Beyonce is expected to steal the show at the MTV Video Music Awards 2014 with a "career defining" performance.

Last year Miley Cyrus captured the spotlight with her now infamous twerk in a nude latex bikini while touching herself suggestively with a giant foam hand as she joined Robin Thicke for a duet of his hit Blurred Lines.

This year's ceremony will see Beyonce - who has the most nominations, with eight nods - accept the prestigious MTV Michael Jackson Video Vanguard Award.

MTV executive producer Dave Sirulnick said: " The idea of the award is excellence in music video, pushing forward the art form of music video over a career span, and if you think about that - that's Beyonce.

"What she did with Destiny's Child, what she does now, she has constantly pushed forward the art form of music video, so she is the absolute perfect recipient and it's so well deserved .

"So her performance is going to be a special treat for viewers and for her fans around the world. She is one of the best performers we have in the whole entire world. So the fact she is going to have this Video Vanguard experience is a moment people are going to want to see."

Nicki Minaj, Jessie J and Ariana Grande are set to open the show with their single Bang Bang, with Taylor Swift and Brit singer Sam Smith also performing and Kim Kardashian attending the show.

Dave admits viewers can expect some memorable moments from the night.

He said: "I think people feel like they can just express themselves and they know there's a long legacy of things that have happened, and I think people feel like 'Yeah I want have a moment on the VMAs. I want to express myself!'

"Whether it's what Justin Timberlake did last year - this career-spanning performance , whether it's what Kanye West did last year, and says I'm going to express myself in this way, in the moment, or what Miley did.

"I think each artist decides how they want to do it, and because there's that legacy of classic performances, that really become career-defining moments.

"So when you think Eminem, you think of Eminem and the 100 Eminems walking in. When you think of Beyonce or Kanye or Jay Z with Alesha Keys doing Empire State Of Mind, they become career defining moments.

"They are not just television performance. They are moments that people emotionally connect with."

:: The VMAs will take place in California on Sunday August 24 and will air on MTV UK on Monday 25 August at 9pm.