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Meet your hosts for Basel 2025

20 January 2025 at 15:45 CET
Hazel Brugger, Michelle Hunziker and Sandra Studer will host the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel. Photo: Mirjam Kluka
Hazel Brugger, Michelle Hunziker and Sandra Studer will be presenting the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 when it comes to us from Basel in May.

The 69th Eurovision Song Contest is set to be hosted by three talented women who embody Switzerland's adopted motto for Basel 2025 – 'Welcome Home'.

Hazel Brugger, Sandra Studer and Michelle Hunziker will present the Grand Final, which will take place on Saturday 17 May at St. Jakobshalle in Basel. And from the same venue, Hazel Brugger and Sandra Studer will also host the First Semi-Final on Tuesday 13 May and the Second Semi-Final on Thursday 15 May. 

According to Swiss broadcaster SRG SSR, the choice of the host trio for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 symbolises the values that define Switzerland: openness, diversity, multilingualism and a sense of togetherness. 

In May, the trio will not only aim to celebrate Europe’s diversity, but also to bring the true values and spirit of Switzerland to the stage – a country known for its openness, integration and community.

Hazel Brugger, Michelle Hunziker and Sandra Studer will host the Eurovision Song Contest 2025 in Basel. Mirjam Kluka

Hazel Brugger, 31, is an award-winning stand-up comedian and presenter. Born in the USA, she grew up near Zurich and now lives in the Darmstadt region of Germany. Hazel has been proven to captivate audiences with both her dry humour and her observational skills. She's no doubt going to apply them to Basel 2025, as she's already got a huge passion for the Eurovision Song Contest. 

Hazel is a winner of a German Comedy Award, the Salzburg Bull and a Swiss Comedy Award, while the jury of the German Kleinkunstpreis called her 'the queen of wit'. As a voice of the younger generation, Hazel offers entertaining, witty and innovative perspectives on the event.

Michelle Hunziker, 47, grew up in Ostermundigen near Bern and is one of Switzerland’s best-known international personalities. She is one of Europe’s most beloved entertainers, known for numerous shows on German and Italian television, such as Wetten, dass..?, Striscia la Notizia and the renowned Festival di Sanremo, that many Eurovision fans will already be familiar with! As a versatile media personality and entrepreneur in the European entertainment landscape, Michelle brings further international flair to the Eurovision Song Contest.

Sandra Studer, 55, started her career in 1991 as Switzerland's Eurovision Song Contest participant. Under the stage name Sandra Simó, she secured 5th place with the song Canzone Per Te. Since then, she has shaped Swiss culture as a presenter, actress and singer. Her deep-rooted connection to the Eurovision Song Contest has seen her take on related roles such as national pre-selection host, spokesperson and commentator. Sandra Studer’s Eurovision journey has come full circle! The grande dame of Swiss entertainment will bring charm, professionalism and warmth to Basel 2025, being the perfect host to capture its unique spirit.

Stage render for Basel 2025

As well as confirming the hosts of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, on Monday 20 January Swiss broadcaster SRG SSR also introduced us to two more faces that we're going to be seeing a lot of at Basel 2025. 

Mélanie Freymond and Sven Epiney will be presenting the pre-show party and public viewing in the Arena plus, the repurposed St. Jakob-Park football stadium. They will also be live on air during the Grand Final to announce the Swiss points during the eagerly-anticipated voting segment.

Mélanie Freymond and Sven Epiney will present the pre-show and live viewing at Arena plus Gian Vaitl

The Co-Executive Producers of the Eurovision Song Contest 2025, Moritz Stadler and Reto Peritz, commented on the selection of the hosting team:

"For the world’s biggest show, it was important for us to recruit hosts who bring more than just presenting skills – Hazel, Sandra, and Michelle bring unique versatility with additional talents such as comedy, dance and singing. We are incredibly proud to have signed such impressive and diverse women as hosts. Together with Mélanie and Sven, our two hosts for the Arena plus public viewing, they form a true dream team that will delight audiences around the world! Together, the team reflects the cultural and linguistic diversity of our country and embodies Switzerland's openness, its ability to bridge cultures, and its feeling of being home to everyone – true to our Swiss motto 'Welcome Home'."

The stage design for the Arena plus pre-show and live viewing SRG SSR

Public viewing in the Arena plus

If you don't manage to get a ticket to the Grand Final at St. Jakobshalle, our Swiss hosts are putting together an enticing alternative. 

The Arena plus will be another place to experience watching the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final live and surrounded by thousands of other fans. A spectacular 90-minute pre-show – featuring national and international artists such as Baby Lasagna, DJ Antoine, and Anna Rossinelli – will energise approximately 36,000 Eurovision revellers inside Switzerland's largest football stadium. 

Attendees can then watch the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Final live on gigantic screens, while being connected live to the show that's being broadcast to the world nearby in St. Jakobshalle. Ticket prices will range from CHF 55 to CHF 128. Admission for children in the family corner will be CHF 5. 

Tickets for Arena plus will be available online via TicketCorner from 10:00 CET on Thursday 30 January, without pre-registration.

The stage design for the Arena plus pre-show and live viewing SRG SSR

Mélanie Freymond and Sven Epiney will present the pre-show and the live viewing of the Grand Final at the Arena plus.

Mélanie Freymond, 47, is one of the most experienced presenters for RTS (Radio Télévision Suisse), where she hosts numerous entertainment and cultural programmes. Her journey began as a children’s programme host on RTS, marking the start of a successful career in both radio and television journalism.

Sven Epiney, 53, has been one of the most prominent figures in the Swiss media landscape since the 1990s. Since 2008, he has been SRF’s commentator for the Eurovision Song Contest. A versatile media professional, Sven has presented over 3,000 television shows, 1,500 radio morning shows, and more than 30 original TV formats. In addition to hosting Arena plus, he will continue to commentate the Eurovision Song Contest for SRF.

The stage design for the Arena plus pre-show and live viewing SRG SSR

The Arena plus is more than just a public viewing for the Grand Final: At around 7.30 pm, a captivating pre-show will start with live performances by a host of international and national artists who will get the audience even more excited for the night ahead. The first names are already known, with more to be announced soon.

With the much-loved Rim Tim Tagi Dim, Baby Lasagna finished in second place for Croatia at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö, winning the public televote from Eurovision fans all over the globe. The song has now surpassed 56 million streams on Spotify and was in the Top 40 charts in many countries across the continent. After he was able to turn his Eurovision success into an extensive tour to see his new fans, the future looks bright for Baby Lasagna.

Baby Lasagna representing Rim Tim Tagi Dimat the Opening Ceremony at Malmö Live Sarah Louise Bennett / EBU

Charismatic and always ready to get a crowd going, DJ Antoine is guaranteed to set the right mood on the night with summer-ready hits such as Welcome To St. Tropez and Ma Chérie, the most successful Swiss music song of all time. The Swiss DJ has already worked with Pitbull, Enrique Iglesias, Snoop Dogg, Madonna, Britney Spears and many more. Over 8 million albums and singles sold, as well as numerous awards won, make him the most internationally successful Swiss music export.

Switzerland's DJ Antoine will play at Arena plus

Anna Rossinelli made it to the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2011 in Düsseldorf with her song In Love for a While, laying the foundations for a successful career. Since then, she has released 6 albums, topped the charts several times and also made a name for herself as an actress; for example, in the Swiss hit series Tschugger, where she played a federal policewoman. She was also a judge on The Voice of Switzerland and took part in the most recent season of Sing Meinen Song - Das Schweizer Tauschkonzert. Anna Rossinelli and her bandmates Manuel Meisel and Georg Dillier all hail from Basel and still feel deeply connected to their hometown today.

Basel's own Anna Rossinelli will perform at Arena plus Sarah Ly

Basel 2025: A celebration for everyone

The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 aims to be more than just the Live Shows happening in the arena. 

Via specific projects and events, it is set to become an event for the whole Swiss comminity across the country. For example, from February 2025, in collaboration with SRF School, age-appropriate teaching materials on the Eurovision Song Contest will be made available in the 4 national languages of Switzerland, for interested teachers to integrate into their lessons. The aim is to introduce students to the cultural and musical diversity of the Eurovision Song Contest in a creative way. This offer will be supplemented with song workshops and a video song contest for school classes and bands.

Many other projects have already been planned, too: a children’s choir performing in retirement homes, what is potentially the world’s largest party for the over 60s, an urban art initiative, different exhibitions, and numerous cultural initiatives that make Basel 2025 a tangible event throughout all of Switzerland.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 is also breaking new ground by focusing on creative collaborations with various Swiss universities, such as the Basel University of Art and Design, the Basel School of Design, the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and the Zurich University of Applied Sciences (ZHAW). The Eurovision Song Contest has also teamed up with the ADC Young Creatives, who will act as official creative partners.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will not only set new musical standards but also open doors for young talent in Switzerland. Together with dedicated students, innovative social media concepts are being developed and implemented, taking Eurovision to a whole new creative level. A special highlight this year is the collaboration with the University of Applied Sciences Graubünden. Here, students will be responsible for the international broadcast of two key Eurovision events – the Semi-Final Draw and the glamorous Turquoise Carpet and Opening Ceremony.

This unique collaboration provides a platform for young talent to showcase their creativity and innovation, learn in a hands-on environment, and actively participate in one of the world's biggest entertainment events. It is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to gain valuable professional experience and to showcase Switzerland’s creative energy on the global stage.

More information on all of these exciting projects can be found right here.

To keep up to date on everything leading up to the 69th Eurovision Song Contest, bookmark our Basel 2025 page and follow us on socials!

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