The Tokyo 2020 Olympics are finally upon us after a year's postponement due to Covid.

While the games may look slightly different this year, the iconic opening ceremony will still go ahead, in which the Olympic cauldron is lit to mark the official start of the games.

This year's ceremony will take place on Friday July 23, at 8pm Tokyo time.

However, British viewers will need to watch out for the time difference, with the Japanese capital 8 hours ahead of BST.

With that in mind, here's everything you need to know about when the opening ceremony will air in the UK and how to watch...

What time is the Olympic opening ceremony in the UK?

With Tokyo 8 hours ahead of the UK, it might mean some very early starts over the next few weeks to catch all the Olympic action. 

Fortunately, the opening ceremony will kick off at 8pm Tokyo time so UK viewers will be able to tune in at the leisurely time of 12 noon. 

The ceremony is expected to last around four hours, so prepare to settle in for a long afternoon of spectacular viewing. 

How can I watch the Olympic opening ceremony?

The ceremony will be broadcast live on BBC One with coverage fronted by Clare Balding and Alex Scott and ceremony commentary provided by Hazel Scott and Andrew Cotter. 

Coverage will begin at 11:20am on BBC One. 

How will this year's ceremony differ? 

Of course, this year's ceremony will differ slightly due to the impact of the Covid pandemic. 

A state of emergency in Japan means that no spectators are allowed into the venues, and less athletes will attend the flag procession for fear of a positive case. 

Covid has already forced 8 athletes from different nations in the Olympic village to isolate, putting an early end to some people's games. 

The ceremony is expected to be simpler than originally anticipated pre-pandemic, however despite this, Tokyo will undoubtedly put on a spectacular show. 

Pandemic aside, it has not been an easy run up to the opening ceremony; its director, Kentaro Kobayashi, was sacked just two days before the event after emergence of historical footage showed him making jokes about the Holocaust.  

How long will the Olympics last? 

The games will see 33 sports played over 16 days, before the closing ceremony on Sunday August 8.

During the closing ceremony, Tokyo will officially hand over to Paris who will host the 2024 games.