The BBC, the British national broadcaster, has confirmed that the United Kingdom will compete at the forthcoming 2024 Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden.

Hence the UK will be joining the list of the countries who have confirmed their participation at  the upcoming Eurovision 2024 edition.

The United Kingdom will be selecting its Eurovision entry and act via an internal selection. All three Eurovision live shows will be broadcast live on BBC One and BBC Iplayer.

The BBC will be unveiling further information on the 2024 British Eurovision act and entry in due course.

The BBC’s press release release reads:

BBC Studios will once again produce the BBC’s coverage of the biggest and most watched song competition in the world following the 67th Eurovision Song Contest which was hosted by the BBC in Liverpool, on behalf of Ukraine and produced by BBC Studios.

Following Loreen’s victory in Liverpool earlier this year with the song Tattoo, the 68th edition of the Contest will be taking place in Sweden, culminating in the Grand Final which will be broadcast live from Malmö Arena on Saturday 11 May 2024. This will be the seventh time Sweden hosts the Contest.

Last year, the largest audience on record watched the Eurovision Song Contest on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK:

• Overall coverage of Eurovision across TV, Radio and Online increased in 2023 to a pan-BBC reach of 55% and 29.8M audiences (3 Min+ Reach).
• The Eurovision 2023 Grand Final averaged 10.7M, the biggest 28-day audience seen on current records (since 2002). The Grand Final evidently captivated audiences, whose desire to be a part of this momentous night drew a significant increase in viewing (BARB 28-Day 4-Screen).
• The Grand Final saw 2.0M young 16-34 audiences tuning in, making it one of the top programmes for young audiences on the BBC so far this year, and the highest young audience seen for Eurovision since 2011 (BARB 28-Day 4-Screen).
• There were also audience highs for the Semi-Finals which aired on BBC One for the first time, seeing the highest audiences seen on current records (2002) for both Semi Final 1 (2.6M) and Semi Final 2 (2.5M) (BARB 28-Day 4-Screen).

Further to this exceptional performance in 2023, all three live programmes – both Semi Finals and the Grand Final – will once again all be broadcast live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in 2024.

In addition, the BBC also confirms that the search for the 2024 act and song for the United Kingdom has taken place over the summer, led by Lee Smithurst, Executive Producer BBC Studios alongside Will Wilkin, Commissioning Executive BBC Music.

Further information regarding the United Kingdom’s participation at the next Eurovision Song Contest – including the entry for 2024 – will be announced in due course.

The United Kingdom in Eurovision

The United Kingdom debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957 and has won the competition five times (1967, 1969, 1975, 1981, 199). The country has participated in the Eurovision Song Contest 65 times and has enjoyed great success in Europe’s favorite television show. The UK hold the record of being the country who has placed 2nd the most times in the competition, namely 16 times.

Many big names have flown the British flag at the Eurovision Song Contest: Sandie Shaw, Olivia Newton John, Lulu, Buckz Fizz, Brotherhod of Man, Cliff Richard, Clodagh Rogers, Mary Hopkin, Michael Ball, Sonia, Gina G, Bonny Tyler, Sam Ryder etc.

Mae Muller represented the United Kingdom at the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest in Liverpool with her entry ‘I Wrote A Song‘.

Photo credit: Corinne Cumming /EBU
Source: ESCToday/ BBC