EUROVISION: BBC REVEAL PLANS FOR 2022 CONTEST
The world’s biggest music competition returns this May as the Eurovision Song Contest, one of the longest-running and most-watched non-sporting events in the world, is broadcast live from Turin across the BBC.
In celebration of the most spectacular music contest on the planet, the BBC is promising viewers and listeners a huge array of Eurovision content across TV, Radio and Online.
This year marks the 66th edition of the competition, where 40 countries will compete, starting with two semi-finals that will be broadcast live on BBC Three and BBC iPlayer on Tuesday 10 and Thursday 12 May, ahead of the Grand Final which will be broadcast live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds on Saturday 14 May.
TikTok sensation and singer-songwriter Sam Ryder will be representing the UK with his single ‘SPACE MAN’, released by Parlophone (part of Warner Music Group).
GRAND FINAL
Saturday 14th May, 8pm on BBC One
Graham Norton will provide the commentary on BBC One for Europe’s biggest party night of the year.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2022, will be hosted by global singing stars Mika and Laura Pausini, and Italian TV host Alessandro Cattelan and broadcast live on BBC One and BBC Radio 2. The qualifying acts from the semi-finals will join the ‘Big Five’ countries France, Germany, Spain, United Kingdom and Italy - who are also guaranteed a place in the final due to their victory in 2021. The Grand Final of the 66th Eurovision Song Contest will be broadcast from The Pala Olimpico Arena in Turin.
SEMI-FINALS
The semi-finals will be broadcast live on BBC Three, featuring commentary by Eurovision superfans Rylan and Scott Mills who will return to the Eurovision host city for the first time since 2019.
Tuesday 10th May, 8pm on BBC THREE
In the first semi-final, the first group of countries will compete for a place in Saturday’s Grand Final. The 17 countries competing are: Albania, Latvia, Lithuania, Switzerland, Slovenia, Ukraine, Bulgaria, Netherlands, Moldova, Portugal, Croatia, Denmark, Austria, Iceland, Greece, Norway and Armenia.
The interval will have an Italo-Disco theme where Dardust, one of the most successful producers on the planet, will perform accompanied by DJ/producer Benny Benassi and British band Sophie and The Giants, with the participation of conductor Sylvia Catasta.
Thursday 12th May, 8pm on BBC THREE
The second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2022 will feature 18 different acts taking to the stage in the hope of securing a place in Saturday’s Grand Final.
Competing this evening are: Finland, Israel, Serbia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Malta, San Marino, Australia, Cyprus, Ireland, North Macedonia, Estonia, Romania, Poland, Montenegro, Belgium, Sweden and Czech Republic
During the show, UK viewers will be able to vote for their favourites. 10 acts from each semi-final will make it through to Saturday’s Grand Final.
Highlights of the second semi-final include Finnish rockers ‘The Rasmus’, who will be opening the show, Serbia’s act Konstrakta, who are performing a song in Serbian about the lack of health insurance for the self-employed in Serbia. A Georgian band, Circus Mircus, who were formed by three circus school dropouts, plus early favourites Cornelia Jakobs from Sweden and Ochman from Poland.
Plus, The UK's act Sam Ryder will be interviewed by the Italian hosts and viewers will see an exclusive preview of the stage performance Sam will give for his song SPACE MAN' ahead of Saturday's Grand Final.
The A-Z of Eurovision
Saturday 14th May
First broadcast in 2020, Rylan narrates a guide to all things Eurovision in this compilation of highlights, as he takes a sideways look at the greatest singing contest on the planet.
Moving through the alphabet, Rylan will be taking us from A, which is of course for Abba & Azerbaijan but also animals - featuring the Italian gorilla suit man and Azerbaijan’s artist dancing with a horse’s head through Z is for Zelmerlöw, Måns Zelmerlöw to be precise. The only Eurovision performer to have won the contest, hosted the contest and taken part in an interval act.
The A-Z of Eurovision, first broadcast in 2020 and produced by BBC Studios, will feature all the disasters, the costume changes and memorable musical moments from 65 years of Eurovision.