Austria is set to welcome audiences from across the globe, and this year’s 35 competing countries, to the beautiful city of Vienna, where the competition was last held in 2015. Eleven years later, it’s time to find out who will follow in JJ’s footsteps and be crowned the winner of The Eurovision Song Contest 2026.
Audiences can marvel at all Eurovision has to offer as the contest will be broadcast live across BBC One, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds, with expert analysis and famously witty insights from our commentator line-up, which includes the King of Eurovision himself, Graham Norton, Euro-aficionado Rylan, and Queen of the airwaves Sara Cox. Also joining the party this year is Eurovision superfan Angela Scanlon!
Eurovision Semi-Finals with Rylan and Angela Scanlon
Tuesday 12 May and Thursday 14 May at 8pm on BBC iPlayer and BBC One
The Semi-Finals will be broadcast live on BBC iPlayer and BBC One, and guiding audiences on the Euro-phoric journey is commentator and Eurovision aficionado, Rylan, who will be joined on the ride by Angela Scanlon, live from the Wiener Stadthalle arena in Vienna.
Speaking ahead of the celebrations, Rylan said: “It’s the 70th Eurovision Song Contest and the biggest show on the planet. Being part of anything this big is something younger me could never have imagined.”
Angela Scanlon added, “It feels like joining the greatest party on earth – equal parts thrilling and terrifying! I grew up watching the Eurovision Song Contest with my three sisters, making very serious (and wildly biased) scorecards from the couch, so to now be part of it – especially in its 70th year – is genuinely surreal. It’s one of those shows that’s always been there, evolving but never losing its magic or madness. I’ve been lucky enough to dip my toe into the Eurovision world before, so it feels great to be doing it again, just with higher heels and a few more sequins!”
Each Semi-Final, hosted by Austrian stars Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski, will feature performances from the pre-qualified ‘Big Four’ countries, and an array of unmissable interval acts. Across both Semi-Finals, we will see 10 contestants eliminated, leaving 25 competitors for Saturday’s Grand Final.
BBC viewers have plenty to look forward to at the Semi-Finals – there will be emotional ballads, soaring pop anthems, and unique performances you’d only ever see on the Eurovision stage.
Excitement is heating up in the fandom for Finland’s entry, which features a collaboration between world-renowned classical violinist Linda Lampenius and singer Pete Parkkonen. Global superstar Delta Goodrem will take to the stage representing Australia, San Marino has recruited the legendary Culture Club frontman Boy George to perform alongside SENHIT, and there is an energetic earworm and chants of “Bangaranga” by DARA from Bulgaria, who return to the contest after a three-year absence.
It’s the first chance to get a peek at the staging of some of the big hitters who will appear in Saturday’s Grand Final, including our very own LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER with his anthemic song, ‘Eins, Zwei, Drei’.
Listen to both semi-finals live on BBC Radio 2 with Sara Cox, plus don’t miss Sara’s teatime show – live from Vienna on Wednesday 13 May, 4pm until 7pm
Sophie Ellis-Bextor’s Eurovision Kitchen Disco on BBC Radio 2
Friday 15 May, 9pm until 11 pm
Sophie hosts her annual Eurovision-themed Kitchen Disco. Get ready for the sounds, colour, excitement, and sheer energy of Sophie’s annual Eurovision Disco special! Expect back-to-back Europop, plus loads of previous winners and near misses.
LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER ©️BBC/Michael Leckie
Dermot O’Leary on BBC Radio 2
Saturday 16 May, 8am until 10am
On this Eurovision Super Saturday, Dermot will be blasting the Eurovision tunes as his World Cup Of Great Sport TV Themes continues. To mark a great Summer of Sport, World Cup of Great Sport TV Themes sees two iconic tunes face off each week. This week, it’s the BBC’s Ski Sunday versus ITV’s The Big Match!
Sophie Ellis Bextor with ‘Your Ultimate Eurovision Superstar! On BBC Radio 2
Saturday 16 May, 1pm until 3pm
It’s a double dose of Sophie Ellis-Bextor this week on Radio 2. In addition to her Eurovision Kitchen Disco on Friday, Sophie continues the Eurovision vibes with a countdown of the Top 40 of ‘Your Ultimate Eurovision Superstar!’ The Radio 2 listeners have voted for their stand-out artists from 70 years of Eurovision history.
The race for first place includes Celine Dion, Olivia Newton-John, Johnny Logan, Loreen, and ABBA! It’s a playlist packed with karaoke classics, epic ballads, and non-stop pop, with music spanning from the 60s to the present day. The public vote took place after the Radio 2 family put together a shortlist of 70 iconic artists from 70 years of Eurovision history.
Richie Anderson on BBC Radio 2
Saturday 16 May, 3pm until 6pm
Richie, who currently presents a show that kicks off each Sunday night and runs into Monday (midnight – 3am), brings the Eurovision excitement to Saturday afternoon!
All Request Eurovision with Ellie Taylor on BBC Radio 2
Saturday 16 May, 6pm until 8pm
The countdown is on as the nation gets ready to cheer on the UK’s LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER at the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest in Vienna, and in the final two hours before the final begins, Ellie Taylor is ramping up the excitement and finding out how the UK is preparing for the world’s biggest music contest and playing YOUR favourite party songs. Text 88-2-91 to send in your song requests.
Eurovision 2026, The Grand Final with Graham Norton
Saturday 16 May, 8pm on BBC iPlayer and BBC One
In the Grand Final, the remaining 25 countries, including the UK’s LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER, will battle it out for the win. Delighting audiences throughout the night with his famously witty insights, Graham Norton is the master of ceremonies and a seasoned Eurovision expert.
Speaking ahead of the final, Graham Norton said, “It feels really special to be back, gently guiding viewers through the Grand Final in this very momentous 70th anniversary year.”
Hosted by Austrian stars, Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski, the Grand Final of Eurovision 2026 will be awash with treats and surprises for the viewers across the globe. The opening act, The Queen of the Night, will see 2025 winner JJ showcase his remarkable vocal abilities as he seamlessly blends Mozart-inspired elements with his own music, alongside more than 40 dancers and acrobats, as the 25 Grand Finalists are introduced in the iconic flag parade.
Viewers will then be treated to the 25 competing entries as they take to the stage one by one, giving performances of a lifetime in hopes of being crowned the Eurovision 2026 winner.
During the voting period, three interval acts will take to the stage, including a selection of Eurovision All Stars who will perform iconic songs from the Contest’s history to celebrate the 70th anniversary, Austrian electro-swing icon Parov Stelar will showcase his distinctive dance sound and striking visuals, and finally, a soulful version of Billy Joel’s ‘Vienna’ will be performed by Austrian Eurovision legend César Sampson.
Listen to the Grand Final live on BBC Radio 2 with Sara Cox and Rylan, plus don’t miss the Eurovision After Party with OJ Borg following the main event.
There’s even more on TikTok, Instagram, YouTube and Facebook…
RuPaul’s Drag Race UK star and Queen of the Mother-tucking Universe (season two), Tia Kofi, sashays back to Eurovision as the BBC’s digital roving reporter, giving fans exclusive access to this year’s acts and a behind-the-scenes look at the humungous event.
A self-confessed superfan of Eurovision, Tia will be reporting from Eurovision’s Turquoise Carpet and roving Vienna’s Eurovision Village in search of the tea across Eurovision week – serving up fabulous digital content available across the BBC’s TikTok, Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook channels.
Tia Kofi said, “It’s such an honour to be back as the BBC Eurovision Digital Presenter for the 70th year of the contest. Growing up, watching Eurovision was such an important part of my life, and I can’t wait to celebrate the music, the unity and this special anniversary year with everyone!
This year’s contest already feels like it’s a close competition between the acts, with some incredible songs from around the globe, and iconic singers like Boy George and Delta Goodrem set to compete alongside our very own brilliant LOOK MUM NO COMPUTER. It’s sure to be a year to remember! Austria last won in 2014 with Conchita Wurst, and now we’re back 11 years later bringing the camp, glamour and music back to Vienna.”
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