Eurovision 2020 special public broadcasting plans
05 May 2020 at 14:13 CESTMany public broadcasters are offering unique Eurovision-themed shows in the upcoming weeks, across a variety of media platforms to delight Eurovision fans across Europe and beyond. Below is an update on what's to come this month:
Albania
On 12 and 14 May, Albanian broadcaster RTSH will present preview videos of countries participating in the first and second Semi-Finals, the Big 5 countries and host country the Netherlands. Audiences may be asked to vote who they think would have made it to the Grand Final.
RTSH and RTSH Muzike are planning to broadcast Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light live.
Armenia
Channel One will broadcast Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light live.
Australia
Australian broadcaster SBS announced a week-long festival of Eurovision from 10 to 17 May. SBS will feature a special show, Eurovision 2020: Big Night In!, on 16 May at 19:30 AEST. Hosts Myf and Joel will count down the fans' favourite Eurovision 2020 acts as voted by the Australian public. There will be special guests, amazing performances and Montaigne’s planned Eurovision 2020 performance.
Find out more information on their website, Facebook page and Instagram account.
SBS will show a deferred broadcast of Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light on Sunday 17 May at 20:30 AEST.
Austria
The special programme Austria 12 points - the Song Contest success story will be broadcast on 16 May at 20:15 (CEST). It is a documentary that looks back on previous Austrian Eurovision representatives from A to Z, including Alf Poier, Thomas Forstner and ZOË.
Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light will be broadcast on ORF1. For further information click here.
Belgium
Belgian public broadcaster VRT will air the Eurovision Song Celebration on Tuesday 12 May and Thursday 14 May on een.be and VRT NU.
Via Facebook Live, the Belgian broadcaster, in collaboration with radio station MNM, will host a show called En de 12 punten gaan naar… (And the 12 points go to…). In this show, the public can vote live for their favourite Eurovision artists in 8 different categories, the main category being the “Biggest hit of the past 20 years”. Peter van de Veire will host the show which will feature calls with some of Belgium’s Eurovision participants from the past. To watch the Facebook live click here or here.
On Saturday 16 May, you can watch Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light at 21:00 CEST on Eén.
Bulgaria
Bulgarian public broadcaster BNT will celebrate #EurovisionWeek on BNT 1 from 12 to 16 May at 21:00 CEST by airing and re-celebrating Bulgaria's greatest successes at the competition: Kristian Kostov's second-place finish at Eurovision 2017, the fourth-place finish of Poli Genova Eurovision 2016 and Elitsa and Stoyan's fifth-place finish at Eurovision 2007. They will also commemorate Bulgaria's hosting of Junior Eurovision 2015 in Sofia by airing that show, as well. To finish the week, the country will air Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light live on BNT 1 at 21:00 CEST.
Croatia
HRT, Croatia's public broadcaster, will also broadcast Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light live. As of 27 April, HRT1 has been presenting the daily TV show, Kod nas Doma (At our home): a show that represents all 41 artists of Eurovision 2020 in the form of short videos. It will run until 14 May.
Cyprus
Broadcaster CyBC will show Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light on 16 May on their main channel CyBC 1 at 22:00 EEST and will be commentated by Andreas Iacovides.
A half-hour special tribute to this year’s competition and a retrospective look at all of Cyprus’ entries in the Competition thus far will be presented on May 16 prior to Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light and will be hosted by Loukas Hamatsos.
The Eurovision 2020 acts will be presented in 2 special shows on Saturday 9 May at 22:15 local time and Sunday 10 May at 09:15 EEST on CyBC 1. The shows will again be hosted by Loukas Hamatsos.
Estonia
In Estonia, Sven Lõhmus, Birgit Sarrap, Ott Lepland, Evelin Samuel, Marko Reikop and others will recall their favourite hits and memories from the Eurovision Song Contest in 12 punkti! Eurovisiooni hitid on 15 May at 19:00 CEST.
The Estonian public broadcaster ERR will also show Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light live on ETV and ETV+.
Finland
On 14 May, Finnish public broadcaster Yle will present Euroviisut 2020 which will showcase the Top 10 Eurovision Song Contest videos of this year, as voted by the Finnish audience, and will also include guests and live performances. On 15 May, Euroviisutoiveet, a Eurovision viewers request show, will be broadcast with studio guests and live music from Finnish Eurovision stars, including Lordi. On 16 May, Eurovision Studio will include 2007 participant Hanna Pakarinen and Krisse Salminen, who co-hosted the Eurovision Song Contest in 2007. All 3 shows will be hosted by Krista Siegfrids and Mikko Silvennoinen.
Finnish channels Yle TV2 and Yle Areena will then broadcast Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light live.
France
French public broadcaster France 2 will provide their Eurovision audience with a variety of alternative shows including a 10 minute talk-show presented by Stéphane Bern, the iconic French commentator to kick-off the live broadcast of Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light. The special show will feature France’s Eurovision 2020 representative Tom Leeb as well as former commentators of Eurovison.
On the same night, former commentators and artists will reminisce on their favourite hits and moments of Eurovision in the second part of the talk-show dedicated to the Contest and will be aired from 23:00 (CEST) on France 2.
From 23:10, La Grande Histoire de l’Eurovision (The Great Story of the Eurovision Song Contest) will air and feature many former French commentators who will take a look back on 65 years of Eurovision history. Denise Fabre (1978 host in Paris and spokesperson in 1981), Stéphane Bern (French commentator since 2015), Dave (Commentator in 2001 & 2002), Cyril Féraud (Commentator between 2012 and 2014), Jean-Paul Gaultier (Commentator in 2008), Patrice Laffont (Spokesperson in 1978, and commentator in 1985, 1986, 1993 & 1994), Laurent Ruquier (Commentator in 2003 & 2004), Patrick Sabatier (Commentator in 1980 & 1981) and Amir (Eurovision 2016) will also contribute to the show.
Germany
NDR/ARD will celebrate the 2020 artists and their songs by showing all official videos in a show called World Wide Wohnzimmer (World Wide Living Room) on 9 May at 20:15 CEST. You can watch it on channel ONE and via the internet on funk.net and eurovision.de.
The German public can cast their votes for their favourite 2020 songs via online and televote, and the 10 most-voted songs will make it to the show's finale. Germany’s 2020 representative will not participate competitively and will not be a part of the poll.
The German Eurovision Finale will be shown live on 16 May on ARD at 20:15 CEST. The top 10 acts of the previous vote will be showcased and the German audience can then vote for their “Eurovision Winner of the Heart!". The special show will be broadcast (without an audience) in one of the most beautiful halls in Germany, the Elbphilharmonie, and hosted by Barbara Schoneberger.
NDR/ARD will defer their broadcast of Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light to 22:00 CEST on 16 May on channel Das Erste.
Israel
KAN's viewers will get the chance to choose their favourite acts from Eurovision 2020 via their website and the results will air live on their Facebook and radio station KAN Tarbut. In the lead-up to Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light, their Eurovision documentary series about last years’ Eurovision in Tel Aviv will air on Monday 11 May, Tuesday12 May, and Saturday 16 May. Currently the documentary will only be available in Hebrew but there are plans to provide subtitles for the wider Eurovision community in the future.
Italy
Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light will be shown live on channels Rai1, Rai4, RaiPlay and RaiRadio2.
Latvia
Eirovīzija 2020. Studijā Samanta Tīna (Eurovision 2020: Samanta Tina in Studio), will be presented on 16 May by Latvian broadcaster LTV. The programme will be hosted by Toms Grevins who is the country's Eurovision Song Contest commentator. The 35-minute talk show will feature Latvia’s Eurovision 2020 representative, Samanta Tina, and will be aired just before Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light which will also be broadcast live on LTV1.
You can watch the programme here on 16 May.
North Macedonia
Macedonian Radio Television will broadcast all episodes of Eurovision Home Concerts during primetime hours. Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light will be broadcast live. The commentator of the show will be Aleksandra Jovanovska, who has been working as the Eurovision Head of Press for North Macedonia since 2013.
In an interview with Aleksandra, Vasil (North Macedonia 2020) said: "The only thing I feel most sorry about is that YOU did not get the chance to be presented on the stage in its real light. Except for the fact that we had a brilliant team from Sweden: Tine Matulessy and Mari Forsman Ryberger. They are the same ladies who took care of Tamara's performance last year in Tel Aviv. I would have been joined on stage by 4 amazing backing singers with whom the ethnic vibe of YOU would come to its fullest potential."
Norway
Norwegian Broadcaster NRK will provide an alternative to the Eurovision Grand Final, where the Norwegian viewers will get to vote for their favourite song of the Eurovision Song Contest 2020. Ulrikke, winner of the Norwegian national selection, will be a guest at the show. Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light will be broadcast live on channels NRK1 and NRK TV.
You can find more information here.
Slovenia
In addition to their live broadcast of Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light, Slovenian broadcaster RTVSLO will show Pesem Evrovizije: Najboljših 25 (Eurovision Song Contest: Top 25), which will present the past 25 Slovenian Eurovision entries from 1993 to 2019.
A week-long online public vote via their official Instagram and Facebook pages will determine the ranking of all Slovenian entries from 25 to 1. The results will be presented in the show hosted by Nejc Šmit, with special guests Ana Soklič (Eurovision 2020), Lea Sirk (Eurovision 2018) and Maja Keuc - Amaya (Eurovision 2011) amongst many others.
The show will be broadcast on 16 May at 20:00 CEST on TV SLO 1.
Spain
RTVE.es is offering a month of Eurovision, providing a variety of content for its audience, including full shows in Spanish, all of Spain's past performances and an online concert that brings together some of the most recent Spanish representatives.
Until 15 May, there is a daily marathon of full Eurovision shows since 2004 in the lead up to Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light, which will be broadcast live on La1.
Eurobalcón is an online concert in which some of the recent Spanish candidates will come together to spread joy to the audiences at home with their music. Tony Aguilar, current Spanish commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest, will be the host of this virtual festival on RTVE Digital and it will last for approximately 45 minutes.
The RTVE website will release the show My Life in the Archive with Massiel, the first Spanish representative to win the Contest in 1968. Viewers will learn more about the personal and professional life of Massiel through audiovisual content that was recorded and kept in RTVE's files.
In the 120-minute online show Espaňavisión, fans will take a journey through the history of Spain at the Contest since its debut in 1961 with Estando Contigo by Conchita Bautista.
Eurovision fans can also participate in the weekly surveys on rtve.es/eurovisión to choose the ‘best song’ from Spain in its history of the Contest. The most voted song of each decade will go into a final poll where users will decide the winner.
Sweden
Sweden’s broadcaster SVT will show Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light live on SVT1 and SVT play, and will provide 2 additional programmes.
On 9 May, SVT will air a show called Eurovision: Inför ESC (Before Eurovision), hosted by David Sundin (one of the hosts of Melodifestivalen 2020), with Christer Björkman as his co-host. All 41 songs from Eurovision 2020 will be presented and viewers can vote for the songs they want to see in the final via the Melloapp.
The second programme, Sveriges tolva, meaning ‘Sweden’s 12 points' will be aired on 14 May and will be broadcast live from a studio at SVT in Stockholm. During the show, the 25 finalists voted for by viewers in the Melloapp will be shown and, once again, the viewers will vote to choose which entry will be the winner and therefore receiving their 12 points. There will also be Eurovision memories and clips from the 2 most recent editions in Sweden - 2013 and 2016. During the show, Melodifestivalen 2020 winners The Mamas will also perform Move. The show is hosted by Sarah Dawn Finer and produced by Christer Björkman and Edward af Sillén.
Switzerland
SRF, RTS and RSI will kick-off their live broadcast of Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light with the additional programme, Die Schweiz am ESC - Dramen, Siege, Emotionen (Switzerland and the Eurovision Song Contest - dramas, victories, emotions), on 16 May from 20:10 CEST.
The show will take the audience on a journey through Switzerland's history in the Contest. Previous contestants Paola Felix, Sandra Studer, Peter Reber, Sven Epiney and 2020's artist Gjon’s Tears will take part in the show.
Ukraine
UA: PBC will broadcast Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light live on TV and Radio Promin. The Ukranian public broadcaster will also provide 2 additional programmes: Євробачення Євробачень (Eurovision of Eurovisions) and Про що співає Європа (What Europe is Singing About).
The Eurovision of Eurovisions show will explore Ukraine’s journey in the Contest and will get viewers to rank their favourite Ukrainian representatives since 2004. The show will be hosted by Timur Miroshnychenko, the commentator of Eurovision in Ukraine for the past 15 years and host of the Eurovision Song Contest 2017. The 72-minute programme will be broadcast on 15 May at 20:45 CEST.
The second programme, What Europe is Singing About, is a musical digest of the Eurovision 2020 entries. The show will consist of 8 episodes, each 24 minutes long, and will feature the music videos of this year’s participants. The show will run from 4 May to 15 May daily at 16:30 CEST.
Radio Promin will also broadcast Eurovision 2020 songs twice an hour from 08:00 to 20:00 on 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15 May. The songs will be preceded with introductions of the country, song and artist for fans listening at home. More information can be found here and on their YouTube page.
Check out their Instagram and Facebook accounts dedicated to the Contest.
United Kingdom
UK Public broadcaster BBC have planned a huge variety of alternative programmes for loyal Eurovision fans.
BBC1
On BBC1, you will find a one-off special, Eurovision: Come Together, featuring Graham Norton giving United Kingdom viewers the opportunity to take part in a live vote to crown their favourite Eurovision performance from an eclectic shortlist compiled by experts and celebrity super fans.
“Eurovision offers real escapism for people, which is something we need more than ever throughout these times. This year people at home can celebrate the amazing spirit of the event and hopefully get the chance to take their mind off the current situation for a few hours,” says Norton.
The show will be broadcast on 16 May at 18:30 BST and viewers can cast their votes on the night of the show. Graham will also be joined by James Newman, the United Kingdom’s 2020 artist.
Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light will also be broadcast live on BBC1.
BBC2
Rylan Clark-Neal will narrate a guide to all things Eurovision in a compilation of highlights going from A to Z. It will air at 22:00 BST on 16 May. Rylan says: “It’s so sad that Eurovision 2020 had to be cancelled, but it’s understandable and it doesn’t mean we can’t still escape to the Eurovision bubble. We’re so excited to be bringing Eurovision content to Saturday 16 May to keep up the tradition of many years of this amazing event.”
Steve Wright will introduce a special Eurovision-themed edition of TOTP2, featuring archive songs by stars of the Contest and will feature past representatives including Cliff Richard and 2007's UK entrants, Scooch, just to name a few. You can watch TOTP2 Goes Eurovision! at 23:00 BST on 16 May.
BBC Four
BBC FOUR will broadcast Eurovision at 60 which was first shown to celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest's 60th anniversary in 2015. It is a story of pioneering songs, singers and programme-makers as well as interviews with Conchita Wurst, Sir Terry Wogan and a whole host of Eurovision stars, songwriters and programme-makers. You can watch this on 15 May at 21:30 BST.
BBC ONE Northern Ireland and BBC FOUR will broadcast the show Dana - The Original Derry Girl, which takes a look back at the young schoolgirl's incredible life story and her path to becoming Ireland's first Eurovision winner 50 years ago. This will be aired on BBC One Northern Ireland on 11 May at 22:45 BST and will be repeated on 15 May at 23:00 BST on BBC Four.
BBC Radio
BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat will provide a behind the scenes documentary that follows James Newman and films his journey in the lead-up to Eurovision 2020 and his experience with the Contest to date. Produced by Daniel Rosney, Steve Holden and Matt Wareham, the documentary Eurovision 2020: The Cancelled Coronavirus Year also features commentary from artists who have worked with James, including Olly Murs, Mollie King, and Piers from Rudimental. The show will be available from Monday 11 May at 6:00 BST on BBC Player and YouTube:
BBC Radio 2 will continue to provide the spirit of Eurovision to listeners. Ken Bruce's mid-morning weekday show will feature the official compilation album of the artists and songs from Eurovision 2020 in his album of the week segment. Clips from previous winners and their entries will also be broadcast on 11 May from 09:30 to 12:00 BST, and all programmes will be available on BBC Sounds.
On 16 May, between 10:00 and 13:00 BST, before his Saturday night show, Graham Norton will play some of the Contest's most popular songs. Later that evening, at 21:00 BST, he will look back on his first 10 years as the United Kingdom's Commentator, alongside super-fan Paddy O'Connell.
From 22:00 BST, Rylan Clark-Neal will present Eurovision Kings and Queens of Pop, where he will be selecting his choice of the greatest Eurovision moments and his favourite Eurovision 2020 songs. The show will also be packed with past Eurovision favourites including Dana International and last year's winner, Duncan Laurence.
Additionally, there will be a Eurovision Collection broadcast on Radio 2 and on BBC Sounds, featuring programmes from the archive on 17 May starting at 17:00 BST.
Social Media
Every year, Moscow Correspondent and Eurovision superfan Steve Rosenberg does a Eurovision Request Hour live on BBC TV, radio and online. In this show, Steve receives requests from viewers to play Eurovision winners from the past. His party trick is that he can play them all from memory!
In honour of this, Steve will go live from the Embassy of the Netherlands in Moscow throughout the day on Tuesday 12 May with a series of broadcasts in addition to the request show which will be live via the BBC News Facebook page. The video of last year's event can be found here.
You can also find more details on BBC Radio 2 and Twitter for all the latest news and information.