IRISH stars Graham Norton and Angela Scanlon are among the BBC’s presenting team covering all the action from this month’s Eurovision Song Contest.
The competition, which will be held in the Austrian capital Vienna, kicks off with two semi-finals being held on May 12 and 14, followed by the grand final on May 16.
Austrian singer JJ won the 2025 competition, which was held in Basel, Switzerland, meaning this year the contest returns to Austria for the first time since 2015.
The 2026 instalment marks 70 years of the Eurovision Song Contest, with 25 countries, including the UK, competing to win the title.
Ireland has opted out of the competition this year, due to Israel being allowed to compete.
Iceland, Spain, The Netherlands and Slovenia are also boycotting this year's event.
Scanlon, who is a self-confessed “Eurovision super fan”, will host the BBC’s live semi-finals coverage with Rylan Clark.
The Meath native claims she loves the show as “nothing else dares to be this wild”.
“Where else do you get that mix of sincerity, spectacle, and absolute unpredictability?” she asks.
“It’s the only show where a power ballad, a techno banger, and someone dressed as a mythical creature can all exist quite happily in the same breath,” Scanlon explains.
“At its heart, it’s about connection – across borders, across languages – and that never goes out of style.
“Also, let’s be honest, the voting alone deserves its own BAFTA for tension!”
Eurovision presenting royalty Graham Norton will be back in place to host the BBC’s live final coverage on Saturday, May 16.
The UK is one of the pre-qualified ‘Big Four’ countries, along with Germany, France and Italy, which have a guaranteed place in the Eurovision Grand Final, along with the reigning champions Austria.
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