TVE, the Spanish national broadcaster has announced today that the broadcaster’s administrative board has given the green light for yet another edition of the epic music talent show Operación Triunfo, hence we will have Operación Triunfo 2018 hitting our screens in autumn. Will Spain use this show as the mechanism to select its Eurovision hopefuls for Eurovision 2019?

After seeing the hysteria and hype surrounding the 2018 Spanish Eurovision hopefuls Amaia & Alfred it is more than likely that the Spanish broadcaster will use OT 2018 as the plaform to select the 2019 Spanish Eurovision hopefuls and enty, specially after OT 2017’s  massive success and high viewing figures.

Nevertheless it’s still early days yet to think about Eurovision 2019 as all eyes are currently set on Lisbon and the 2018 Spanish Eurovision hopefuls Amaia & Alfred.

Amaia & Alfred won the 2018 Spanish Eurovision national final and will fly to Lisbon with their song Tu Cancion.

Operación Triunfo and Eurovision

Operación Triunfo kicked off in Spain in 2001 and TVE used it as the mechanism to select the 2002 Spanish Eurovision entry and act.

The first edition of the talent show was a massive hit in Spain, thus getting much exposure and mediatic coverage. Rosa Lopez was crowned the winner of OT 2001 and won the golden ticket to Tallinn with her song Europe’s living a celebration.

TVE used the same format for the following 2 years in order to select the Spanish Eurovision entry and act: Beth (2003) and Ramon (2004).

The Spanish national broadcaster axed the show after its third edition. In 2005, Spanish private television channel Tele Cinco revived the talent show and aired a total of 5 seasons and had no link to Eurovision.

We must not forget that 2 of the participants of the 4th edition of Operación Triunfo went on to represent Spain at the Eurovision Song Contest many after their participation: Soraya Arnelas (2009) and Edurne (2015).

The show was revived back in 2017 after a long break when it returned to TVE after a 13 year hiatus. Following the success of the show, the Spanish national broadcaster decided to use OT 2017 as the mechanism to select the 2018 Eurovision entry and act.

Last January , Spain made its decision and selected Alfred and Amaia to defend the Spanish colours at the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon with Tu canción.

Spain in Eurovision

Spain debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1961 and has won the competition twice in 1968 and 1969. The country successfully hosted the epic 1969 Eurovision Song Contest in Madrid, where four nations walked away with the coveted Eurovision trophy.

Spain is set to compete in the Grand Final of the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest on 12 May in Lisbon.