UK National song search Eurovision: You Decide lands on BBC Four
The United Kingdom’s biggest-ever national song search for the Eurovision Song Contest has just got even bigger as the BBC today confirms that, for the first time in six years, a televised national selection show will be airing this spring, where the public will choose the song and act that will represent the UK at this year’s contest in Sweden.
Published: 18 January 2016
I am a huge fan of the Eurovish and am honoured to be hosting this fantastic event. It’s very exciting that the Great British public will get the chance to choose who will be sent to Sweden and I know it’s going to be an amazing night.
Eurovision: You Decide will be broadcast live on Friday 26 February on BBC Four, where six shortlisted acts will take to the stage in a bid to impress the viewers at home and a professional panel in the venue as they all compete for the honour of representing the United Kingdom at Eurovision 2016.
Hosted live from The O2 Forum Kentish Town by self-confessed Eurovision fan Mel Giedroyc, the 90-minute UK Eurovision extravaganza will feature performances by the six competing acts, as well as special musical guests and a look at what makes a memorable Eurovision winner.
Mel Giedroyc says: “I am a huge fan of the Eurovish and am honoured to be hosting this fantastic event. It’s very exciting that the Great British public will get the chance to choose who will be sent to Sweden and I know it’s going to be an amazing night. I can’t wait to get the party started!”
Also on hand on the night will be an expert panel who will be there to offer their thoughts on how the songs could be made to look and sound on stage in Stockholm.
Eurovision: You Decide also heralds the arrival of Eurovision on BBC Four, which in addition to the United Kingdom national song selection show on Friday 26 February, will also broadcast both semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 live from Stockholm on Tuesday 10 and Thursday 12 May. The Grand Final itself will be broadcast on BBC One on Saturday 14 May 2016.
Cassian Harrison, Editor of BBC Four, says: “I’m delighted that Eurovision: You Decide and both of the Semi Finals are coming to the channel this year. BBC Four is the home of music on TV in the UK, and as any fan will tell you, Eurovision is one of the biggest music events on the planet and is much more than just one night of TV, therefore it is only right that BBC Four is able to showcase Europe's favourite music TV event right here in the UK.”
Eurovision: You Decide will also feature some special musical guest performances, details of which will be confirmed on Friday 22 January on The Ken Bruce Show on BBC Radio 2.
The public will also get the chance to attend on the big night as tickets to attend Eurovision: You Decide will go on sale on Friday 22 January at 10am via bbc.co.uk/eurovision
Notes to Editors
The six shortlisted acts that will perform on the night have been chosen from each of three different entry routes. The shortlisted acts will be announced in due course.
The BBC recognises that the fan community is a very important element of the Eurovision Song Contest, and has therefore invited the UK branch of the OGAE to assist in the shortlisting of the entries sent in by the public. The OGAE is the largest independent Eurovision fan club in the world, and its UK branch has around 1,000 members.
In addition, the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors (BASCA) ran a song-writing competition among its members.
Hugh Goldsmith - former MD of RCA and founder of Innocent Records – acted as Music Consultant to the BBC during the shortlisting process, with principal responsibility for overseeing communication with established record labels, publishers, managers, writers and producers, encouraging high-level music industry involvement.
Eurovision: You Decide will be exec produced by Guy Freeman and produced by Helen Riddell.
CM2
