David Bowie was one of many U.K. stars who turned down the opportunity to perform at the 2012 London Olympics. The Guardian reports that the organizers were hoping that Bowie would close out the night with a performance of his hit "Heroes."
Other stars to pass on the chance included the Rolling Stones, Kate Bush, and the Sex Pistols. The Who, who ended up closing out the ceremonies, had to be asked three times before agreeing to perform.
Those that did agree to take part in "The Symphony of British Music" closing ceremony included The Spice Girls, Elbow, Kaiser Chiefs, Liam Gallagher, Jessie J, Queen, Annie Lennox, George Michael and Take That.
The three-hour show was watched by an average of 23.2 million viewers, making it slightly more popular than the opening ceremony two weeks earlier.
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June 05, 2026 16:18 ET A busy week for economic news flow saw a slew of reports being released that reflected the trends in the U.S. labor market. In Europe, economic growth and inflation data gained attention as the European Central Bank and Bank of England head for policy session later in the month. In Asia, the monetary policy session of the Indian central bank was in focus as the country, a major oil importer, reels under the pressures of a weaker rupee and rising inflation.