Latest news with #Eurovision2023
The Independent
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Independent
Graham Norton to host Eurovision on ‘many, many medications'
Graham Norton has revealed he had shoulder replacement surgery shortly before the Eurovision final. He will be hosting the BBC 's coverage of the event, scheduled for the night of Saturday, May 17, while taking 'many, many medications'. Norton did not disclose the reason for the surgery, but the procedure is often done to address arthritis or severe fractures. It was carried out less than two weeks ago, and is still causing him pain, he said. This year marks the 16th that the 62-year-old presenter is hosting the BBC's Eurovision coverage.
Daily Mirror
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mirror
Eurovision legend lets slip winning formula and it's not having best song
EXCLUSIVE: Cheryl Baker opened up at the WhichBingo 2025 Awards about winning the Eurovision Song Contest with Bucks Fizz and let slip the secret move which made them victorious Bucks Fizz' Cheryl Baker: 'It would be nice' if Eurovision 2023 'didn't go to London' Cheryl Baker has revealed the secret to winning the Eurovision Song Contest. The 71-year-old singer and TV presenter won the competition with her band Bucks Fizz back in 1981 with their catchy track Making Your Mind Up. During their iconic performance 44 years ago, the group made show history as the boys ripped the skirts off their female bandmates, revealing cheeky mini-skirts underneath for the girls to continue the performance in. Speaking at the WhichBingo 2025 Awards in Gibraltar, Cheryl explained: "Bucks Fizz wouldn't have won without the skirt rip so thank goodness for that. "You've got to have the skirt rip moment. Something that makes it different from the others. "You can have the best singer and have the best song but you've to have that something that makes everyone think wow, I want to see that again. "It might be special effects, it might be lighting, but it's the something that makes it special." Remember Monday - a girl group made up of Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele, will perform their track What the Hell Just Happened? live to the world on Saturday (May 17) night. Sharing her verdict on the UK's entry, Cheryl said: ""I think the girls are great, their singing is perfect and I think we'll be on the left hand side of the board, however, I have never yet chosen a winning song. "I always choose a song I think is the best so I like to think they are going to be a dark horse and come up maybe in the top five but I just don't know. "The odds at the moment is that Sweden is going to walk it and that's a good song. We're up against quite a few good songs this year but I do think the girls will do well." Cheryl still watches Eurovision every year and is planning on throwing a party this weekend for her friends and family.
Associated Press
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Associated Press
The Eurovision final lineup is set as 6 more acts axed in a semifinal
BASEL, Switzerland (AP) — The lineup for the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest has been decided, with six countries eliminated after a semifinal on Thursday. Performers from 16 countries sang their hearts out in Basel, Switzerland for 10 spots in Saturday's final, with the result decided by viewers' votes. Those who made the cut include classically trained Austrian countertenor JJ, a bookies' favorite with his over-the-top pop-opera song 'Wasted Love,' and Israel's Yuval Raphael, with her anthemic 'New Day Will Rise.' Also voted through to the final was Malta's Miriana Conte, whose campy, diva-esque song 'Serving,' performed on a set including a glitter ball and giant lips, is classic Eurovision. Performers from Luxembourg, Denmark, Armenia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania and Greece also advanced to the final. They will go up against contenders selected in Tuesday's first semifinal including betting favorite KAJ, representing Sweden with serenade to the sauna 'Bara Bada Bastu'; Dutch singer Claude with soulful ballad 'C'est La Vie'; and Ukrainian rockers Ziferblat with 'Bird of Pray.' Australia, Montenegro, Ireland, Georgia, Czechia and Serbia were eliminated on Thursday. Eleven of the 37 acts who traveled to Basel have now been sent home, leaving 26 finalists. Twenty were picked by viewers' votes, while six countries automatically qualify for the final: the host, Switzerland, and the 'Big Five' who pay the most to the contest — France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the U.K. Music fans across Europe and beyond have traveled to the northern Swiss city of Basel, which is hosting Eurovision because Swiss singer Nemo won last year's contest in Sweden. The contest, whose motto is 'united by music,' has been roiled for a second year by disputes over Israel's participation. Dozens of former participants, including Nemo, have called for Israel to be excluded over its conduct in the war against Hamas in Gaza. Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protests have both taken place in Basel this week. A handful of protesters attempted to disrupt a rehearsal by Raphael earlier Thursday with 'oversized flags and whistles' and were escorted from the arena, contest organizers said.
The Sun
15-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Everyone can see the Eurovision singers & dancers – but can you spot five hidden microphones in under 60 seconds?
Conor O'Brien Published: Invalid Date, THE Eurovision final is right around the corner, but can you crack this challenging brainteaser? Everyone can see singers and dancers in the image - but are you able to spot the five hidden microphones? 3 The image by Best New Bingo Sites shows a group of performers on the Eurovision stage. It will take eagle-eyed focus to spot the five concealed microphones in under 60 seconds. This may seem daunting at first, but the answer is quite literally staring you in the face. Scroll down to find out the solution, but how about attempting some other mind-bending brainteasers? A boggling challenge from Jackson's shows a series of written colours - but there's a catch. The text colour doesn't match the words - leading to colourful confusion in the process. This is because one half of your brain processes the world, while the other focuses on the colour. Puzzle lovers must read from top to bottom saying the colour of the text, rather than the word itself. It is deceptively tricky, with only one in five people completing it successfully - could you be one of them? In another, can you spot the dice, and three other lucky charms, in the time limit? Think you can crack the tricky brainteaser- Spot all 7 eggs in 10 seconds This image is known as an optical illusion, meaning there could be other less obvious elements to be found. Everyone can quickly see the busy poker scene in the frame. But only those with 20/20 vision and a high IQ will be able to solve this mind-bending puzzle in time. Need a handy hint? Try squinting slightly to allow your brain to really hone in on the colours. How can optical illusions and brainteasers help me? Engaging in activities like solving optical illusions and brainteasers can have many cognitive benefits as it can stimulate various brain regions. Some benefits include: Cognitive stimulation: Engaging in these activities challenges the brain, promoting mental agility and flexibility. Problem-solving skills: Regular practice enhances analytical thinking and problem-solving abilities. Memory improvement: These challenges often require memory recall and can contribute to better memory function. Creativity: They encourage thinking outside the box, fostering creativity and innovative thought processes. Focus and attention: Working on optical illusions and brainteasers requires concentration, contributing to improved focus. Stress relief: The enjoyable nature of these puzzles can act as a form of relaxation and stress relief. Certain brainteasers and optical illusions, particularly those that involve patterns or sequences, can help strengthen both short-term and long-term memory. By working through puzzles on a regular basis, you will actively engage the brain's memory systems and directly improve your future attempts at visual challenges. If these brain teasers are not hard enough for you, then have a go at spotting the hidden broom amongst the clothes in less than five seconds. Or you can have a go at figuring out the hidden message in this band's cover art that has confused fans for years. 3 3
RTÉ News
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
Switzerland lives up to stereotype with 'beautifully organised' Eurovision
Switzerland is living up to its stereotype by delivering a "beautifully organised" Eurovision Song Contest, the director of the event has said. Basel is hosting the 2025 contest after Switzerland's Nemo won last May in Sweden with The Code, which explored them coming to terms with their non-binary identity. Last year in Malmo, pro-Palestinian protests were held outside the event's arena due to Israel's participation amid the war in Gaza, and the show was also hit by criticism from its contestants. This time around, Martin Green has been brought in by organisers the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) as the new director of the contest, after being an executive producer on Eurovision 2023 in Liverpool, and the ceremonies of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Mr Green told a press conference on Monday in Basel: "Everyone's really excited to finally show you what we've been up to for the last few months. In the last two weeks, the Swiss have done an extraordinary job this year. "It is almost stereotypically beautifully organised. Come with us on the journey. Let's share a bit of love this week. Shall we? I think it's probably the biggest weapon we have. It's a bit of love this week, so come with us on the journey." Following last year, the EBU conducted a review and pledged a new code of conduct for 2025, with a raft of measures to "protect" the wellbeing of artists in Basel - these appear to include the scrapping of semi-final media conferences, and more welfare measures for artists, and rules for delegations, and journalists. Mr Green said: "I realise that we've changed a few things up this year. What I can absolutely tell you now we've put it into practice, is the artists are loving it. "They are relaxed. They feel that they've got time to make sure that before they go in front of the world, they feel confident and rehearsed. You'll remember, there's a lot of new artists here. This is the biggest thing they've ever done." One big change is that the semi-finals will focus on the artists' reactions, using three-split screens to show one act qualifying for the first nine going through. The 10th act qualifying in each semi-final will be announced the usual way by the hosts. On Sunday, the Eurovision opening event, the Turquoise Carpet, saw Palestinian flags held by crowds protesting over Israel's inclusion, and more demonstrations are scheduled for Saturday in the city centre at 7pm local time. Basel police's head of communications, Adrian Plachesi, told the PA news agency that the force was aware these type of events could mean an "increased risk of terror attacks" from extremists, and they were also monitoring in case of "cyber-attacks" on the city's infrastructure. The force has stepped up video surveillance because of the "heightened threat level" and the city centre has some road closures, Swiss police said. Mr Plachesi said no permission has been granted for protests, but officers would be stationed for expected pro-Palestinian demonstrations. He added officers "might have to intervene", if demonstrations interfere with "public safety". About 1,300 Swiss police officers are on duty in Basel this week, with more forces drafted in from the Swiss Armed Forces, federal police and neighbouring countries - Germany and France - ahead of the two semi-finals on Tuesday and Thursday, and the grand final on Saturday. Current favourites to win include KAJ, who are from Finland's Swedish-speaking minority and will represent Sweden, with the upbeat comical Bara Bada Bastu - inspired by the Nordic sauna culture. The hit is the first time the country, which is tied with Ireland for the most Eurovision wins, has entered with a song in Swedish since the 1990s, when the rules on competing in a country's official language were relaxed. Others in contention are Dutch entry Claude Kiambe's C'est La Vie, Israeli singer Yuval Raphael, a survivor of the October 7 2023 Hamas attacks, with New Day Will Rise, Austrian singer JJ's Wasted Love, and French singer Louane's ballad Maman. On Tuesday, Switzerland's Zoe Me, the Netherlands and Ukraine's Ziferblat will perform, and on Thursday the UK's girl group Remember Monday, Ireland's Emmy Kristiansen and Israel will take to the stage.
