With the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games happening in less than a year, a six-strong team of producers has been confirmed for the ceremonies, including Peaky Blinders writer Steven Knight.

The team will produce both the opening and closing ceremonies at the games in 2022.

A statement released on Thursday said that Birmingham-born theatre director Iqbal Khan, novelist Maeve Clarke and rapper Joshua “RTKal” Holness are also part of the creative team.

The opening ceremony will take place on July 28, 2022, at the Alexander Stadium with a cast of over 1,200 taking part and a live audience of 30,000 people.

Birmingham 2022’s chief creative officer Martin Green, who also led the Olympic and Paralympic ceremonies at London 2012, bought the team together.

He said the opening ceremony will be a defining moment for Birmingham, the West Midlands, and the UK, adding: “As we create these ceremonies, it is our intention to utilise the new range of tools at our disposal.

“From CGI to special effects, the UK is a world leader in cutting-edge broadcast technology.

“The core creative team assembled to imagine the opening ceremony is drawn from a diverse range of disciplines, from theatre to literature, TV to stage production; we have had access to the very best UK and West Midlands talent to create this.

“This talent and these tools are nothing without a story, and this city and region are full of rich and diverse narratives to share with the world.

“Ten years, almost to the day, since London 2012’s opening ceremony, these Games in Birmingham present a unique opportunity to create a global advert at a moment of renewal as we emerge from the challenges of the pandemic.”

How to get tickets to the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games

Tickets will become available on the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games website in the main ballot from September 8.

Prices start at £8 for under 16s and from £15 for adults. There will also be £22 tickets available for every single session, including sessions where medals will be won and for the Opening and Closing Ceremonies.