Live coverage from Barcelona of the opening ceremony of the XXVth Olympic Games.
Four years ago in Seoul, the pulsating beats of Korean drums, mass taekwondo and haunting oriental tunes greeted the thousands of athletes marching into the stadium and entertained millions of viewers worldwide. Today, it's the turn of Catalonia's city of culture to provide the breathtaking colour and spectacle which a modern-day Olympic opening demands. This year's parade of competing nations will include the long-banned Republic of South Africa, a unified German team and, for the first time since 1936, the republics of Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia. The traditional lighting of the Olympic flame marks the start of 16 days of spectacular sport. Presented by Desmond Lynam , with David Coleman.
• STEREO
NB As the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games is live, subsequent programming may run late.