The stars have aligned for Eurovision fever to sweep the country in May.
Many tears may have streamed down the faces of avid fans with the unfortunate cancellation of the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam. But as they say, after rain comes a rainbow and the Eurovision Gods are delivering just that with the announcement of its alternative broadcast, Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light.
On Sunday 17 May at 8.30pm, SBS will broadcast the special two-hour program from The Netherlands. Hosted by Dutch Eurovision presenters Chantal Janzen, Edsilia Rombley and Jan Smit, Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light will honour all 41 songs in a non-competitive format and provide plenty of surprises for Eurovision fans at home.
As Australians are never one to hold back from a party, SBS has announced a week-long festival of Eurovision. May we say this will be the best week in as from 10-17 May, a brand new alternative will be hitting our silver screens so get changing your lounge room Feng Shui into a dancefloor mecca stat!
In an exclusive network event, SBS will honour the 2020 artists and songs with Eurovision 2020: Big Night In! premiering Saturday, 16 May at 7.30pm. SBS is encouraging fans to vote* for their favourite three 2020 acts from all competing nations with the results to be counted down over three big hours. People can vote now until Sunday, 3 May via sbs.com.au/Eurovision**.
The special TV event will be hosted by Eurovisionaries music buff Myf Warhurst and comedian Joel Creasey. The show will feature special guest appearances from big names from across the globe and an exclusive studio performance from Australia’s 2020 Eurovision act Montaigne. Australia’s favourite blue-haired singing sensation will be giving audiences the first look at the performance she would have unveiled in Rotterdam next month. Cue squeals of delight that not all in lost from her remarkable Eurovision: Australia Decides winning performance on the Gold Coast earlier this year.
Viewers are also invited to take centre stage during Eurovision 2020: Big Night In! through tweets on-screen and party pictures from homes across Australia by using #Eurovision #BigNightIn to feature in the broadcast.
Related reads: Why Australia Deserves To Be In Eurovision
Australia’s big week of Eurovision festivities will kick off on SBS Viceland on Sunday 10 May with a Road to Eurovision special filmed live in the Netherlands in December. The two-hour program featured this years’ hosts of Eurovision celebrating the 64-year history of the event with 22 past Eurovision winners and performers coming together to perform their biggest hits including names like Sergey Lazarev, Dana International, and Netta.
From Monday to Friday, Australia’s history in Eurovision will be celebrated to much fanfare. Australia has been an official competitor in the song contest since 2015 and has progressed through to the Grand Final every year since. Fans can relive these historic moments weekdays with replays of the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Finals 2015-2019 each night on SBS.
On Monday 11 May, viewers can watch 2015 wild card entrant Guy Sebastian take the stage in Vienna, Austria, with Tonight Again taking out fifth place. On Tuesday, relive the moment Australia almost won the contest with Dami Im’s 2016 performance of Sound of Silence in Stockholm, Sweden. On Wednesday, watch another top 10 performance from Australia with Isaiah’s Don’t Come Easy coming in ninth at the 2017 contest in Kyiv, Ukraine. On Thursday, be transported to Lisbon, Portugal in 2018 featuring Jessica Mauboy’s We Got Love. On Friday, Kate Miller-Heidke takes Australia to new heights, literally, with the performance of Zero Gravity in 2019.
The only question is, who will you be giving your 12 points to?
Eurovision Week on SBS and SBS VICELAND
Sunday 10 May 8.30pm-10.30pm Road to Eurovision 2020 on SBS VICELAND
Monday 11 May 1.30pm – 5.30pm Eurovision Song Contest 2015 on SBS – Guy
Tuesday 12 May 1.30pm – 5.30pm Eurovision Song Contest 2016 on SBS – Isaiah
Wednesday 13 May 1.30pm – 5.30pm Eurovision Song Contest 2017 on SBS – Dami
Thursday 14 May 1.30pm – 5.30pm Eurovision Song Contest 2018 on SBS – Jessica
Friday 15 May 1.15pm – 5.30pm Eurovision Song Contest 2019 on SBS – Kate
Saturday 16 May 7.30pm – 1030pm Eurovision 2020: Big Night In!
Saturday 16 May 10.30pm – 12.30am Eurovision Top 40 Controversies on SBS
Saturday 16 May 12.30am – 1.30am Secrets of Eurovision on SBS
Sunday 17 May 8.30pm – 1030pm Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light
*As per the official Eurovision Song Contest rules, Australia is ineligible to vote for their own country and artist.
**Voting opens Friday 17 April at 9.00am AEST and closes on Sunday 3 May at 11.59pm AEST. For terms and conditions, and to vote, visit sbs.com.au/Eurovision.
Feature image: SBS
See more: Eurovision
