Sweden: SVT unveils its special Eurovision schedule for May

by Sanjay (Sergio) Jiandani 3,603 views

SVT, the Swedish national broadcaster, has unveiled its special Eurovision schedule consisting of three scheduled programs including ‘EBU’s Eurovision: Europe Shine A  Light’.

Swedish Eurovision fans are in for a treat as the Swedish national broadcaster is all set to air three shows during the Eurovision week next May. The broadcaster has come up with its very own Eurovision 2020 competition where Swedish fans will be able to vote for their favourite ESC act and select a winner via the official Mello App.

Many countries are programming special shows and programs in order to replace the cancelled 2020 Eurovision Song Contest.

Ms. Anette Helenius (SVT Project Manager) says:

More than ever it is now that we we need something positive to look forward to. Therefore, it is with great pleasure that we can announce that we will be able to gather during the Eurovision broadcasts in May. The programs will look a little different, but we expect to offer a music party that engages and entertains everyone in true Eurovision spirit.

Before Eurovision

Eurovision Week will kick off on Saturday 9 May with a special Eurovision program featuring David Sundin and Christer Björkman presenting the 41 Eurovision 2020 entries. The Swedish audience will be invited to vote for their favourite entries via the Mello App and the voting will kick off! Which 25 entries does the Swedish audience want to see in the Grand Final?

Christer Bjorkman (Melodifestivalen Producer/SVT) says:

I am glad that the viewers can also vote for their favorites this year and hope and believe that it can gather the Swedish people at a time when nothing else is the same. So now we do this together! Look, like and vote!

Sweden’s 12th

On Thursday 14 May, Sweden’s 12th will be broadcast live from SVT in Stockholm. The program will feature the 25 finalists entries that the viewers voted for via the official Mello app during the week. The Swedish audience will be invited to vote again and select the winner during the show.

The show will be also featuring clips from past Eurovision editions and iconic Eurovision performances including footage from Eurovision 2013 and 2016 which were held on home soil in Sweden. The 2020 Swedish Eurovision hopefuls The Mamas’s will be performing their entry ‘Move‘. The concept of the show has been created by Christer Bjorkman and Edward Af Sillen.

Christer Bjorkman says:

This will be a wonderful Eurovision evening for all TV viewers. We will of course diribute Sweden’s 12th and choose a winner. We will also dig out lovely favorite memories, specially from our own ESC in Malmö 2013 and Stockholm 2016. It will be a party for both eye and ear that I get the honor to create together with Edward af Sillén.

Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light

On Saturday 16 May SVT and many other countries in Europe will broadcast Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light – a two-hour broadcast starting at 21:00 CET.

The program will be paying tribute to the songs that would have participated and competed in Rotterdam, and well-known artists from recent years will be also invited to perform well-known songs from event’s history. The hosts who would have hosted the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest will be hosting the special show: Chantal Janzen, Edsilia Rombley and Jan Smit.

The special Eurovision show will be produced by the Dutch broadcasters NPO, NOS and AVROTROS ( 2020 ESC Host Broadcasters).

SVT’s Eurovision Schedule

  • 09/05/2020- Eurovision: Before ESC  ( 21.00 CET- SVT1/ SVT Play)
  • 14/05/2020- Eurovision: Sweden’s 12th (21.00 CET – SVT 1/ SVT Play)
  • 16/05/2020-Eurovision: Europe shine a light (21.00 CET SVT1/ SVT Play)

The Mamas

The Mamas were crowned the winners of Melodifestivalen 2020 and were set to represent Sweden at the 65th Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam with their entry ‘Move‘.

Sweden in Eurovision

Sweden debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1958 and has won Europe’s favorite television show 6 times ( 1974, 1984, 1991, 1999, 2012, 2015) and has hosted the competition thrice in Stockholm (1975, 2000, 2016), twice in Malmo (1992, 2013) and once in Goteborg (1985).

In 2019 John Lundvik won the Swedish national final and flew to Tel Aviv with his entry Too late for love achieving an honorable 5th lace in the Grand Final. Sweden has been enjoying much success in the competition in recent years, Nordic country has achieved 8 TOP 10 placings in the contest in the past 9 years including 2 victories.

Source: SVT