Clare Balding introduces live coverage of the opening ceremony of the 22nd Winter Olympic Games from Sochi. A global TV audience of hundreds of millions will see more than 2,000 performers welcome the world to Russia, which is staging an Olympics for only the second time following Moscow's hosting of the Summer Games in 1980.

The ceremony is an opportunity for the host nation to showcase its culture and achievements and it is sure to be an awe-inspiring spectacle. The event will climax with the lighting of the Olympic flame after its record-breaking journey, which included a trip into space.

Hazel Irvine leads the commentary team. Show less