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NewsTranscript
00:00World Leaguers have already arrived for the opening ceremony.
00:03City's residents have fled, or at least tried to flee, for summer vacation.
00:07We're just hours away from the long-awaited, or long-dreaded, opening ceremony.
00:11For the first time, it will take place not in a stadium, but on water.
00:15Some 100 boats will be carrying about 10,000 athletes along the River Seine,
00:20winding 6 kilometers through the heart of Paris.
00:23Along the banks, there will be 300,000 spectators.
00:27Artistic director Thomas Joly has signed up 3,000 performers,
00:30including musicians, dancers and singers.
00:33But he's remained tight-lipped about who the big names are.
00:37For more, let's speak to our reporter, Selina Sykes,
00:39standing by not far away from the River Seine.
00:41Hello to you, Selina.
00:43Tell us more about what went into the massive planning of this historic opening ceremony.
00:51Well, Will, as you said, this is going to be an opening ceremony like no other.
00:56For the first time in Olympics history,
00:58taking place in the heart of the French capital and not in a stadium.
01:03And of course, with such an ambitious plan comes a lot of logistical and security challenges.
01:09This is going to be an unprecedented security operation for the French security and police.
01:17This is the largest deployment in peacetime of French security.
01:24Today, 45 police and gendarmes are expected to patrol the streets of Paris today,
01:29along with 10,000 soldiers as well as private security and local police.
01:35There will be a no-fly zone coming into place around a 150-kilometre radius of the French capital
01:42an hour before the opening ceremony, which starts at half seven Paris time this evening.
01:47We've also had an elaborate QR code, of course,
01:50attesting the patience of locals in Paris to restrict the vicinity around the Seine in the run up to this big day.
01:58There are also logistical challenges.
02:00Of course, this will be all taking place along the River Seine.
02:04Artistic director Thomas Joly admitting that it's actually been impossible
02:08to rehearse the entirety of this opening ceremony in one go along the River Seine.
02:13Instead, there have been parts of it being rehearsed,
02:16especially with the dancers in hangers outside of Paris.
02:19So we've had rumours that both directors have been practising in sailing centres outside of Paris, too.
02:27So this is a massive logistical challenge.
02:29But if it all manages to be pulled off, it's really going to be a spectacular sight
02:34for those very lucky 300,000 people who will be here this evening in attendance,
02:38as well as around 100 heads of state will.
02:41Yeah, and Selena, any more idea about who some of the big names will be that will be performing in this opening ceremony?
02:50Well, it's all been a very highly guarded secret.
02:53Who will be performing here this evening?
02:55We have had a few clues this week because there have been some big stars spotted on the streets of Paris.
03:01Most notably, Celine Dion, the Canadian singer, who is very popular here in France.
03:06There's a lot of bets that she will be making an appearance this evening.
03:09Despite struggling with health issues in recent years.
03:12Another big American star that has been spotted in Paris is Lady Gaga.
03:16And there's been a lot of speculation on social media with a piano sighted along the River Seine,
03:22whether she will be featuring this evening at playing the piano.
03:26We also know, of course, Thomas Jolie has said that there will be 12 artistic scenes across the River Seine with dancers.
03:34It's really going to be quite a spectacle here this evening.
03:37Nearly a four hour ceremony for people to enjoy along the River Seine here this evening.