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Danny Boyle's 'brilliantly bonkers' extravaganza does Britain proud
From the animated history lesson taking in the Industrial Revolution and the suffragette movement to the inclusion of icons such as Bond and Mr Bean, Danny Boyle's mad 'mash up' of British culture made everyone in the country stand that little bit taller and prouder.'Made in Britain' or to give its official title The Isle of Wonders also had cameos by the Sir Kenneth Branagh, JK Rowling and, most ingeniously, the Queen.
That's not forgetting the role of the 10,000 volunteers who gave up every weekend for two months to rehearse the show that will catapult the Slumdog Millionaire director to the status of national treasure.
Friday's dizzying spectacle began with a representation of the Industrial Revolution as workers were summoned forth from the earth by Kenneth Branagh quoting Shakespeare's The Tempest
They hammered away at material that later became Olympic rings
The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge relived their wedding day when their balcony kiss was shown in a section that had echoes of the central love theme in Slumdog Millionaire.
That moment of high romance was one of several film segments shown featuring iconic images from popular culture and history
That moment of high romance was one of several film segments shown featuring iconic images from popular culture and history
The Houses of Parliament flashed up on screen bathed in patriot colours
Multiple Mary Poppins parachute into the stadium in a celebration of one of Britain's greatest achievements – children's literature
Six hundred real life nurses danced their way into the hearts of the 62,000 spectators, highlighting another of the nation's great successes, the National Health Service
Monsters menaced the children pretended to be patients reading by torchlight
Wearing a Dalmatian-print jacket, Cruella De Vil added to the sense of terror
This section named 'Second to the right and straight on till morning', in reference to Peter Pan's dream realm Neverland, was introduced by JK Rowling
There was also a place to remind the world of the country's genius when it comes to pop music.
Disco divas were preceded by figures dressed in Sergeant Pepper outfits
Disco divas were preceded by figures dressed in Sergeant Pepper outfits
Tim Berners-Lee, the British inventor of the internet was feted, appearing on stage at a computer while the personal motto that inspired his great gift to the world lit up the arena
Danny sped through the torch's 69-day journey round Britain, finishing with David Beckham escorting it down the Thames
Another British hero Tour de France winner Bradley Wiggins rung the world's largest "harmonically-tuned" bell.
Weighing 23 tonnes, it is inscribed with the quote from The Tempest: "Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises"
Weighing 23 tonnes, it is inscribed with the quote from The Tempest: "Be not afeard, the isle is full of noises"
Mr Bean, aka Rowan Atkinson, had a billion people chuckling as 'helped' the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra perform a Chariots of Fire homage
Before the first 15 minutes of the ceremony had been shown the director was already being hailed a hero on Twitter
