Huge heroes’ homecoming celebrations planned for Team GB Paris Olympics stars after stellar Games sees Britain win 63 medals already

The UK’s Olympic heroes will be welcomed home with a huge celebration of live music in Manchester that will be broadcast on the BBC – set to the backdrop of Team GB’s best moments in France.

Paris 2024 draws to an end on Sunday after almost two weeks of intense competition across the world’s greatest sporting disciplines – and as of the end of Saturday Britain is sixth in the medal table with 63, including 14 golds.

To celebrate the country’s Olympic success, the National Lottery is staging a grandiose homecoming event for athletes at the AO Arena in Manchester on August 17, to be witnessed in person by 6,000 people who won tickets in a ballot.

But for those not lucky enough to scoop the prized briefs, the entire performance – featuring the likes of Clean Bandit, Jess Glynne, Pete Tong and Rag’n’Bone Man – will be broadcast on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on August 18.

The celebrations will be hosted by Emma Willis and Vernon Kay. Athletes will be interviewed about their time in Paris while thanks are given to National Lottery players for helping to fund Team GB’s journey to the Olympics through ticket sales.

This year’s event will be hosted by presenters Vernon Kay and Emma Willis (pictured)

Rag’n’Bone Man (left) and Jess Glynne (right) are among those lined up for the event at Manchester’s AO Arena

The Team GB Homecoming will honour the UK’s top Olympic athletes 

Vernon said the event would be ‘a moment to recognise the achievements of these incredible athletes’, while Emma said it would be the ‘perfect way to celebrate’.

A fifth of proceeds from lottery tickets and scratch cards is given to sporting causes by The National Lottery, which says £6.7billion has been given to grassroots outfits since it began in 1994. 

Also among the recipients is UK Sport, which funds the UK’s Olympic and Paralympic efforts including coaching, facilities and support for over 1,000 British athletes.

The homecoming event for Tokyo 2020, celebrating Team GB’s 64 medals, featured performances from Anne-Marie, Bastille, Young Blud and legendary musician Nile Rodgers.

Team GB has enjoyed great success in Paris – with the likes of runner Keely Hodgkinson, triathlete Alex Yee, cyclist Tom Pidcock and climber Toby Roberts bringing home gold medals.

Saturday also saw Georgina Bell pick up a bronze medal in the women’s 1500m while the men’s and women’s 400m relay teams – the men setting a European record.

Noah Williams also claimed a bronze in the 10m platform diving after scooping a silver with Tom Daley in the synchronised event, and 21-year-old Caden Cunningham won silver in the +80kg men’s taekwondo.

But there has also been controversy after cyclist Ollie Wood appeared to take a headbutt from Dutch rival Jan Willem van Schip in the men’s madison final – leading to the Netherlands’ disqualification.

However, with just one day and a handful of events left to go, Team GB will not be able to top the 22 golds notched up in Tokyo three years ago.