🇸🇪 News from the HoD meeting

Today, there is some interesting news from the Head of Delegation meeting. This meeting took place today, and some decisions are made about the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest:

Iceland

It was a big questionmark whether Iceland was going to take part or not. Icelandic broadcaster RUV stated that they, together with the artist, would make a decision. Icelandic artists expressed serious concern about their country taking part in a contest with Israel being there.
The decision now made is that Iceland will take part. Big releave for singer Hera Björk, who now will for sure represent her country.

Marcus & Martinus

Always, the place for the host country gets drawn at the HoD meeting. So this time, it was decided where Sweden would perform in the final. And the result is: they will open it! In 1984, Sweden opened the show too and won. Is it an omen?

Big Five

For the very first time, the artists from the Big Five countries – France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom – and host nation Sweden will each perform their entries in full live during the Semi-Finals. In other years, a part of the rehearsals was shown, but never the entire performance. Longer ago, even that didn’t happen and only a part of the video was shown.

The voting

A new feature for Malmö 2024 includes extending the timeframe for voting during the Grand Final.

Voting will start just before the first song is performed on Saturday, 11 May. This allows viewers to vote for the songs in real-time as they are being performed, a departure from the traditional method where voting commenced after all the entries were showcased. This approach was the standard since the introduction of public voting in 1997, with the exceptions of 2010 and 2011 when voting opened at the show’s start.

Moreover, fans from countries not competing (Rest of The World) will be given almost 24 hours to vote for their preferred songs before the start of each live show. For these international fans, online voting will be available right after the conclusion of the second dress rehearsal for each Semi-Final and the Grand Final, continuing until the commencement of the live broadcasts.

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Vienna 2026: Hosts revealed

📷 Thomas Ramstorfer/ORF Vienna 2026 hosts Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski have been officially announced by Austrian broadcaster ORF as the presenters of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna. Both hosts are prominent Austrian personalities. They bring a blend of glamour and experience to the contest’s stage. Below, we explore their backgrounds, careers, and connections to Austria, as well as their past hosting experience, to understand what they will bring to Eurovision 2026. Victoria Swarovski: Austrian TV Star and Entrepreneur Victoria Swarovski, 30, hails from Innsbruck in Tyrol, Austria. She has built a multifaceted career as a television presenter, entrepreneur, model, and designer. Swarovski first gained wide attention after winning the German dance competition Let’s Dance in 2016. That was a victory that marked a turning point in her public career. In 2018, she returned to Let’s Dance as one of its hosts. With this, she proved her prowess in front of the camera as a presenter. Beyond television, Victoria Swarovski has expanded into business and fashion. In 2020 she launched her own beauty brand, ORIMEI. Her work also includes modeling and design, underscoring her versatility in the entertainment industry. As one of the Vienna 2026 hosts, Swarovski’s combination of on-stage confidence and business savvy represents the modern, dynamic face of Austria on the Eurovision stage. Michael Ostrowski: Acclaimed Actor and Presenter Michael Ostrowski, Fifty, is an acclaimed actor, writer, and presenter from Leoben in Styria, Austria. He achieved his professional breakthrough in 2004 with a hit comedy film and has since become a recognisable figure in Austrian film and television. Known for his comic timing and charm, Ostrowski has enjoyed a long-running screen career spanning both acting and filmmaking. Importantly for his Eurovision role, Michael Ostrowski also has extensive hosting experience. He has fronted major Austrian TV events, including the gala 100 Years of Radio, for which he earned a prestigious Romy award (Austria’s top television honor) as Best Presenter. His background in live entertainment and event hosting equips him well to engage the massive international audience of Eurovision. As one of the Vienna 2026 hosts, Ostrowski brings seasoned stage presence and a touch of humor to the proceedings. The Vienna 2026 Hosts on Eurovision’s Stage Together, the Vienna 2026 hosts Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski exemplify Austrian talent and showmanship on the Eurovision stage. This duo has been praised by ORF as “an exciting and unique pair” with great passion for the contest. Their combined skills—Swarovski’s live TV polish and Ostrowski’s comedic flair—promise a balanced hosting team capable of guiding viewers through the semi-finals and grand final with professionalism and Austrian warmth. Eurovision fans can look forward to a memorable show in May 2026 as this hosting pair leads the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. source: eurovision.com

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Eurovision 2026
Martijn

Vienna 2026: Hosts revealed

📷 Thomas Ramstorfer/ORF Vienna 2026 hosts Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski have been officially announced by Austrian broadcaster ORF as the presenters of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna. Both hosts are prominent Austrian personalities. They bring a blend of glamour and experience to the contest’s stage. Below, we explore their backgrounds, careers, and connections to Austria, as well as their past hosting experience, to understand what they will bring to Eurovision 2026. Victoria Swarovski: Austrian TV Star and Entrepreneur Victoria Swarovski, 30, hails from Innsbruck in Tyrol, Austria. She has built a multifaceted career as a television presenter, entrepreneur, model, and designer. Swarovski first gained wide attention after winning the German dance competition Let’s Dance in 2016. That was a victory that marked a turning point in her public career. In 2018, she returned to Let’s Dance as one of its hosts. With this, she proved her prowess in front of the camera as a presenter. Beyond television, Victoria Swarovski has expanded into business and fashion. In 2020 she launched her own beauty brand, ORIMEI. Her work also includes modeling and design, underscoring her versatility in the entertainment industry. As one of the Vienna 2026 hosts, Swarovski’s combination of on-stage confidence and business savvy represents the modern, dynamic face of Austria on the Eurovision stage. Michael Ostrowski: Acclaimed Actor and Presenter Michael Ostrowski, Fifty, is an acclaimed actor, writer, and presenter from Leoben in Styria, Austria. He achieved his professional breakthrough in 2004 with a hit comedy film and has since become a recognisable figure in Austrian film and television. Known for his comic timing and charm, Ostrowski has enjoyed a long-running screen career spanning both acting and filmmaking. Importantly for his Eurovision role, Michael Ostrowski also has extensive hosting experience. He has fronted major Austrian TV events, including the gala 100 Years of Radio, for which he earned a prestigious Romy award (Austria’s top television honor) as Best Presenter. His background in live entertainment and event hosting equips him well to engage the massive international audience of Eurovision. As one of the Vienna 2026 hosts, Ostrowski brings seasoned stage presence and a touch of humor to the proceedings. The Vienna 2026 Hosts on Eurovision’s Stage Together, the Vienna 2026 hosts Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski exemplify Austrian talent and showmanship on the Eurovision stage. This duo has been praised by ORF as “an exciting and unique pair” with great passion for the contest. Their combined skills—Swarovski’s live TV polish and Ostrowski’s comedic flair—promise a balanced hosting team capable of guiding viewers through the semi-finals and grand final with professionalism and Austrian warmth. Eurovision fans can look forward to a memorable show in May 2026 as this hosting pair leads the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna. source: eurovision.com

Read More »
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