Life after Helsinki 2007 Eurovision

  Today's news is we have the hosts for the Eurovision song contest 2023 in Liverpool. And they are many! And even more for BBC itself. Graham Norton will host the grand final with Alesha Dixon, Ukrainian Julia Sanina (of Hardkiss fame) and Hannah Waddingham. The three ladies will host the semi-finals without Graham, but he will be also doing the commentary for BBC with Mel Giedroyc in the final while Scott Mills and Rylan will comment the semi-finals. On top of that Ukrainian Eurovision veteran Timur Miroshnychenko will be all over the place during the broadcasts and he will also host the Opening ceremony with Sam Quek. 

UPDATE: After seeing it on television it was awesome! BBC really edited it mastefully and it was fun and entertaining. Great stuff! Much better than I would have expexted after being in the recording. They polished every bit of it to perfection. Much better than the 50th anniversary show! Back home and finally a moment to calm down and cherish the moments of the night. First of all it was great to see all those Eurovision winners (and non-winners) on stage and most of them gave a very good performance - at least judged live. I'm curiously waiting how the show will turn out on screen, Graham Norton and Petra Mede , the insert videos and other stuff. As the overall impression after the show was BBC had a minimal effort in the originality and planning, and just decided to walk the singers on stage one by one and that's it. Also the last number them singing together in duets and groups Eurovision hits wasn't really something new and unseen or original, was it?  The on...

EBU has finally revealed its way to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Eurovision song contest. A specila concert will be held in London on March 31, 2015 in Apollo Hammersmith. It will be hosted by Graham Norton and Petra Mede so it's not going to be too serious for sure! The first confirmed artists to appear are reigning Eurovision Queeen Conchita Wurst, the Swedish winners of 1984 the Herrey brothers and french Natasha St.Pier, 4th in 2001. More acts will be announced as soon as the deal is done. And surely there will be surprises so most likely all of them won't even be known beforehand (publicly at least) so let the rumour mill beging! Jan Ola Sand commented: “Over the last 60 years, the Eurovision Song Contest has become a true European institution that has led the way in TV entertainment. We are delighted that the BBC is launching our diamond jubilee celebrations with this special event and that TV viewers from across Europe and beyond will also get to enjoy it too...

Conchita Wurst has been very busy since her victory in the Eurovision song contest 2014 in Copenhagen two weeks ago. She's been to London and done various TV-shows, has given a home coming concert in Vienna , she's been honored with a sausage (and ice cream apparently on the way, too, with the taste of.... sausage, bien sur!) and she has also set the catwalm on fire in Cannes film festival besides getting compliments from likes of Elton John, Cher and many others. And she may or may not open for the Lady Gaga concerts - that was apparently all made up but who knows, maybe Gaga got interested and makes it happen? And how did Ms Wurst comment on her sausage? "It looks good, but I never thought it'd be so hug e !" Priceless. Conchita came face to face with tha sausage when visiting her hometown. Butcher Joe Aichinger lives next door to her childhood home in Bad Mitterndorf and created the sausage for her honor. "It's spicy, just like her" he s...

So to speak. Both have been singing their entries on national TV and most likely giving us a hint how it'll look in Malmö 2013 Eurovision shortly. Ryan Dolan did The Late Late Show again and the act seems pretty much the same as it always was, only more rehearsed and polished perhaps. Here . Bonnie Tyler was visitng Graham Norton and gave us a first real look to the song and it's changing. No surprises here either, not that she needs them. She has said she won't be wearing leather for Eurovision so that'll be the big change then! Sounds good, looks a bit awkward with all that waving around but then... that's just who Bonnie is! Watch it here . Also for the interview and laughs!

I watched the show tonight and I must say it was very entertaining. Lulu is still fab and it was great to see Diane Warren, too. Of the singers maybe Charlotte was the least promising and indeed she ended up in Danger zone with the Emperors of soul and at that point I was sure Andrew would drop them. But no, Charlotte didn't survive this Danger zone. However I just wonder how the Emperors + Lloyd Webber + Warren + Eurovision mix would sound like? Not good propably.... Yet, as a fan of Motown (Have you checked my new Motown blog yet?) I got to love their voices and harmonies.... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OR7LDTzqE8I , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0b_ZBDvfSPE , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sqHcnNPiSs4 , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0dUCTslkJ6c , http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi1YCxZ3fnE

Why that makes Kylie's Your disco needs you playing in my head instantly? Anyways, it's happening: Andrew Lloyd Webber will compose the song for the winner of Your country needs you , a series of elimination shows to find out the most suitable one. The winner(s) get to perform the song in Moscow for the United Kingdom. How fancy! And Graham Norton will host the shows. What can you ask for more?