Analysis: Eurovision weekend on Gateway 97.8

After being cancelled for the first time in its 65-year history in 2020, Eurovision is back this weekend, live from the Ahoy arena in Rotterdam.

Our resident Eurovision expert David Murphy has been in the online press centre watching rehearsals, updating us on Drivetime each night this week as well as with Tyler on today’s Coffee And Tea (listen again).

Tonight as soon as the 26 countries have finished performing he kicks off the annual All Out Weekend Eurovision afterparty, with an extended 4-hour show from 10pm of Eurovision hits and classics in the mix.

Then tomorrow night join David and the All Out Eurovision team for an extended 2-hour special from 8pm as they recap this year’s contest and celebrate Duncan Laurence’s successor.

For bonus content, go to www.allouteurovision.co.uk where David and team speak to this year’s contestants from Serbia, Latvia, Malta, Portugal, Czech Republic, Finland, Austria, Ukraine and Sweden, as well as the UK entry James Newman, former home hopefuls Nicki French (2000) and SuRie (2018), and KEiiNO who won the public vote at the 2019 competition.

Here’s David’s thoughts on his favourite 10 that could be doing well on stage in The Netherlands tonight…

🇮🇹-theirs to lose
🇺🇦-beautifully different
🇲🇹-scuppered by an early running order slot (winners have all been 10th-24th since 2003)
🇨🇭-fluffed his note at jury show last night
🇫🇷-oversung last night and could be “too” French for some
🇸🇲-Flo Rida effect will push this up but it’s last on, voters usually made their minds up/too drunk by then, plus there was a tech hiccup at the Jury Final with their rotating platform
🇷🇺-never discount them, strong message and brilliant performance
🇮🇸-riding a wave since Fire Saga and reminiscent of last years song
🇧🇬-statistically ideal running order position (17th), Billie Eilish meets Ellie Goulding, builds beautifully
🇱🇹-most dancey of the night + bright yellow suits x learnable dance moves = memorable

Image: EBU / THOMAS HANSES