Birmingham 2022 Enlists Peaky Blinders Creator For Opening Ceremony

Birmingham 2022 has unveiled the creative team which will be behind its opening and closing ceremonies next summer, which includes Peaky Blinders creator Steven Knight, and theatre director Iqbal Khan.

Taking place on 28th July 2022, and broadcast to 1.5 billion people around the Commonwealth, the Opening Ceremony will host a live audience of 30,000 at the newly redeveloped Alexander Stadium. 

Organisers have enlisted some of the UK’s top creative names to deliver the events showcasing the region, blending ‘global prestige’ with ‘homegrown talent’.

Birmingham-born theatre director Iqbal Khan, two-time BAFTA award winner Hamish Hamilton, international rapper Joshua ‘RTKal’ Holness, published novelist Maeve Clarke, international set designer Misty Buckley, and the creator and writer of the Peaky Blinders, Stephen Knight are all part of the creative team, brought together by Birmingham 2022’s Chief Creative Officer Martin Green, who also led the Olympic and Paralympic Ceremonies in London 2012. 

“As a showcase of creativity and innovation, a successful Opening Ceremony will be remembered by athletes, spectators, and broadcast audiences alike for many years to come,” said Green.

“It is a defining moment for Birmingham, the West Midlands, and the UK as we welcome the Commonwealth and set the stage for the Games ahead.

“As we create these Ceremonies, it is our intention to utilise the new range of tools at our disposal. From CGI to special effects, the UK is a world leader in cutting-edge broadcast technology. The core creative team assembled to imagine the Opening Ceremony is drawn from a diverse range of disciplines, from theatre to literature, TV to stage production; we have had access to the very best UK and West Midlands talent to create this.

“This talent and these tools are nothing without a story, and this city and region are full of rich and diverse narratives to share with the world. Ten years, almost to the day, since London 2012’s Opening Ceremony, these Games in Birmingham present a unique opportunity to create a global advert at a moment of renewal as we emerge from the challenges of the pandemic.”

Commonwealth Games Federation President Dame Louise Martin added: “The Commonwealth Games Opening and Closing Ceremonies provide a unique platform for a city and country to showcase itself to a global audience. 

“Birmingham 2022 has assembled a truly exceptional and diverse creative team that boasts genuine, world class talent and I have no doubt that they will work tirelessly to create unforgettable Ceremonies. These will live long in the memory and showcase the very best of Birmingham, the West Midlands, the country and the Commonwealth.”

Birmingham 2022 says full details of the story of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies will be revealed in the coming months, as well as the musical performers, special guests and moments that will make up the shows.