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Liverpool Echo
Liverpool Echo
Entertainment
Christopher Megrath

What does it take to host the Eurovision Song Contest?

Graham Norton, Hannah Waddingham, Julia Sanina, and Alesha Dixon have been announced as Eurovision Song Contest hosts - but have they got what it takes to be Eurovision presenters?

The presenter reveal is one of the most anticipated moments in the build up to the contest. Who has the host nation tasked with guiding Europe through a minefield of musical chaos while also relying upon them to deliver the all-important votes?

In it's 68 year history, there's been no shortage of memorable faces fronting the contest.

How well a presenter pulls the job off is completely subjective but Eurovision fans can sniff out the right choice from a mile away. They're typically wrong when it comes to guessing who's signed the contract but the host broadcaster never strays far from their favourites à la Sweden's obsession with Petra Mede and Måns Zelmerlöw.

READ MORE: When to expect Eurovision Song Contest tickets and how much they will cost

They remain the best example of the contest truly deciding to grab the camp factor by the horns. Måns' history with the show, going from act to presenter in a calendar year, set him up as a local success story with Stockholm rallying around him.

Petra was the Jessie to his James and somehow managed to balance his subtle camp with Punch and Judy style quips. The 2016 event was a success because Sveriges Television AB, Sweden's national broadcaster, ran with an obvious choice already adored by the fans and proved more than capable given she also spearheaded the 2013 contest.

Their dynamic was fun, light, and campy - Love, Love, Peace, Peace and the second semi-final's What is Eurovision performance have gone down in history - but they were still composed enough to carry the show where professionalism was desired.

Looking back at Katie Boyle, one of the contest's most prolific presenters, hosting four times in less than two decades, brought a subdued grace that is still to be replicated. Eurovision's origins were unobtrusive in every fashion but as the years go by and the show gets bigger with every trophy handed out, the fans want more and more.

It's not enough to be the best in the industry, you have to be capable of pulling from every facet of the entertainment world without question. The biggest presenters in British television are arguably Holly Willoughby and Phillip Schofield but compared to the likes of Mans and Petra prove a glowing resume does not reflect a solid Eurovision host.

Mirjam Weichselbraun, Alice Tumler and Arabella Kiesbauer were all victims of the polished curse in the sense they were so faultless they lacked colour. There was nothing to excite fans and there was nothing to phone home about. Sure, the script will run on time but when millions of fans are tuning in to the absurd, dazzling and awe-inspiring, is a modest, by-the-books presenter going to leave an impact at all? And if not, what's the point?

This brings us to the BBC's 2023 lineup. It was a given Graham Norton would be in some way involved given he is the face of Eurovison in the United Kingdom. He'll bring a dry comedy to the contest and could have no problem wrangling the entire show himself, which begs the question of why he's absent from the semi-finals.

Is this a subtle sign the ladies will be delivering something during the pre-shows Graham wouldn't be able to? Who knows, but it's foolish to look past the fact all three hosts have incredible careers on stage as singers, dancers, and even MCs, and will be responsible for handling the semi-finals, where the show often opts for Broadway scale opening numbers.

Hannah Waddingham's illustrious career on the West End is matched by Julia Sanina's powerhouse vocals with Alesha Dixon's rap abilities making for an unstoppable musical force. There's potential that the BBC knew what exactly what they were looking for when it came to a host but they're still keeping things close to their chests.

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