Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony: Will Celine Dion perform and where to watch?

Preparations taking place on the river Seine in Paris. Credit: PA

The Paris Olympic Games are scheduled to officially begin on Friday with an elaborate opening ceremony.

It will mark the first time the occasion will be held outside the stadium.

Around 10,500 Olympic athletes will parade down Paris' River Seine on boats going from east to west through the city on 94 boats. The boats will pass some of the French capital's most iconic landmarks, including the Louvre and Notre Dame.

Each boat will also have a camera on board so viewers can see their favourite athletes' perspective of the occasion.

Nations with larger athlete delegations will have their own boats, while those that have a smaller number of athletes will share.

Olympic gold medallists Helen Glover and Tom Daley will be Team GB’s flagbearers.

Great Britain's Helen Glover and Tom Daley Credit: PA

The route will end in front of the famous Trocadéro, opposite the Eiffel Tower, where the rest of the ceremony will take place, including the lighting of the Olympic cauldron and the official opening speech from French President Emmanuel Macron.

Around 220,000 invited and security-screened spectators are expected to fill the upper tiers of the Seine's banks, and an additional 104,000 paying spectators will watch from the lower riverside.

American rapper Snoop Dogg will be one of the final torchbearers of the Olympic flame before the ceremony kicks off.

Theatre director and actor, Thomas Jolly, who is leading the Opening Ceremony, said he wants to showcase French culture.

"I was overwhelmed at first. I wondered how I could create a show where everyone can feel represented as part of this great union," he told AP. "This responsibility was ambitious, complex, but magnificent for an artist."

Where to watch?

You can watch the Paris Olympic Opening Ceremony at 5.45pm on BBC One.

Public transport in Paris will be disrupted however, after several deliberate "malicious acts" targeted French high-speed train lines on Friday, hours before the ceremony.

The ceremony had also been "in danger" of disruption as hundreds of dancers were threatening to protest over pay, but called off the action after reaching an agreement with Paris 2024.

Who will perform at the opening ceremony?

Celine Dion has said her voice has suffered due to her disease Credit: AP

The line-up is yet to be confirmed but it is rumoured French-Candian legend Celine Dion and Lady Gaga will be a part of the event.

On Thursday French journalist Thierry Moreau mentioned the duo would also perform Édith Piaf’s classic La Vie en Rose.

If true, this will be the first time Dion has performed in four years after being diagnosed with Stiff Person Syndrome. A a rare neurological condition that can take years to diagnose and requires tailored treatment.

French singer Aya Nakamura is also rumoured to perform.

Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories? Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know...