It’s fair to say that the closing ceremony of the London Olympics failed to hit the heights of Danny Boyle’s stupendous Opening Ceremony 16 days earlier. Instead of symbolism we got celebrity and mostly mediocre ones to showcase the British culture.

Perhaps the most inspired idea was to turn the entry of the national flags and the participating athletes of 204 nations into something informal. The competitors enter the stadium, many of them coming down the audience walkway and then filling the gaps in the vast Damien Hirst Union Jack artwork that covered the entire surface.

Brian May joined on stage by Jessie J for her own version of “We Will Rock You”. This is the most electrifying performance of the night. Brian May’s solo guitar performance was absolutely to die for.

Spice Girls make a grand entry. Out of five taxi cabs come Baby, Sporty, Posh, Ginger and Scary Spice. They performed a medley starting with “Wannabe and zig-a-zig-hing into Spice up your Life.”

Russell Brand came out on top off a bus. He sung “Pure Imagination” from Willie Wonka and the “Chocolate Factory.”

The game makers and volunteers who worked really hard in these 17-days event were called up on stage to receive bouquets of flowers from six athletes as a thank you for all the hard work they and the rest of their 70,000 colleagues had performed during the Olympics. It was one of the few class acts of the night.

As of official flag handover ceremony as Mayor of London Boris Johnson passes the Olympic flag to Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympic Committee.

Fireworks galore and the closing ceremony come to an end. “When our time came, Britain we did it right. Thank you!” said chairman of the London Organising Committee for the Olympic Game.