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David Cameron can only dream of such support

With just days to go before London 2012 is banished to memory and the Olympic Park can prepare for its future as the derelict backdrop to a million gritty Channel 4 dramas about gang violence, it is time to face facts. Yes, it was fun being proud to be British. Yes, by the end of the Paralympics even the most hardened of us had managed to stop instinctively flinching at the sight of a union flag. But enough's enough. It is probably time to start agreeing again that Americans are better than us.

No, really, they are. Americans are better than us because they know how to commit. Look at how their celebrities endorse rightwing politicians. Would a British celebrity ever champion a Tory by publicly muttering incoherent abuse at an empty chair for 12 solid minutes? Would a British celebrity turn up on...

Tom Daley has signed up to appear on 'X Factor'. The 18-year-old diver - who won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in London earlier this month - has agreed to take part in a special Olympic Week on the show alongside Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah, and ITV bosses are delighted as Tom will work well with their core audience of young girls. A source told The Sun newspaper: ''All the athletes are keen to be involved. But Tom is the keenest by far and he makes a really good match for 'X Factor's core audience of teenage girls. ''Tom is...

Tom Daley has reportedly signed up to appear on The X Factor. The Olympic bronze medallist will line up alongside Olympians including Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah on the talent show's 'Olympic Week', according to The Sun. The diver is also apparently being considered for a permanent presenting role during the live shows. A source said: "All the athletes are keen to be involved. But Tom is keenest by far and he makes a really good match for X Factor's core audience of teenage girls. "Tom is great on the telly and he'd really like to get involved in all the live shows in some way. Ideas being kicked about at the moment include making him a roving reporter. "He (more)...

Tom Daley has signed up to appear on 'X Factor'. The 18-year-old diver - who won a bronze medal at the Olympic Games in London earlier this month - has agreed to take part in a special Olympic Week on the show alongside Jessica Ennis and Mo Farah, and ITV bosses are delighted as Tom will work well with their core audience of young girls. A source told The Sun newspaper: ''All the athletes are keen to be involved. But Tom is the keenest by far and he makes a really good match for 'X Factor's core audience of teenage girls. ''Tom is...

Bradley Wiggins has hit out at claims that he will appear on 'X Factor.' The Olympic gold medallist and Tour De France champion has said that he will never appear on the talent show after it emerged that several sporting stars - including Mo Farah - are being lined up to take part in the show. He said: ''Let's not talk about the 'X Factor'. Compared to the Olympics everywhere you went the country was on a high, and as athletes it was phenomenal to see that. ''Then you see the 'X Factor' and it's like, 'Oh God, everyone's got to put...

Tomorrow night, the curtain will come down on London 2012. Team Gb have won enough gold medals to fill a large shopping trolley and we've shed more tears than we care to admit. It's been an incredible two weeks of television with unscriptable drama, unbearable tension and more heart-string tugging than an X Factor sob story. Digital Spy's writers have been picking our favourite Olympic moments, but we also want to know what your personal London 2012 highlights have been? Have you still not recovered from Super Saturday (more)...

The BBC coverage goes on for over five hours, so here are some top tips on how to prepare – what bits to focus on, and what to ignore

Mark Lawson: the challenges of televised spectaculars

It's Eurovision without the voting, the X Factor final without the local mayors whooping into Stacey Solomon's face, the jubilee flotilla without crowds of people scowling in the rain. (Or so organisers hope). Tonight's Olympic opening ceremony is going to be brilliant.

Or at least it will be, so long as you do it correctly. Trust me – if you approach the opening ceremony incorrectly, you're in for a world of pain. You'll drop off halfway through and wake up on your sofa at 3am with a drool-covered remote control embedded into your face and a vague recollection of Sue Barker haunting your dreams. This is why I've compiled a brief list of instructions for you.