The UK doesn’t need to win Eurovision to host it next year
We (along with the rest of Europe) have got two bites at the cherry, thanks to Australia’s inclusion in the anniversary special
If the UK's Electro Velvet win this year's Eurovision (and we recover from the shock) we will host the 2016 contest. It’s how the show works. Conchita’s 2014 victory has taken us to Austria this year, and on it goes. But also, if Australia – who are this year’s special guest competitor - win, they won’t host it Down Under. They’re not allowed. Instead, they’d team up with an eligible European city to co-host it. Australia's public broadcaster SBS (Special Broadcasting Service) would propose a partner and the Reference Group would then decide whether to approve their choice. Which basically means, if Guy Sebastian wins for the Aussies, they could choose to co-host it with us, the UK.
We'd want it, right? Right?
Guy's currently bookies’ third favourite for the win at 4/1, the big three being Sweden at 7/4 and Italy at 5/2. And while Australia is a guest competitor in this 60th anniversary year - invited by the European Broadcasting Union for their continued support of the event - they would, upon winning, return to defend their title.
DJ Scott Mills, who returns to host the live semi-final coverage on BBC3 this year, is certainly hoping the Australians would look to team up with the UK.
“If they win, which they could because it’s a novelty that they’re in it, they can just hand it over to us," Mills told RadioTimes.com. "As I understand it, if Guy Sebastian wins on the night, he has to go on and go, ‘Well, next year, I’d like it to be held in…’. Now, if Guy doesn’t say the UK, I’m going to be really angry,” he laughed.
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Although, Mills admits it’s quite hard to imagine the contest being held here.
“It’s not been won in the UK for such a long time. I can’t quite picture it. But I think, when it comes down to it, we’ll put on a good show. Of course we will. I think that we will get behind it.” Sequin-covered outfits at the ready, eh?
And while Mills admits it’s a “bit of a weird one” to have Australia included at all (host Graham Norton has labeled it a “nonsense”) he thinks it's a good idea.
Added Mills: “In the past couple of years there’s been a nod towards Australia because quite a few million of them get up at ridiculous o’clock in the morning to watch it, so I think it’s really nice that we’ve included them this year."
It may even become a more permanent thing. That’s according to Guy anyway. “I heard that if we win, we take part every year,” the crooner told reporters at a pre-Eurovision event in Amsterdam.
Come on, er, UK and Australia!
