A televised selection show for the song and act to represent the UK at this year’s Eurovision Song Contest will be screened on the BBC and hosted by Bake Off favourite Mel Giedroyc.
Eurovision: You Decide will show six short-listed acts taking to the stage in a bid to impress viewers at home and a professional panel in the venue.
Mel says she is a huge fan of Eurovision (Dominic Lipinski/PA
The acts will compete for the honour of representing the United Kingdom at Eurovision 2016, which will be held in Sweden.
Great British Bake Off co-presenter Giedroyc will host the 90-minute programme, broadcast live on BBC Four from The O2 Kentish Town on February 26.
“I am a huge fan of the Eurovish and am honoured to be hosting this fantastic event,” she said.
“It’s very exciting that the great British public will get the chance to choose who will be sent to Sweden and I know it’s going to be an amazing night.”
An expert panel will be there on the night to offer their thoughts on how the songs could be made to look and sound on stage in Stockholm.
The programme heralds the arrival of Eurovision on BBC Four, which will also broadcast both semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2016 live from Stockholm on May 10 and 12.
Mans Zelmerlow won last year’s Eurovision for Sweden (AP Photo/Ronald Zak)
The final will be broadcast on BBC One on May 14.
Cassian Harrison, editor of BBC Four, said: “I’m delighted that Eurovision: You Decide and both of the semi-finals are coming to the channel this year.
“BBC Four is the home of music on TV in the UK and, as any fan will tell you, Eurovision is one of the biggest music events on the planet and is much more than just one night of TV, therefore it is only right that BBC Four is able to showcase Europe’s favourite music TV event right here in the UK.”
Eurovision: You Decide will also feature special musical guest performances, to be confirmed on January 22 on The Ken Bruce Show on BBC Radio 2.
Tickets for the show will go on sale on January 22 at 10am via www.bbc.co.uk/eurovision.
