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2012 london olympics
July 27, 2012

See Ten of the London Olympics’ Eclectic Celebrity Torchbearers

By Kyle Buchanan, Amanda Dobbins

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Photo: LOCOG/Getty Images

As far as we’re aware, James Bond is the only British person who runs on a regular basis, but over the past few months, many more of the United Kingdom’s best, brightest, and most famous were drafted to jog with the torch as a prelude to London’s 2012 Summer Olympics. It was an honor bestowed on … a very eclectic group of celebrities. Seeing is believing, so click on through to see who played torchbearer (and whether we thought they deserved to).

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1 / 10 Photos
The Best Part of This Picture Is … the confused looks, as if they do not recognize a flame without some sort of burning liquor attached to it.   
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Does a double-vodka martini count as lunch? (Yes.) The Best Part of This Picture Is … the confused looks, as if they do not recognize a flame without some sort of burning liquor attached to it.   
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Does a double-vodka martini count as lunch? (Yes.)

The Best Part of This Picture Is … the confused looks, as if they do not recognize a flame without some sort of burning liquor attached to it.  

...

The Best Part of This Picture Is … the confused looks, as if they do not recognize a flame without some sort of burning liquor attached to it.  

Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Does a double-vodka martini count as lunch? (Yes.)

Photo: LOCOG/2012 LOCOG
The Best Part of This Picture Is … Rupert's posture. Dude is all, "Yeah, who's third fiddle in the most successful children's franchise of all time now?" 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? He smashed a horcrux. Sure! The Best Part of This Picture Is … Rupert's posture. Dude is all, "Yeah, who's third fiddle in the most successful children's franchise of all time now?" 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? He smashed a horcrux. Sure!

The Best Part of This Picture Is … Rupert's posture. Dude is all, "Yeah, who's third fiddle in the most successful children's franchise of all ti...

The Best Part of This Picture Is … Rupert's posture. Dude is all, "Yeah, who's third fiddle in the most successful children's franchise of all time now?"

Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? He smashed a horcrux. Sure!

Photo: LOCOG/2012 LOCOG
The Best Part of This Picture Is… Look at his floppy hair, captured in mid-bounce! Aw. He looks like Wilfred. 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Yes! Of course! Look at him. He's literally the only happy man in the United Kingdom. The Best Part of This Picture Is… Look at his floppy hair, captured in mid-bounce! Aw. He looks like Wilfred. 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Yes! Of course! Look at him. He's literally the only happy man in the United Kingdom.

The Best Part of This Picture Is… Look at his floppy hair, captured in mid-bounce! Aw. He looks like Wilfred.

Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torc...

The Best Part of This Picture Is… Look at his floppy hair, captured in mid-bounce! Aw. He looks like Wilfred.

Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Yes! Of course! Look at him. He's literally the only happy man in the United Kingdom.

Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/2012 Getty Images
The Best Part of This Picture Is… Sporty, back in Sporty clothes. 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Zig a zig yes. The Best Part of This Picture Is… Sporty, back in Sporty clothes. 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Zig a zig yes.

The Best Part of This Picture Is… Sporty, back in Sporty clothes.

Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Zig a zig yes.

Photo: Splash News/Mercury...

The Best Part of This Picture Is… Sporty, back in Sporty clothes.

Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Zig a zig yes.

Photo: Splash News/Mercury Press/???? www.splashnews.com
The Best Part of This Picture Is… imagining your own fan-fiction romance between the male and female Olympic security guards running alongside will.i.am. 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Why exactly is will.i.am there? Because he knows Cheryl Cole? Because he judges the U.K. version of The Voice? apl.de.ap went to Buckingham Palace once … where's HIS torch? The Best Part of This Picture Is… imagining your own fan-fiction romance between the male and female Olympic security guards running alongside will.i.am. 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Why exactly is will.i.am there? Because he knows Cheryl Cole? Because he judges the U.K. version of The Voice? apl.de.ap went to Buckingham Palace once … where's HIS torch?

The Best Part of This Picture Is… imagining your own fan-fiction romance between the male and female Olympic security guards running alongside will.i....

The Best Part of This Picture Is… imagining your own fan-fiction romance between the male and female Olympic security guards running alongside will.i.am.

Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Why exactly is will.i.am there? Because he knows Cheryl Cole? Because he judges the U.K. version of The Voice? apl.de.ap went to Buckingham Palace once … where's HIS torch?

Photo: LOCOG/2012 Getty Images
The Best Part of This Picture Is… the goatee. 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? If young Professor X gets the honor, then surely the old Professor X ought to be able to as well. The Best Part of This Picture Is… the goatee. 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? If young Professor X gets the honor, then surely the old Professor X ought to be able to as well.

The Best Part of This Picture Is… the goatee.

Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? If young Professor X gets the honor, then surely the old Prof...

The Best Part of This Picture Is… the goatee.

Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? If young Professor X gets the honor, then surely the old Professor X ought to be able to as well.

Photo: LOCOG/2012 LOCOG
The Best of This Picture Is... the decision tree that led Tom to that Libertines T-shirt. "What should I wear to hold the Olympics torch? What T-shirt really exemplifies the spirit of the Games? Oh, the Pete Doherty shirt, perfect." 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Maybe not that person. But the guy directly to the left? Definitely. The Best of This Picture Is... the decision tree that led Tom to that Libertines T-shirt. "What should I wear to hold the Olympics torch? What T-shirt really exemplifies the spirit of the Games? Oh, the Pete Doherty shirt, perfect." 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Maybe not that person. But the guy directly to the left? Definitely.

The Best of This Picture Is... the decision tree that led Tom to that Libertines T-shirt. "What should I wear to hold the Olympics torch? What T-...

The Best of This Picture Is... the decision tree that led Tom to that Libertines T-shirt. "What should I wear to hold the Olympics torch? What T-shirt really exemplifies the spirit of the Games? Oh, the Pete Doherty shirt, perfect."

Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Maybe not that person. But the guy directly to the left? Definitely.

 

Photo: Shirlaine Forrest/2012 Getty Images
The Best Part of This Picture Is… guesstimating the weather conditions that day based solely on John Legend's perky nipples. 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Sorry, will.i.am. Did you sing "Save Room"? No? Then John Legend gets to stay. The Best Part of This Picture Is… guesstimating the weather conditions that day based solely on John Legend's perky nipples. 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Sorry, will.i.am. Did you sing "Save Room"? No? Then John Legend gets to stay.

The Best Part of This Picture Is… guesstimating the weather conditions that day based solely on John Legend's perky nipples.

Is This Person Worthy to...

The Best Part of This Picture Is… guesstimating the weather conditions that day based solely on John Legend's perky nipples.

Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Sorry, will.i.am. Did you sing "Save Room"? No? Then John Legend gets to stay.

Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/2012 Getty Images
The Best Part of This Picture Is… that bus. 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Presumably he had something to do with getting that bus up there, and that's impressive enough. So: yes! The Best Part of This Picture Is… that bus. 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Presumably he had something to do with getting that bus up there, and that's impressive enough. So: yes!

The Best Part of This Picture Is… that bus.

Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Presumably he had something to do with getting that bus up ther...

The Best Part of This Picture Is… that bus.

Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? Presumably he had something to do with getting that bus up there, and that's impressive enough. So: yes!

Photo: LOCOG/2012 LOCOG
The Best Part of This Picture Is… THAT SHIRT. 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? THAT SHIRT. The Best Part of This Picture Is… THAT SHIRT. 
Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? THAT SHIRT.

The Best Part of This Picture Is… THAT SHIRT.

Is This Person Worthy to Carry the Torch? THAT SHIRT.

Photo: Ian Gavan/Getty Images for Coca-Cola
1 / 10

Tags:

  • 2012 london olympics
  • olympics
  • slideshow
  • vulture lists
  • james mcavoy
  • john legend
  • rupert grint
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  • the wanted
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  • absolutely fabulous
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