BBC announces 'night of Eurovision fun' to replace the cancelled song contest

Eurovision
(Image credit: BBC/So TV/Christopher Baines/Mat)

The BBC has confirmed its replacement schedule...

Eurovision was sadly cancelled due to coronavirus, but there'll still be plenty of entertainment.

The BBC has announced a 'night of fun' for Eurovision fans to lift spirits in the singing competition's absence.

UK viewers will be able to watch the Europe Shine a Light special on BBC1.

Europe Shine a Light is a programme honouring all 41 songs that were due to compete in the 2020 contest.

Acts will perform from their living rooms in a non-competitive setting.

It also invites past participants to take part and sing Katrina and the Wave's Love Shine a Light together.

Long-term fans will likely recognise that song as the 1997 UK entry winner.

Graham Norton will be offering his typical scathing commentary during the UK's broadcast.

As well as the official Shine a Light special, the BBC has an original programme.

Eurovision: Come Together will see presenter Graham Norton interviewing James Newman, who was set to represent the UK prior to the cancellation.

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Norton said, "Eurovision offers a real escapism for people, which is something we need more than ever throughout these times.

“This year, people at home can celebrate the amazing spirit of the event and hopefully get the chance to take their mind off the current situation for a few hours."

And if that wasn't enough, there'll be more fun over on BBC2 with another one-off special.

Rylan Clark-Neal will present The A-Z of Eurovision, showcasing the competition's most memorable moments.

He said, "It’s so sad that Eurovision 2020 had to be cancelled, but it’s understandable and it doesn’t mean we can’t still escape to the Eurovision bubble."

Even though the contest is cancelled, we can still enjoy plenty of entertainment!

Eurovision: Come Together airs at 6.30pm and Europe Shine A Light at 8pm on BBC1 on May 16th.

Lucy Buglass
Senior Staff Writer

Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.


She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story, Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress