Hello!
Well first of all, thanks for joining us again at OnEurope – we’ve been on a hiatus whilst Mr Phil (look at me, speaking about myself in the third person!) has been getting his eyes sorted out (I’m doing ok, thanks for asking – Do a search for Vitrectomy, go on, I dare you!)
So, things move on in the Eurovision sphere – but what? Well I thought it was about time that I did some sort of round up – a one-page upsummer if you like – to get you, my loyal reader, upto date.
Hosts and Contest
The UK will be hosting the 67th Eurovision Song Contest sometime in 2023 ( Probably late May) in one of seven cities. It will be either: Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds, Manchester and Birmingham. – Glasgow seems to be twitters favourite, which thankfully means a big fat f**k all, but no one knows the thought process behind it.
The show itself will be a BBC production with a distinctly Ukrainian feeling. The two broadcasters will have their positions drawn in the usual host broadcaster way. The contest will have 26 competitors, The Big 5 + Ukraine getting the pass to the final as usual, plus the standard ten from each semi final.
Pre-Recorded vocal backing tracks are to be allowed for the third year in a row and, if I am totally honest with you, the viewing public will not care one jot.
National Finals
As of time of writing there are thirty-one confirmed entrants to the contest and, mroe realistically, we’d be looking at around the forty mark as in previous years.
The most popular National Finals are making their annual comeback. Melodifestivalen will return to the tour around Sweden, Sanremo will be back for Italy, Spain are having an expanded Benidorm fest and Malta have announced they are having quarter-finals… lord help our ears!
The Albanian’s will kick us into gear around Christmas with the new and novel innovation of “Televoting” in their Festivali meaning that the public will have a say for only the second time in their history.
Israel have gone early with Kan announcing that Noa Kirel will be representing them in <insert UK City here>. She’s very famous in Israel and has an extensive back catalogue *and* Film credits to her name – she could be one to watch because it seems they have been burned by their experience last year.
Other News
In news that surprises no one, least of all snyone that reads this site, the six cheating bastards, San Marino Romania, Poland, Montenegro, Georgia and Azerbaijan are most likely to be all back. Romania tried to spread the blame about, and still are, but no on ei s having a bar of it because the EBU got their balls out and released the scores! – TVR then decided to hold a “show trial” with their Eurovision participation left upto the public to decide. They ae still in the contest!!
Health willing we’ll get you upto date as soon as proper news is known. In the meantime, enjoy whats left of “Summer”!