Media Release Friday 17 April 2020 Australia, cast your vote… SBS unites music fans with Eurovision 2020: Big Night In! Plus a week of Eurovision programming from 10-17 May Following the unprecedented cancellation of the Eurovision Song Contest this year, SBS is excited to announce a week-long festival of Eurovision from 10-17 May, culminating in a brand new alternative Eurovision 2020 with SBS’s Eurovision 2020: Big Night In! and Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light from The Netherlands. In an exclusive network event, SBS will unite Australians and celebrate the 2020 artists and songs with Eurovision 2020: Big Night In! premiering Saturday 16 May at 7.30pm. SBS is inviting fans to vote for their favourite three 2020 acts from all competing nations* and watch as we countdown the results over three big hours. Voting is open now until Sunday 3 May via sbs.com.au/Eurovision**. Hosted by Eurovisionaries music buff Myf Warhurst and comedian Joel Creasey, the must-see TV event will feature special guest appearances from big names across the globe and an exclusive studio performance from our very own Montaigne, giving audiences the first look at the performance she would have unveiled in Rotterdam next month. Social TV will play a central role during Eurovision 2020: Big Night In! through tweets on screen and party pics from loungerooms across Australia. Viewers can join the conversation and the chance to have their party pics feature on screen during the broadcast by using #Eurovision #BigNightIn. On Sunday 17 May at 8.30pm, SBS will broadcast a special two-hour program Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light from The Netherlands. Hosted by Dutch Eurovision presenters Chantal Janzen, Edsilia Rombley and Jan Smit, Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light will honour all 41 songs in a non-competitive format and provide plenty of surprises for fans at home. SBS Commissioning Editor and Australian Head of Delegation Josh Martin said: “Sixty-four years ago, Eurovision was born as an idea to help unite people after a period of turmoil and instability. In 2020, SBS is incredibly proud to fill the gap left from the cancellation of this year’s contest in Rotterdam, with a network event that champions the very same goal. “Music really is the great unifier and a perfect antidote for a nation in isolation. We’ve already seen this through the thousands of apartment block singalongs and virtual choirs and, in this spirit, we promise this will be a fun, exciting and inclusive party that everyone is invited to! So get your costumes planned, and your twitter fingers ready as we countdown Australia’s Eurovision 2020 votes.” Joel Creasey said: “Myf and I are stoked to be able to celebrate Eurovision with Australia as we countdown to your favourite 2020 artists and songs. Thank you to SBS for putting together a whole week of festivities to keep us entertained while we’re spending more time at home. I thought I was going to have to play Sound of Silence on repeat. Join us and a bunch of big names with nothing else to do. Eurovision 2020: Media Release Big Night In! is going to be bigger than a big night out, but won’t break the bank and you’ll still feel good about your decision the next day (well, hopefully!).” Myf Warhurst said: “We can’t wait to see who your favourite acts are, Australia. Will it be one of the bookies favourites – Daði & Gagnamagnið from Iceland, VICTORIA from Bulgaria or The Roop from Lithuania? Or will our love of kitsch see Russia’s Little Big take the virtual crown? Let’s come together and celebrate our passion for music and make this an unforgettable moment in Eurovision history!” On Sunday 10 May, SBS VICELAND will kick off Eurovision week with a Road to Eurovision special filmed live in the Netherlands in December. The two-hour program featured this year’s hosts of Eurovision celebrating the 64-year history of the event with 22 past Eurovision winners and performers coming together to perform their biggest hits including names like Sergey Lazarev, Dana International, Netta and Johnny Logan. From Monday to Friday, we celebrate Australia’s history in Eurovision. Australia has been an official competitor in the song contest since 2015 and has progressed through to the Grand Final every year since. Relive these historic moments weekdays on SBS, with replays of the Eurovision Song Contest Grand Finals 2015-2019. On Monday 11 May, watch 2015 wild card entrant Guy Sebastian take the stage in Vienna, Austria, with Tonight Again taking out fifth place. On Tuesday, relive the moment Australia almost won it with Dami Im’s 2016 performance of Sound of Silence in Stockholm, Sweden. On Wednesday, watch another top 10 performance from Australia with Isaiah’s Don’t Come Easy coming in ninth at the 2017 contest in Kyiv, Ukraine. On Thursday, be transported to Lisbon, Portugal in 2018 featuring Jessica Mauboy’s We Got Love, and on Friday, Kate Miller-Heidke takes Australia to new heights, literally, with the performance of Zero Gravity in 2019. Eurovision Week on SBS and SBS VICELAND Sunday 10 May 8.30pm-10.30pm Road to Eurovision 2020 on SBS VICELAND Monday 11 May 1.30pm – 5.30pm Eurovision Song Contest 2015 on SBS - Guy Tuesday 12 May 1.30pm – 5.30pm Eurovision Song Contest 2016 on SBS - Dami Wednesday 13 May 1.30pm – 5.30pm Eurovision Song Contest 2017 on SBS - Isaiah Thursday 14 May 1.30pm – 5.30pm Eurovision Song Contest 2018 on SBS - Jessica Friday 15 May 1.15pm – 5.30pm Eurovision Song Contest 2019 on SBS - Kate Saturday 16 May 7.30pm – 1030pm Eurovision 2020: Big Night In! Produced by Blink TV for SBS Saturday 16 May 10.30pm – 12.30am Eurovision Top 40 Controversies on SBS Saturday 16 May 12.30am – 1.30am Secrets of Eurovision on SBS Sunday 17 May 8.30pm – 1030pm Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light Produced by the EBU and its Dutch Members NPO, NOS and AVROTROS Vote for your favourite Eurovision 2020 artists and songs: sbs.com.au/Eurovision Join the conversation #Eurovision #BigNightIn Images for media use: www.dropbox.com/sh/4f8rne7vsxoxz8v/AADPbtFHZIOk2SrMNPfxQLP0a?dl=0 *As per the official Eurovision Song Contest rules, Australia is ineligible to vote for their own country and artist. **Voting opens Friday 17 April at 9.00am AEST and closes on Sunday 3 May at 11.59pm AEST. For terms and conditions, and to vote, visit sbs.com.au/Eurovision. .