6 February – I am blue and I long for your...
Do you remember the 1970s? It's no bad thing if you do. It means you have seen lots of editions of our favourite TV...
Thorsten Flinck booted from Swedish Eurovision show
Swedish singer Thorsten Flinck has been disqualified from the 2020 Melodifestivalen - the TV series that picks a song to represent Sweden at the...
Sweden: Bengtsson and Mamas to finalen – Sandman gets to sing...
Melodifestivalen, many people's idea of what a national final should look and sound like (though not mine) started this evening, with the first heat...
27 January – I would lit your world with just one...
The contest in Tel Aviv seems a long time ago now. Indeed, we're now all thinking of 2020 in Rotterdam. We may have stopped...
19 December – I’d take a vow of silence
Do you ever feel old when you watch certain performers do what they do best? Those singers who were teenagers when they took part...
16 December – And how could I ever refuse?
It's legend time. A real legend. Yeah, the term is used to describe anyone who came fifth in a Tuesday night semi-final. But this...
Time to put the Swedes on … Melodifestivalen 2020
For many, it's the start of the season proper. The day when Swedish telly lets us know who's in the running for the juggernaut...
15 November – How could I ever refuse?
Just once in a while, I'll pick a birthday for a member of a group. And I've gone obscure. Possibly. Let's see if her...
16 October – We sail into infinity
Hang onto your hats, your gloves, your scarves. It's Sweden. Yes, again. You might be getting tired of the country of the blue-and-gold flag,...
7 October – When my nights are cold and lonely
One of the golden rules of our favourite TV show is this: If you win, leave it at that. You've reached the pinnacle, so...