry Stadium, where she will see the following matches: England vs Samoa; South Africa vs Malaysia; Scotland vs Tonga; and Canada vs Wales.
Other royals, including Prince William and his wife Kate and Princess Anne, will attend various events throughout the 12-day games
On Saturday, the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester will watch cycling at Lee Valley Velopark in London, being in attendance for the 4,000m Individual Support and presenting the winning athletes with their medals.
On Monday, August 1, the Earl and Countess of Wessex will return to Birmingham to watch events in the city between Monday and Wednesday.
On the Tuesday, the Duke and Duchess of Cambride and the Earl and Countess of Wessex will attend the games once again.
Prince Edward will also deliver a speech at the closing ceremony on August 8.
What countries are involved?
A total of 54 Commonwealth countries and 18 territories are sending athletes to compete.
In total, there are 6,500 athletes and officials.
The territories that are competing separately from the nations that they are dependencies of include Britain’s crown dependencies.
Among them are the British Virgin Islands, the Cook Islands and the Turks and Caicos.
The four Home Nations of the UK send their own separate teams, as they do in the Olympics.
The Maldives are competing after re-joining the Commonwealth in 2020.
Only six teams have attended very Commonwealth Games. They are England, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Scotland and Wales.
A total of 54 Commonwealth countries and 18 territories are sending athletes to compete. Above: A display in front of Birmingham Library showing the badges of nations competing
People walk past Victoria Square decorated in preparation for the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham
How can I get tickets for the the Games?
Tickets for swimming, cycling and the triathlon and para triathlon have sold out and are now re-sale only.
However, tickets for all other sports are still available. There are still also tickets for tonight’s opening ceremony.
They can be bought at the official website https://tickets.birmingham2022.com.
What sports will feature?
A total of 19 sporting disciplines will take place throughout the Games, with varying numbers of events in each.
The full list is below:
- Aquatics – diving
- Aquatics – swimming and para swimming
- Athletics and para athletics
- Badminton
- Basketball 3×3
- Beach volleyball
- Boxing
- Cricket T20
- Cycling – mountain bike
- Cycling – road race
- Cycling – time trial
- Cycling – track and para track
- Gymnastics – artistic
- Gymnastics – rhythmic
- Hockey
- Judo
- Lawn bowls and para lawn bowls
- Netball
- Para powerlifting
- Rugby sevens
- Squash
- Table tennis and para table tennis
- Triathlon and para triathlon
- Wheelchair basketball 3×3
- Weightlifting
- Wrestling
Where did the Commonwealth Games get its name?
The Commonwealth Games were originally called the British Empire Games.
They were held for the first time in Hamilton, Canada, in August 1930.
The second Empire Games were held in London in August 1934.
The name for the games remained the same until 1952, when they were renamed to The British Empire and Commonwealth Games.
The word empire was not dropped until 1970, when the British Commonwealth Games were held.
The word British was then dropped from the title from 1978 onwards.
Source: Read Full Article