Ahead of Eurovision 2025, the BBC is gearing up for a Eurovision-filled week!
Ahead of the 69th Eurovision Song Contest in Basel, Switzerland on May 13th, 15th and 17th, the BBC are getting ready for a week of Eurovision content on television and radio. Guiding BBC viewers through Eurovision 2025 will be Scott Mills and Rylan on BBC One and iPlayer, along with Sara Cox and Richie Anderson on BBC Radio 2.
Prior to the commentary duo travelling out to Basel for Eurovision 2025, the BBC have interviewed them about all things Eurovision and Switzerland. Here’s what they had to say!
Can you give us any teasers about what to expect during the Semi Finals this Tuesday and Thursday?
I would say that there are more jokey, fun songs than normal at Eurovision this year. I know if you go back to Eurovision of the 80s and 90s, there was a lot of novelty songs. This year there's definitely more fun ones than serious ones. I think that's because everyone just wants a bit of light relief at the moment. A lot of these songs get chosen internally, so the public have nothing to do with it, but then a lot of the songs are a result of winning a public vote on television to find that country's Eurovision entry, and as a result a lot of them are quite fun this year. There are a lot of songs where some Eurovision fans will go, oh, it just makes a mockery of the whole competition, but I'm here for it. It's part of the contest!
Ooh this week is going to be extremely fun; me and Scott are going to be guiding you through it all – sit back, relax and be prepared for a few surprises, and maybe some shocks with some non-qualifiers…
What are your desert island Eurovision songs, if you can only pick three to listen to forever during your time on the island?
Definitely Euphoria by Loreen. Then, probably because I have such fond memories of the whole experience with Sam, Space Man by Sam Ryder. We got so close and he's our most recent success story. Then I'm going to pick a random one, which is Eric Saade - Popular. It's a proper ridiculous over-the-top camp Eurovision banger, and it's got the dum, which reminded me of Boney M. In the performance he is smashing loads of windows and it's great and I love it and I always put it on my Eurovision playlist.
Loreen Euphoria, Loreen Tattoo, annnnd Gina G Ooh Ahh Just a Little Bit, so I can have a little dance on the island to bring up morale!
What key elements do you think you need to be a Eurovision winner?
I think you need to not be scared of it. I've seen it a lot working on the contest, where a good artist can fall to pieces on the night because of the pressure, because you get one chance and you get three minutes and that is a big stage to fill and it's a lot of pressure. There is no way of explaining how much pressure it is to be a Eurovision contestant unless you've done it. You have to be able to be very calm under pressure and looking into the camera is so important and I see so many people not doing it. They're looking at the audience. Your main audience is the 160 million people that are watching you from home so look down the lens!
The main thing you need it to be personable and have good chat - I really believe the winning is all in the pre-planning; it’s connection with the fans and the pre-parties. You’ve of course got to have a great song and a great performance too!
If you could do a duet with any Eurovision act, who would you choose and why, and what would you sing?
I'd probably like to sing with a lady called Valentina Monetta who has entered Eurovision four times for San Marino, in such a small country that they don't have any pop stars, so Valentina god love her has been in it four times, but unfortunately she has never won! So maybe if I'm added into the mix she might get some votes from the UK....
It would be Loreen, we have actually already duetted a couple of times already! If we were to do it again, I would do a whole hour’s worth and it will be a medley of songs.
What would your ideal Eurovision party look like, and who would be on the guest list?
Although I’m obviously working and not having a party (well, it’s not really work is it as it’s with Rylan every single year), and it's a week of the most laughter that I have all year, my face hurts from laughing because we have such a ball and we just immerse ourselves in the whole thing! We go and meet and make friends with all the acts. We go to the EuroClub, which is a club in whichever city is hosting and it just plays Eurovision music all night, and we go every night. I'm doing the Radio 2 Breakfast Show this year so that could be a problem, but I'll go when I can. Rylan and I were on the phone the other day saying how much we're looking forward to 1, just being there and because it's our favourite and 2, just spending some time together because I haven't seen him a lot recently.
My ideal Eurovision party is luckily what I get every year – it’s me and Scott sat next to each other talking about a show we love and just by chance people are listening in to our thoughts and reactions.
When asked about their upcoming trip to Basel, Switzerland, Rylan will be visiting the European country for the first time, but for Scott, he mentions it will be his second time in the country, after a camping trip when he was a teenager. Although it’s the commute to work that Scott is most lookinh forward to in Basel… “A lot of people in Basel get in the river to go to work, so they put all their stuff in a dry bag and they just float downstream to work down the river. How cool is that? I definitely want to do that whilst I am there! What a commute to work.”
Speaking to broadcaster and author, Sara Cox and television radio personality Richie Anderson, thry are both very excited at Eurovision 2025 in Switzerland, and equally as excited for the United Kingdom’s representatives, Remember Monday.
They’re great performers, excellent singers and I think the song has all the drama and just the right amount of camp.
I was blown away the first time I saw them perform. They’re so fun and their vocals are incredible. They have a musical theatre background so I’m excited to see their staging because they’ll give us drama. It’s nice they can do it together and they have each other to lean on and it’s a shared experience. I think Europe is going to love them and they’re already winning over fans on their European tour.
Graham Norton of course will be returning to commentary duties for the BBC for the grand final, making it his 15th Eurovision as the United Kingdom’s grand final commentator.
Eurovision 2025 begins with semi final 1 and 2 on Tuesday 13th and Thursday 15th May, and will conclude with the grand final on Saturday May 17th, all live from St Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland. Viewers in the United Kingdom will be able to tune to all three shows live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, as well as BBC Radio 2.
This year, the United Kingdom will be represented by the girl group Remember Monday, who will be singing their song “What The Hell Just Happened?” The girls and their song were internally selected by the broadcaster.
Are you excited to see Scott Mills and Rylan returning to the commentary booth for the Eurovision semi finals again this year? Where will you be watching Eurovision 2025 from? Let us know in the comments below!
