麻豆社

In the summer of 2012, London hosted the Paralympics for the first time 鈥�- the biggest ever Paralympics, with over 4,000 athletes from 164 teams.

With 2.4 million advance tickets sold and an advertising blitz from Channel 4, the country was primed to continue the golden summer that had started with great success at the Olympic Games.

The Opening Ceremony kicked off with the world-famous electronic voice of Stephen Hawking and featured an appearance from Sir Ian McKellen, music from Beverly Knight and the sound of 80,000 people in the stadium crunching on apples at the same time.

Over 10 days, Team GB Paralympians began to change public perception of what disabled people were capable of. From the first day of the games, the medals began to roll in for the host nation. In front of packed stadiums and millions more on TV, Sarah Storey won Team GB鈥檚 first gold medal. In the following days, Ellie Simmonds defended her title, setting a new world record, and the rowing mixed coxed four which included Naomi Riches won Team GB鈥檚 only rowing gold.

When Thriller Thursday came around, Team GB鈥檚 gold medal haul sat at 25 and the country had become used to winning at least two golds a day. Hannah Cockroft won her second gold, David Weir his third and Sarah Storey her fourth. A 19-year-old Jonnie Peacock took his marks against the first ever global Paralympian star 鈥� Oscar Pistorius- beating him and crowning Thriller Thursday with the final GB gold medal of the day.

Team GB finished the games with 34 gold, 43 silver and 43 bronze medals and London 2012 was declared the "greatest Paralympic Games ever鈥�. The closing ceremony was a huge party with Coldplay, Rihanna and Jay-Z performing, a fitting ending to the weeks of the Olympics and Paralympics games.

Kirsty Wark is joined by Britain's most successful Paralympian of all time Dame Sarah Storey, and gold medallists Hannah Cockroft, Naomi Riches, and Ollie Hynd. Ade Adepitan was part of the bid team for the games and part of the Channel 4 presenting team. Jenny Sealey and Bradley Hemmings directed the opening ceremony and Kim Gavin the closing ceremony of both the Paralympics and Olympics.

Producer: Jill Achineku
Series Producer: David Prest
A Whistledown production for 麻豆社 Radio 4