Lauded by organisers as "inspirational" and "innovative", the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games have come to an end in a heavily criticised closing ceremony, with Channel Seven's hosts ripping into the event's organisers live on air.

As the ceremony wrapped up, Johanna Griggs and Basil Zempilas were quick to defend Seven's coverage amid criticism they did not show vision of the athletes entering the stadium.

Commonwealth Games chairman Peter Beattie has now admitted organisers 'stuffed up'.

Sorry, this video has expired Closing Ceremony commentators 'furious' over disappointing performance

The decision meant television viewers were denied the chance to watch inspirational para-sports veteran Kurt Fearnley carrying the Australian flag into the venue.

Mr Beattie told the ABC the athletes were brought into the stadium early to avoid a scenario where they would have been kept "standing around".

"At previous ceremonies athletes were herded around, they stand around, they hate it, they get bored, often they don't go," he said.

But he maintained that athletes may not have enjoyed yesterday's closing ceremony and should have paraded.

"The athletes would not have enjoyed last night. I understand that and frankly the buck stops with me on that," he said.

Zempilas explained it was the decision of the host broadcaster to have the athletes in the stadium before the ceremony began — a decision Griggs said "wrecked a tradition".

"We understand many people have been disappointed by tonight's closing ceremony and to be perfectly honest Jo, so have we been," Zempilas said.

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"It hasn't really lived up to expectations and I've got to say it's about the only thing they got wrong, but they did get it wrong tonight."

But Griggs went even further with her criticism.

"I'm sorry you're being way too polite," she told Zempilas.

"People are thinking that Channel Seven has chosen not to show pictures of athletes or not to show the flag-bearer, Kurt Fearnley or other flag-bearers. We can only show the pictures that are provided by the actual host broadcasters.

"They made the decision not to have the actual athletes enter the stadium, they made the decision not to show the flag-bearers and I'm furious.

"They're actually wrecking a tradition that is so important and part of the Commonwealth Games.

"You want to see the athletes come and you want to see them jumping in front of a camera, you want to see them celebrating 11 days of great sport. We missed out on all of that."

Kurt Fearnley has posted a photo with the Australian team, saying "Thanks Australia". ( Twitter: Kurt Fearnley )

'So disappointing'

Griggs said she had never seen a stadium so empty halfway through a ceremony, while Zempilas noted that most of the athletes left during the ceremony.

"Unfortunately tonight, the hosts — the organising committee — together with the host broadcasters, just didn't get it right," Griggs said.

"It was a mistake not to include the athletes coming out into the stadium.

"So Kurt actually did have his moment with his teammates which was important. But I just wish we could have had that moment. I wish we could have actually seen him as part of the program.

"Not have him be there for five seconds, take the flag away and proceed to go to a show that doesn't show any athletes until the last five minutes when they realise social media was lighting up."

Mr Beattie earlier stopped short of declaring the Games the best ever, but said they were "innovative" and "inspirational".

The host broadcaster of the Games, NEP Group, Inc, said on Twitter it was also "disappointed".

"We understand the disappointment of many viewers, including our followers, and can say that NEP is just as disappointed in tonight's outcome after what has been an incredible 11 days of competition," the broadcaster said.

Meanwhile, The Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation said in a statement it was "naturally disappointed that the good intentions of the creative did not necessarily work for some of the athletes involved and the broadcast audience".

"However, none of this should reflect negatively upon the outstanding performances of the athletes of the Commonwealth," it said.

"Nor should it tarnish the memories for those athletes, friends, fans and family that the images broadcast to the world created."

Seven's criticism was echoed on social media, with users airing their disappointment on missing out on seeing the athletes march in.

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Instead, Seven shared footage shot earlier on Sunday night of the athletes in the stadium, including Fearnley.

ABC/AAP