The 2024 Olympics in Paris are officially open after a spectacular opening ceremony that saw Lady Gaga and Celine Dion perform.
The show has begun and it's football legend Zinedine Zidane running through the streets of Paris with the Olympic torch. He gets into the metro, which gets broken and he hands off the torch to some kids who take it and run down the side of the track and into the tunnels.
It's all very Enid Blyton. Then a mysterious rower comes by and takes the children on board. Then we cut to real-time, and it's applause for IOC boss Thomas Bach and French President Emmanuel Macron.
Then back to the tunnel, where the video meets real time as the mysterious rower and the children appear. Blue, white and red smoke bellow from above the first bridge and the show is very much underway!
Tony Estanguet, a three-time Olympic champion in caneoing, is the man in charge of organising all of this. He gives thanks to everyone involved and for not being put off by the rain.
"That we French, who can never agree on anything, came together to make this possible," Estanguet says, raising a smile or two in the crowd. He's really very grateful. "Tonight you have shown how beautiful people are when they unite."
"For the next 16 days, this is your city. Paris 2024 is your Paris," Estanguet says to the athletes of the world, before adding some words of motivation to the French team.
And now comes Thomas Bach. He too has a lot of thank yous, and waxes lyrical about Paris. "Thank you for this magical welcome this evening."
"In our Olympic world there is no global south or global north," Bach says. "We all follow the same rules and we all belong to the Olympic family. We live in solidarity with each other."
"In a world torn apart by wars it is thanks to this solidarity that we can all come together tonight."
"Welcome to the best athletes of the world, welcome Olympians."
Bach then asks Emmanuel Macron to officially declare the Paris 2024 Olympics open, which he does swiftly. Then comes the Olympic oath, read aloud to all the athletes, which is met by cheers.
