Semi-Final 1:
Tuesday 10th May, 8pm (UK),
BBC4
Semi-final 2:
Thursday 12th May, 8pm (UK),
BBC4
THE UK VOTES IN THIS ONE.
Grand Final:
Saturday 14th May, 8pm (UK),
BBC4
You can also watch live internationally on the Eurovision website. Except for viewers in the US who can watch the final on Logo.
Phew, a lot of info to take in there, and this year a lot of things that are mildly interesting – the new voting system based on the Swedish national finals may yet confuse and delight the masses, designed as it is to keep people guessing for as long as possible. For the first time the grand final is being broadcast in the US on Logo, so now our US chums have no excuse on missing out on all the fun – even Justin Timberlake is getting in on the action performing during the interval of the Grand Final.
Our hosts are Måns Zelmerlöw (who won with Heroes last year) and Eurovision fan favourite Petra Mede who went down so well last time Sweden hosted the contest she’s been bought back by popular demand.
The UK coverage will be fronted by Scott Mills and Mel Giedroyc for the semis and Graham Norton for the main event on Saturday.
I quite like the UK entry, Joe and Jake with You’re Not Alone, they’ve been drawn to perform in the second half of the grand final, I currently have a £10 prop bet that they’ll do better than bottom ten on Saturday. I’ve not paid any attention to any of the other songs so far. Please remember to pay due deference to all acts otherwise you are worse than Terry Wogan and will bring the entire contest into disrepute.
AND there’s a new Pointless Eurovision Celebs on Saturday.
They probably want to get the “Pointless” puns out of the way early, since Richard Osman’s just been announced as the UK’s spokesperson.
I did think it had been a while (about a fortnight) since any announcement he’s fronting something, so there we are.
I don’t think he’s moonlighting in any of the acts this year.
Netflix has confirmed their first gameshow: Ultimate Beastmaster. It seems like a Ninja Warrior-inspired show. 10 episodes and 108 contestants in total. In each of the first 9 episodes 2 contestants from each participating country (USA, Brasil, South Korea, Mexico, Germany und Japan) will battle for the title Beastmaster. The winners will compete against each other in the tenth episode where the Ultimate Beastmaster will be crowned.
Yes, saw this news earlier, looking forward to it.
Sounds like they’re doing localised hosting and commentaries for each country, so not unlike how NW was broadcast in the past before everyone started making their own version.
Note:
The cable channel Logo got the rights to air Eurovision live in the US last week, so you’ll probably have to go to their website to watch instead of the Eurovision site (which may or may not require a cable authentication to access).
I’d be surprised if the EBU web feed is geoblocked anywhere to be honest, although doubtless Logo will be adding value to their own coverage with their own commentary.
Actually, the EBU itself said the online stream will be geoblocked from the US for the final due to this deal. However, Logo says it will offer its own stream on its website and that it will not require cable verification to access it, and the deal for it is only for the final, so the semis will not be on TV but will also not be blocked.
Interesting! Fair enough, thanks.
Wowsers, Glucksrad returns!
http://www.wunschliste.de/tvnews/m/gluecksrad-rtlplus-legt-weitere-gameshow-neu-auf
I’m predicting 17th-20th for Joe and Jake. It’s an okay song but it’s kind of blandly unmemorable, and we all know the Beeb is going to use the most boring staging possible for it like they manage to do every year. With so many countries bringing their A game this year (most notably France, who is taking the contest seriously for the first time in literal decades), I’m not sure a song that’s a B- at best is going to cut it, especially in a country that traditionally does as poorly as the UK (only four 12s since 1998, and those include a Greek 12 in a year Cyprus didn’t qualify and Malta’s infamous Vote For The Worst trolling for Scooch).
CBS is filming a reality pilot where teams have to walk a straight line…and apparently the BBC did a pilot of this too (anyone remember)?
http://www.realityblurred.com/realitytv/2016/05/cbs-pilot-walk-the-line/
Not broadcast.
There was a New Zealand show called Going Straight which sort of used this idea, but a bit more Fear Factor.
I do remember that one- I think it aired over here when the Fox Reality channel was still in business.
Though frankly the first thing I thought of when I read this was Monty Python’s Upper Class Twit of the Year sketch…
Some good songs this year. My personal favourite is Lithuania along with the following:
Belgium – What’s The Pressure
Czech Republic – I Stand
Sweden – If I Were Sorry
France – J’ai Cherché
Poland – Color Of Your Life
Cyprus – Alter Ego
Serbia – Goodbye (Shelter)
United Kingdom – You’re Not Alone