Following the announcement this year’s Eurovision song contest which was to take place in Rotterdam is cancelled due to COVID-19, a second announcement by the EBU and three Dutch broadcasters NPO, NOS and AVROTOS was released stating that a show in the spirit of the contest will air on the 16th of May.
Carrying the name “Europe Shine A Light” the show will include all 41 acts which were to take part in this year’s contest as well as their entries in a non-competitive format as well as many surprise to the viewers around Europe. In addition the show will feature a sing along of all of the 2020’s contest participants singing “Love Shine A Light”, the winning entry of the 1997’s contest.
The show will be hosted by the same hosts previously set to host the contest: Chantal Janzen, Edsilia Rombley (Eurovision 1998 and 2007) and Jan Smit.
In order to make the contest’s fans a bigger part of the show the EBU will also include a sing along of the Irish entry of 1980 “What’s Another Year” originally performed by Johnny Logan who also won that year’s contest.
All 41 broadcasters who were to participate in Rotterdam will broadcast the show. These are the following:
- Albania – RTSH
- Armenia – AMPTV
- Australia – SBS
- Austria – ORF
- Azerbaijan – Ictimai TV
- Belarus – BTRC
- Belgium – VRT
- Bulgaria – BNT
- Croatia – HRT
- Cyprus – CyBC
- Czech Republic 1 CT
- Denmark – DR
- Estonia – ERR
- Finland – YLE
- France – FT
- Georgia – GPB
- Germany – ARD/NDR
- Greece – ERT
- Iceland – RUV
- Ireland – RTE
- Israel – IPBC/Kan
- Italy – RAI
- Latvia – LTV
- Lithuania – LRT
- Malta – PBS
- Moldova – TRM
- the Netherlands – AVROTROS
- North Macedonia – MKRTV
- Norway – NRK
- Poland – TVP
- Portugal – RTP
- Romania – TVR
- Russia – C1R
- San Marino – RTV
- Serbia – RTS
- Slovenia – RTVSLO
- Spain – TVE
- Sweden – SVT
- Switzerland – SRG / SSR
- Ukraine – UA:PBC
- United Kingdom – BBC
Additionally, the following non-participating broadcasters will broadcast the show:
- Belgium – RTBF
- Bosnia & Herzegovina – BHRT
- Kazakhstan – Khabar TV
- Kosovo – RTK
- Montenegro – RTCG
The EBU will air the show on the Eurovision youtube channel. More details concerning the show are yet to be published.
Which of the acts are you waiting for the most? Tell us in the comments below.