Paul McCartney performed at Olympic opening ceremony for £1

Sir Paul McCartney was paid just 1 pound to perform at the London 2012 opening ceremony, it has been revealed.

Sir Paul McCartney was paid just 1 pound to perform at the London 2012 opening ceremony, it has been revealed.

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All “top talent” at Friday night’s show received the nominal fee, including Dizzee Rascal, Arctic Monkeys, Emeli Sande and Mike Oldfield.

They had agreed to play for free but had to be charged a token amount in order to create a contract with London 2012 organisers, the Telegraph reported.

“I got paid 1 pound for my work. It’s there in print and I know because I signed the contract myself,” Sande, who sang ‘Abide With Me’ at the ceremony, said.

“Mind you, I haven’t received anything yet! When I do, though, that 1 pound will be truly special.”

“Part of what made the whole event so special was the volunteers who were paid nothing and even paid for their own accommodation. It shows how important art is,” she added.

A spokesman for organisers Locog confirmed that major artists were paid the token 1 pound.

Professional dancers and actors were paid the professional rate, but volunteers gave up their time for free.

“It was an incredible feeling. I feel honoured and humbled to have been asked to be involved,” Dizzee Rascal, who performed his hit Bonkers, said.

“The energy in the stadium was unreal. These opportunities only come once in a lifetime and to be part of it was an unforgettable experience. The production for the show was out of this world,” he said.