Who will light the Olympic flame?

[allezfred]

It seemed like it would be between Steve Redgrave (5 consecutive golds in rowing 1984-2000) and Daley Thompson (decathlon gold 1980-1984). But noises from LOCOG suggest it might be someone different:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/oly...-ceremony.html

One of the men deciding who will light the Olympic cauldron at Friday night’s opening ceremony has given a strong hint yet that it will not be Sir Steve Redgrave or Daley Thompson.

Instead, the British Olympic Association chief executive Andy Hunt said: “It will be a wow moment,” indicating it may be the method of lighting the flame, rather than the person given the honour, that will be the defining moment of the night.

Hunt said the decision about who lit the flame had been debated with Locog chief executive Paul Deighton and had now been made.

“It is a discussion that has taken quite some time,” Hunt said. “The ceremonies committee makes a recommendation and we can support that. We have come to a mutually agreeable decision.”

So who do we think it will be?

[Spareoom]

Maybe it's someone very young, not necessarily an Olympian? I could see a child; a future Olympian maybe being picked.

Or barring that, since they seem to think that the method rather than the person is the highlight, it could be something that requires a lot of training/rehearsal to execute and they couldn't pick someone ultra famous because it would be easy to suss out.

Either way, I'm curious now!

Eta: upon further thought, all signs point to the Tenth Doctor lighting the torch.

[milanessa]

The Queen!!!

[Domshabfan]

James Bond

[os168]

Sir Steve Redgrave deserve it!!! He is the ultimate Olympian!!! Epic feat, epic battles in the most grueling of endurance sport, 5 consecutive Olympics and golds over 20 years, simply incredible!!!

(Though princess Anne probably wanted to do it herself, she is really into spokesman for Olympics type of thing. I bet she felt somewhat overshadowed by her mum, her brother, her niece and nephew these last 18 month.)

Personally I want to see Mr. Bean!

[skatesindreams]

It could be something that requires a lot of training/rehearsal to execute and they couldn't pick someone ultra famous because it would be easy to suss out.

Whoever it is may have been aware of plans/rehearsing in secret for quite some time.

[allezfred]

Daley Thompson has gone down a bit in my estimation after this:

The BBC has apologised after former Olympian Daley Thompson commented that a tattooist who misspelled the word Olympics must have been Irish.

Thompson made his remark during Thursday's One Show after he was shown a picture of the torch bearer who had "Oylmpic torch bearer" tattooed on her arm at which point the decathlon gold-medalist said the tattooist must have been Irish.

Disappointing.

[Loves_Shizuka]

My money's on everyone's favourite Brit, Margaret Thatcher.

[Jayar]

Naw. I think it's the world's most famous Brit-- Madonna.

[Parsley Sage]

The British exchange student at work thinks it will be David Beckham.

[Fergus]

My guess was Sir Roger Bannister, but he already schlepped it a bit during it's tour of the UK.

Hmmmm, anyone know who is the oldest living British Olympic champion?

[Coco]

Derek Redmond and his father!!!!

[screech]

What about Princess Anne? She did compete at the Olympics, and the world is Royal crazy right now because of Will and Kate, and the Diamond Jubilee.

It definitely won't be David Beckham, though - he's said that he doesn't want to do it - that it should be an Olympic athlete to do it. He said it much more articulately and wonderfully, but it won't be him.

[allezfred]

My guess was Sir Roger Bannister, but he already schlepped it a bit during it's tour of the UK.

The organisers have stated that just because someone has already carried the torch it does not preclude them from the lighting the cauldron. Having said that I don't think it will be Bannister.

[Zemgirl]

Derek Redmond and his father!!!!

Jim Redmond has already been a torchbearer; not sure about Derek, but he has been doing a torch parade in schools. It would be nice to have them involved in the ceremony in some way.

[skatefan]

One nice suggestion I heard on tv the other day was for the cauldron to be lit by a child who was born at the moment the 2012 bid was declared as successful. Can't believe it's been seven years already. Where did it go?

[minuet]

The torch has to be lit by a former, current, or representing future Olympian or paralympians. I found this when researching for Vancouver. So that excludes several people such as Her Majesty. Princess Anne could do it but I doubt she will.
It also excludes the actors, politicians etc.

[Domshabfan]

In any other country it will be Sir Steven Redgrave, but it seems lobbying is very high in GBR, especially from the likes of Sebastian Coe. the comments Daley has made is bit hard to comprehend, especially winning successive gold medals in athletics is harder than winning 5 in rowing. Now I hope Coe and co. realises that this is not athletics world championships with guest athletes competiting in other sports.

[allezfred]

Maybe they could have Tanni Grey Thompson wheel the torch in and then she stands up to light the cauldron. That would be impressive.

[SmallFairy]

At Lillehammer our crown prince Haakon had the honor to lit up our gigantic soft ice cone, and he never competed in the Olympics. Maybe it was ok since both his father and grandfather did? Or maybe just because he was really royal? He was very cute tough, and very Norwegian in his native outfit