Danny Boyle distances himself from May's Festival of Brexit Britain

The London 2012 Olympics. (Photograph: Press Association) - Credit: Archant

The man behind the magnificent 2012 London Olympics opening ceremony has laughed off the idea he might help with Theresa May’s Festival of Brexit Britain.

Danny Boyle was speaking to Channel 4 News when he was described as the ‘national curator of what it means to be British’ when he was asked whether or not he would agree to Theresa May’s call to ‘curate, to host, to direct her festival of Britishness after Brexit’.

Laughing at the suggestion, Boyle told Matt Frei: ‘I’ll probably be busy, who knows’.

Speaking out against Brexit the Oscar-winning film-maker explained that he was ‘European first’.

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He said: ‘We are always connected with Europe and we always will do, regardless of where our politicians take us.

‘My dad always brought me up to be a European really, because of what he went through with the Second World War. He saw the suffering and the values that were fought for and won.

‘I have always viewed myself as a European first, and I will continue to do so regardless of the drift of our politicians.’

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Boyle explained that the 2012 London Olympics had changed his thinking. He is currently working on a project to commemorate and pay tribute to victims of World War I.

‘It was a great privilege, an incredible experience to do it (the Olympics opening ceremony),’ he said. ‘Most of that experience is about the volunteers who came to the stadium and rehearsed and made the show, really.

‘This is sort of it in reverse – we’re going to the communities, to their places and hope that they turn up with the same spirit.’

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