Moments ago, esctoday.com got the exclusive news that Meltem Cumbul and Korhan Abay will host the qualifier round ánd the final of the 2004 Eurovision Song Contest. Svante Stockselius, Eurovision Song Contest supervisor of the EBU, said that in a phone call from Istanbul.
Days ago, Turkish media confirmed that broadcaster TRT cancelled all negotiations with the popular singer Enrique Iglesias, who wanted to receive $100.000 for the job. Earlier, the names of Ricky Martin and Tarkan popped up, while the female host Meltem Cumbul was already sure. After all, no international famous stars…
Meltem and Korhan will execute tomorrow's draw for running order, which starts at 13:00 CET in Istanbul under supervision of the EBU and all Heads of Delegations of the 36 participating countries.
Meltem Cumbul, 66th Eurovision Song Contest host, started to make television in 1992 at the Turkish state broadcaster TRT and being a DJ for Power FM and Kiss FM in Istanbul. She went to Kanal 6 in 1993, ATV in 1997 and Kanal D in 1998 and hosted her own television programmes. She played leading rolls in 4 TV drama-series. Korhan Abay, the 67th host of the contest, has already a link with the Eurovision Song Contest. In 1990 he hosted the Turkish national final for broadcaster TRT, a final in which Sertab Erener participated. Besides presenting, Abay (born in 1954) is also a theatre actor ánd pilot!
Cumbul and Abay will be the 16th couple that will host a Eurovision Song Contest. 32 people (of which 31 were female) hosted the event individually, once (in 1999) there was a trio hosting the show.
