Eurovision 2024 core team for Malmö is now complete
11 September 2023 at 16:00 CEST
Per Blankers (left) and Christer Björkman (right)
SVT
We can now reveal the rest of the core team responsible for organizing the Eurovision Song Contest in May 2024, which includes the return of Christer Björkman as Contest Producer, and Per Blankens as TV Producer.
Christer Björkman has a long career in Melodifestivalen and Eurovision Song Contest, while Per Blankens has worked on many major music shows, including Melodifestivalen, Idol, American Idol and the singing competition The Next for China’s Dragon TV channel in Shanghai.
‘Eurovision’s values are more important than ever, where diversity and community are the foundation. Therefore, I am extremely proud to once again be one of the producers for this event - it was impossible to say no’ - said Christer.
Per added: ‘I remember my years at Melodifestivalen as fantastic, but to be able to participate in the big Eurovision Song Contest party in this way is a dream come true. To be able to work so closely with Eurovision’s television elite will be an incredible adventure!’
Christer was involved in creating the modern version of Melodifestivalen and has worked on the show in various supporting roles between 2001 and 2021. He has also worked extensively on the Eurovision Song Contest, including Show Producer (Malmö 2013) and Contest Producer (Stockholm 2016), as well as working with a number of Eurovision broadcasters in other countries, and bringing the Contest to the USA in 2022 with the American Song Contest.
Per is responsible for the execution and content of the three broadcasts (on Tuesday 7, Thursday 9, and Saturday 11 May), with the exception of the competition elements. It is the first time Per has worked on the Eurovision Song Contest, but he has produced Melodifestivalen in both 2006 and 2007, and has also produced other major music competitions in Sweden, USA and Asia.
Earlier this year, SVT presented the executive team in charge of organizing the 68th Eurovision Song Contest: Ebba Adielsson, Christel Tholse Willers, Tobias Åberg and Johan Bernhagen. Other names added to the production are: David Wessén - Head of Production; Mats Lindgren - Head of Legal; Madeleine Sinding-Larsen - Head of Media; and Linnea Lopez - Executive Assistant.
David has direct responsibility for technical production and arena logistics. Works as production manager for the News Division where sports events, news broadcasts and community programs are included.
Madeleine works at SVT Kommunikation and had a similar role in Stockholm in 2016. She has been responsible for the comms at Melodifestivalen and Sweden’s Eurovision entry for a number of years.
Mats is in-house counsel at SVT and has been involved as a lawyer in three previous Swedish Eurovision Song Contest productions, dating all the way back to Stockholm 2000.
Linnea is the executive assistant for the management at SVT and has worked in a similar role at, among others, SOS Children's Villages.
