Eurovision fans go wild as Celine Dion 'rehearses' to perform at the grand final
Eurovision fans are going wild at the prospect of Celine Dion performing in Switzerland at the grand final of the contest later this month. A Swiss news website has reported that there is an 'agreement in principle' for the singer to take part in Basel, in just over a week's time.
There have been rumours about her involvement for months but now rehearsals for the orchestra are said to have taken place for Celine's performance in the arena, using a stand-in vocalist.
The peak excitement is because Celine, 57, officially withdrew from live performances in 2022, having revealed she was suffering from stiff person syndrome, a debilitating condition which causes muscle spasms.
Despite this, the international superstar made a comeback to sing at the Paris 2024 Olympics, where her performance of Hymne à l'amour from the Eiffel Tower was widely hailed as the highlight of the Opening Ceremony.
Celine is particularly loved by the Swiss public having been the last act to bring them victory at Eurovision. She competed for the country in 1988 with the song Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi and her triumph was the last time the country finished in first place until Nemo's win last year with The Code.
It is thought that while the French-Canadian singer is gearing up to perform on the stage at St. Jakobshalle, an option remains in place for her to withdraw, if she needs to, for health reasons.
No official confirmation has yet come from organisers the European Broadcasting Union, but either way her victory from 37 years ago, when she was just 20, is expected to be marked with a filmed tribute during one of the semi-finals.
Edi Estermann, communications boss for Eurovision 2025, said that while they would be thrilled to have Celine perform, her health must come first. She said: 'Céline will, of course, always be connected to Swiss Eurovision history and is a part of it. We would love to have her on the show and are in contact with her. But her health comes first. It's still open for us.'
One fan said it would be 'the moment of the decade' while another agreed: 'It was a miracle she was even able to perform at the Olympics. If she can appear here too it'll be something very special indeed.'
A third fan added: 'If she wants to participate I'd be overjoyed to see her in whatever capacity she's comfortable with.'
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