When is the Eurovision 2025 final and who is in it?
epa-efe/shutterstockThe Eurovision Song Contest is back – this time in Basel, Switzerland.
Remember Britain's entry this year – Monday – a country-pop trio that will perform their songs.
What is the European TV song competition?
The European TV Song Contest is an annual TV Contest organized by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU).
The theme of the 2025 edition is “Welcome Home”, as the first match was held in Switzerland in 1956.
The song must be original and not exceed three minutes. They cannot be released or performed publicly by September 1, 2024.
Lead vocals must be alive, without lip sync or automatic adjustment, up to six singers and dancers.
How to watch the European TV final
epa-efe/shutterstockThe finals of the match will be held on Saturday, May 17 at Basel's Indoor Arena.
It will be live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, from 20:00 BST, hosted by Graham Norton.
You can also listen on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds, hosted by Scott Mills and Rylan Clark.
In the arena, the International Eurovision Network's coverage will be hosted by hosts Hazel Brugger, Sandra Studer and Michelle Hunziker.
Which countries participate in the European TV network?
epa-efe/shutterstockA total of 37 countries participated in the 2025 Eurovision Network – all but one, all participated in the competition held in Malmö, Sweden last year.
Montenegro has returned to the game for the first time this year since 2022, replacing Moldova – exiting due to financial and logistical challenges.
Most Eurovision countries are European countries, but Australia participates every year after attending the 60th anniversary celebration of Eurovision in 2015. But Australia won't win.
Other non-European countries, including Israel, participated because they are members of the EBU.
Russia has been banned since its invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Why the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest held in Switzerland?
Switzerland will be hosted for the 2025 Eurovision Network after contestant Nemo won the 2024 competition.
Nemo will still serve as a guest show this year, despite accusing 2024 of not having enough support for the artists.
This is the third time Switzerland has received European TV. This year's contestant is Zoë Më, with a song sailing.
PA MediaWho is in the European TV final?
The “Big5” countries that provide additional financial support to Eurovision have obtained automatic qualifications for the finals. These are the United Kingdom, Italy, Spain, France and Germany.
Switzerland also received a gold ticket to commemorate last year's victory.
In the first semifinal on May 13, Céline Dion, who won the Swiss Contest in 1988, sent a pre-recorded message to celebrate the “beautiful” of the competition's return to Basel.
These countries qualify from the first semifinals:
- Albania: shkodra electronics-Zjerm
- Estonia: Tommy Cash – Espresso
- Iceland: wæb-Stranquil
- Netherlands: Claude – It's life
- Norway: Kyle Alessandro – Lighter
- Poland: Justyna Steczkowska -Gaja
- Portugal: Napa – Displaced
- San Marino: Gabriel Ponte – All Italy
- Sweden: Kaj-just swimming sauna
- Ukraine: Ziferblat – Prayer Bird
The following countries are eligible for the second semifinal:
- Armenia: Pag – Survivor
- Austria: JJ – Waste of Love
- Denmark: Sissy – hallucination
- Finland: Erika Vikman – Ich Kemme
- Greece: Piano-Astrology
- Israel: Yuval Raphael – New Day Will Rise
- Latvia: Folk Daughter – Bo's Happiness
- Lithuania: Catholicism – Your eyes
- Luxembourg: Laura Thorn – Doll Upward Voice (pictured above)
- Malta: Miriana Conte-Service
This is the unfortunate 11 that was eliminated:
- Australia: Go-Jo – Milkshake Man
- Azerbaijan: Mamagama – Run with you
- Belgium: Red Sebastian – Strobe Lights
- Croatia: MarkoBošnjak – Poison Cake
- Cyprus: Theo Evan – Boo
- Czech people: adonxs – Kiss kiss goodbye
- Georgia: Mariam Senglia – Freedom
- Ireland: Emmy Awards – Lycra Party
- Montenegro: Nina Zizechi-Welcome
- Serbia: Prince – Mira
- Slovenia: Clement – How much time do we have left
epa-efe/shutterstockWhen is the second European TV semi-final?
This happened on Thursday, May 15th. It is being played in BBC Iplayer, BBC One, Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. You can also watch it on the BBC News website live.
This is the running order:
- Australia: Go-Jo – Milkshake Man
- Montenegro: Nina Zizechi-Welcome
- Ireland: Emmy Awards – Lycra Party
- Latvia: Folk Daughter – Bo's Happiness
- Armenia: Pag – Survivor
- Austria: JJ – Waste of Love
- UK: Remember Monday – What exactly happened?
- Greece: Piano-Astrology
- Lithuania: Catholicism – Your eyes
- Malta: Miriana Conte-Service
- Georgia: Mariam Senglia – Freedom
- France: Luan – Mom
- Denmark: Sissy – hallucination
- Czech people: adonxs – Kiss kiss goodbye
- Luxembourg: Laura Thorn – Doll Rises
- Israel: Yuval Raphael – New Day Will Rise
- Germany: Abor & Tynna – Ballet Dancer
- Serbia: Prince – Mira
- Finland: Erika Vikman – Ich Kemme
Who is the UK entries, remember Monday?
ReutersThe girl band remembers Monday consisting of Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull and Charlotte Steele.
They will sing a song titled “What Happens to Hell” full of harmonies and pop melodies.
The band was founded at the school in Farnborough, Hampshire and appeared in 2019 on the TV talent show The Voice. Lauren and Holly-Anne also appeared on West End shows such as Phantom of Opera and The Musical.
They hope to turn Britain's fate around after the final two players, Olly Alexander and Mae Muller, finished at the bottom of the table in 2024 and 2023, respectively.
Why is the entry of Israel's European TV network controversial?
More than 70 former European TV contestants, including Mae Muller of the UK, signed an open letter asking Israel's public broadcaster Kan to be included in the competition and accused it of “a co-conspiracy with Israel's genocide against Palestinians in Gaza”.
Eurovision has always called itself apolitical, and it refuses to call for Israel to be excluded.
Israeli contestant Yuval Raphael told BBC News that she would “expect” to boo during the show.
Last year, Israel, including Israel, sparked controversy, when its contestant Eden Golan also faced Booth at the rehearsal, with thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters gathering outside the venue.
Golan was also forced to change the lyrics of her work, titled “Hurricane” to remove the quote from the deadly attack on Hamas in Israel on October 7, 2023.
epa-efe/shutterstockThe last major musical event Raphael participated in was the Rise Star Festival in Israel, when more than 360 people were killed in the attack on October 7.
That day, Hamas-led gunmen killed about 1,200 people in Israel and 251 were taken hostage. More than 53,000 people were killed in the subsequent military campaign in Israel in Gaza, according to the Hamas Ministry of Health in the region.
How does Eurovision vote work?
In the final, each participating country won two results – one from a jury from music experts and the other from fans from all over Europe.
Fans receive up to 20 votes, vote via phone, text messages or the official Eurovision app. They can vote for as many behaviors as they like, but voting against your home country is prohibited.
Once the line is over, each country will choose the “Top Ten” of their favorite songs. The most popular songs scored 12 points, the second choice scored 10 points, and the rest scored from eight points.
Audiences in countries that do not participate in European TV networks also have a say. Their choices were tied into a group known as the “Voting of the rest of the world”.