Someone has went forward on time before the BBC is announcing the final date for its first Eurovision national final in years. Irish tabloid Belfast Telegraph claims that the selection of the British act for the contest in Stockholm will be on the 26th of February and hosted by TV celebrity and actress Melanie Gyedroic. According to rumours, BBC would be apparently confirming the news tomorrow. Tonight, the official site of the Eurovision Song Contest eventually published the news.
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!”
The program will be named ”Eurovision: You Decide” and it will be made up of a line-up of 6 different acts that will be battling each other at the O2 Forum Kentish Town in London in front of panel of experts and the televoting at home.
BBC is organising its ever biggest song-search selection for the contest and 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 26th February, will also broadcast both semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 live from Stockholm.
Cassian Harrison, Editor, 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 the 22nd of January on The Ken Bruce Show on BBC Radio 2.
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. BBC invited UK official Eurovision fan community ”OGAE UK” , thus they invited them 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 amongst 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.
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
How excited are you on the British selection? Tell us below and stay tuned for further details!
RT @esc_plus: United Kingdom: Eurovision: You Decide to take place on February 26th! https://t.co/e4S6Hi7fVb #Eurovision #esc2016 @bbceurov…
Mateusz Kyć liked this on Facebook.
Exciting stuff…
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