The Austrian national broadcaster ORF has confirmed to ESCToday that Mirjam Weichselbraun will have the honour of hosting the forthcoming 2015 Austrian national selection shows, scheduled to kick off on 20 February.

Mirjam Weichselbraun is a well known actress, television host in her homeland Austria and in neighbouring Austria. She has hosted many television shows and events both in Austria and Germany and has worked for ORF, RTL Germany, Sat 1, 3sat and ZDF. She will be familiar to the Eurovision Song Contest fans as she hosted the 2005 Austrian Eurovision national selection with Christian Clerici and co hosted the 2012 and 2013 Austrian national final Österreich rockt den Song Contest.

The 2015 Austrian national selection  will consist of 4 shows aired on ORF 1 at 20:15 CET, and is set to kick off on 20 February with the grand final scheduled to be held in Vienna on 13 March.

A total of 20 acts will enter the competion on 20 February during the audition show and only 6 will proceed to the next phase after a deliberation by a special expert panel.  On 27 February the lucky acts will have to showcase their talent and vocal skills. On 6 March the 6 acts will perform a total of 2 new songs each (contributed from Austrian and international producers), a total of 12 songs will be premiered. Only 6 songs will proceed to the grand final. On 13 March the 6 acts will perform their respective entry and one of them will be selected to represent Austria at the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest. The first 3 shows of the national selection will be pre-recorded whilst the grand final will be a live televised show.

The 2015 Austrian Eurovision entry will be selected via a 50/50 jury- public voting deliberation.

The 2015 Austrian national selection dates

• 20/02  Show 1 ( 20 acts- 6 will proceed to next phase)
• 27/02  Show 2 ( 6 acts will showcase their talent)
• 06/03 Show 3 ( 6 acts will perform 2 songs each- 12 songs will be premiered)
• 13/03 Grand final ( live show with 6 acts and 6 songs)

In 2014 ORF selected both its Eurovision entry and representative via an internal selection. Conchita Wurst was selected via an internal selection with her entry Rise like a phoenix to fly the Austrian flag in Copenhagen.

It will be very interesting to see who will follow into Conchita’s footsteps and defend the Austrian colours on home soil in Vienna next May. The 2015 Eurovision Song Contest is scheduled to be held at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna on 19, 21 and 23 May.

Austria debuted at the Eurovision Song Contest in 1957 with Bob Martin and has won the event twice in 1966 with Udo Jurgens’ Merci Cheri and in 2014 with Conchita Wurst’s Rise like a phoenix.

Stay tuned to ESCToday.com for the latest news on Austria and the 2015 Eurovision Song Contest.