EBU has ordered a three part magazine talk show about the preparation for the 2007 Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki. These three shows will be hosted by a Finn and a Swede, Jani Toivonen and Ulrika Eriksson. This Eurovision Countdown is meant to become an annual programme. Another new feature is the winner�s European tour after the contest.

YLE’s website reports: “Eurovision Countdown” is a specially commissioned three-part magazine-show dedicated to the Eurovision Song Contest in Helsinki. It will provide a light-hearted and fun look at the contestants, their countries, and the competition itself. It is aimed at both the casual viewer and the Eurovision fanatic.The European Broadcasting Union has ordered three 23-minute shows, which will contain news, interviews, special reports, competitions and other interactive elements, as well as trivia and audience-created lists of our favorite Eurovision moments. The final episode will also take a closer look at the host city of Helsinki.”

“We are very excited about this opportunity,” says producer Björn Wahren about the project on YLE’s website. “Our goal is to make an entertaining, informative show that will raise expectations and the excitement leading up to the finals in May”.

Another exciting piece of news is that the winner gets on an European tour right after the contest. At the moment 6-10 promotional gigs in as many different countries have been planned starting right on May 13th. This extra promotion might become rather inviting for bigger names to join the Eurovision Song contest in the coming years now that Lordi has proved Eurovision can still be a good opportunity to make oneself known in 3 minutes to millions of people and sell a lot of record afterwards.