American company Jack Morton Worldwide (JMW) were appointed following the tender process, which sparked fury among those who failed in their bids for the Ceremonies.

Led by Olympics creative director Ric Birch, who coordinated the the Opening and Closing Ceremonies at the 1982 Commonwealth Games in Bristbane, as well as at the 1992 and 2000 Olympics in Barcelona and Sydney, the group, which also includes unsuccessful bidders David Atkins and Julie Brooks, have called for a review of the process.

They also wrote a scathing letter to Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczu to contest the appointment as the losing bidders claim there are local Australian companies who would do a better job of the Ceremonies.

JMW’s London office conceived, planned, and delivered the Opening and Closing ceremonies for the last edition of the Commonwealth Games, held last year in Glasgow.

They also produced both Ceremonies at the 2004 Olympics in Athens and the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, the last time the event was held in Australia. 

It has since emerged that Mik Aukland, recently been appointed Gold Coast 2018 technical director and who was head of Ceremonies at Glasgow 2014, worked for JMW for nine years.

His partner Celia, meanwhile, was with the company up until 2014.

The couple then formed their own company called Red Thread.

They both offered technical advice to Gold Coast 2018 in the tender process but head of communications Marcus Taylor claimed they had no input to the selection panel and “had no role in recommending or appointing the Ceremonies contract”.

"So basically, to make sure that any of the tenderers had the technical capability to deliver an Opening and Closing Ceremony,” Taylor told the Brisbane Times. 

“Red Thread was appointed through an open tender process to provide technical advice to GOLDOC (Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation) for the Ceremonies tender.

“GOLDOC led the development of the tender documentation.

"Red Thread had no role in recommending or appointing the ceremonies contract, which was performed through an evaluation panel that they were not part of.

"The recommendation was ultimately approved by the GOLDOC Board.

"Both the panel and the GOLDOC Board include members from the private and public sectors.

"What he did provide was the technical advice as to what is required to deliver an Opening and Closing Ceremony.”

Queensland's new Commonwealth Games Minister Stirling Hinchliffe has claimed the re-opening of the tender because of the development was unlikely, according to the Brisbane Times.