All posts tagged: Eurovision

Will Céline Dion Perform at Eurovision 2025 After Historic Win 37 Years Ago? Source Reveals ‘We Won’t…’

Will Céline Dion Perform at Eurovision 2025 After Historic Win 37 Years Ago? Source Reveals ‘We Won’t…’

Céline Dion is reportedly in negotiations for Eurovision return after 37 Years since she won the contest that helped launch her career internationally. According to The Sun, the organizers of the forthcoming instalment of the singing contest are keen to have Dion back on the stage in May, 2025. The show is held in Switzerland, where almost four decades ago, the legendary singer clinched victory. Executive producers of the show, Reto Peritz and Moritz Stadler have reportedly confirmed getting in touch with Dion’s team to discuss her appearance at this year’s Eurovision. However, nothing has been set in stone yet, primarily because of the 56-year-old music icon’s health battles. “We won’t know until a few weeks beforehand whether she feels fit enough,” the outlet’s source said. In 2024, Dion had revealed in her documentary that her stiff person syndrome hindered her from performance as it affects movement and vocal chords. However, she surprised fans all over the world by showing up at the Paris Olympics and performing an angelic rendition of the French classical song …

2024 Bafta TV Awards winners: Succession’s Matthew MacFadyen snags Best Supporting Actor. See full list

The 2024 Bafta TV Awards are underway at London’s Royal Festival Hall. Comedians Rob Beckett and Romesh Ranganathan are hosting the glamourous ceremony honouring contributions to British television.  Matthew Macfadyen arrives at the 30th annual Screen Actors Guild Awards on Saturday, Feb. 24, 2024, at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)(Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP) Ahead of Sunday’s honours, Baby Reindeer’s Richard Gadd and Jessica Gunning, Jeff Goldblum, Martine Freeman, Lashan Lynch and others were announced as some of the presenters at the show. On the other hand, this year’s Bafta Television Awards nominees were unveiled in March 2024. The Crown and Black Mirror dominated the nominations list with the highest number of nods, eight and seven, respectively, this year.  Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Other notable shows that bagged multiple nominations include Slow Horses, Happy Valley and The Sixth Commandment – six nods. Meanwhile, beloved series like Succession and The Last of Us also made it to the …

Why this year’s Eurovision Song Contest was the most political edition in years

Music fans who gathered in Tel Aviv on Saturday to watch the Eurovision contest decried juries’ snubs of Israel as “obviously political”. The mood was electric at the packed Layla bar in Tel Aviv as the show got underway, with the crowd going wild when Israel’s contestant Eden Golan appeared on screen. (Also Read: Dutch broadcaster furious, fans bemused after Netherlands’ Joost Klein is booted from Eurovision) People protesting against Israel’s participation in Eurovision Song Contest Arriving with her long lavender-streaked hair and matching nails, Golan performed her song Hurricane, wearing a white chiffon gown billowing in the artificial wind and smoke filling the stage. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! As she performed, many at Layla, which bills itself “the best gay bar in Tel Aviv”, voiced hope that she would win. That would send the message that “maybe we are not hated so much, and that the music really won,” said Tal Bendersky, 23, draped in an Israeli flag. …

Sweden gears up for Eurovision final amid Israel protests and Dutch controversy

* HT Image Eurovision Song Contest final held in Malmo, Sweden Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! * Croatia and Israel among bookmakers’ favourites to win * Final held amid protests over Israel’s military action in Gaza * Demonstrations planned for Saturday in Malmo * Grand final begins at 1900 GMT By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen MALMO, Sweden, – Swedish host city Malmo is gearing up for Saturday’s Eurovision Song Contest final, normally a festival of catchy songs and tongue-in-cheek kitsch, amid protests over Israel’s participation and controversy over the Dutch contestant. The 68th version of the contest, which is always billed as non-political, is taking place against the backdrop of protests over Israel’s military campaign in Gaza in retaliation for Palestinian militant group Hamas’ deadly attacks on Oct. 7. Adding to the tension, Dutch singer Joost Klein was not allowed to participate in either of Friday’s two rehearsals following an “incident”, organiser the European Broadcasting Union said in a statement on Friday. …

Switzerland wins Eurovision Song Contest 2024

By Jacob Gronholt-Pedersen HT Image MALMO, Sweden -Switzerland on Saturday won Eurovision 2024 in Swedish host city Malmo, beating runner-up Croatia, after having been among bookmakers’ top-three to win the competition. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Billed as a feel-good celebration of European diversity, this year’s contest has been thrust into the political spotlight with calls for Israel to be excluded over its military campaign in Gaza, triggered by Hamas’ deadly attack on Oct. 7 in Israel. Swiss rapper and singer Nemo, 24, won the contest with “The Code”, a drum-and-bass, opera, rap and rock song, about Nemo’s journey of self-discovery as a non-binary person. “I want to say thank you so much, I hope this contest can live up to its promise and continue to stand for peace and dignity for every person in this world,” Nemo said, after receiving the Eurovision glass trophy on stage. Croatia’s Baby Lasagna, real name Marko Purisic, 28, came second with “Rim Tim …

Dutch artist misses Eurovision rehearsal after ‘incident’, organisers say

MALMO, Sweden, – Dutch singer Joost Klein was not allowed to participate in either of Friday’s two rehearsals ahead of the Eurovision Song Contest following an “incident”, the European Broadcasting Union , which organises the event, said in a statement. HT Image “We are currently investigating an incident that was reported to us involving the Dutch artist. He will not be rehearsing until further notice,” the EBU said in the statement. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Klein, who had not participated in the first rehearsal on Friday, would also not be performing during the second dress rehearsal scheduled for 1900 GMT, the EBU later said, citing the ongoing investigation. Performances during the rehearsal are voted on by juries in the 37 participating countries, but Klein’s performance from the semi-final would be used instead, the EBU said. The EBU also said it was in dialogue with the Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS, without providing more detail on the nature of the investigation. It …

Europapa or Baby Lasagna? Contestants to look out for at Eurovision 2024

By Isabelle Yr Carlsson HT Image COPENHAGEN, – The Eurovision Song Contest, a music kitsch-fest watched by some 200 million people, kicks off in Malmö, Sweden on Sunday with its “turquoise carpet” gala, in what fans say is a wide-open year with half a dozen countries having a shot at the title. Unlock exclusive access to the latest news on India’s general elections, only on the HT App. Download Now! Download Now! Bookmakers have Croatia, Switzerland and Ukraine as the top three favourites to win, while streaming data from Spotify suggests a strong chance for the Netherlands, Italy or host nation Sweden. “This year is so exciting because there are four or five countries who really have a good shot at winning,” William Lee Adams, editor of Eurovision fan site Wiwibloggs, told Reuters. “Eurovision is so boring when you have one clear favourite months in advance. But this year there is so much left to play for.” Croatia’s contestant Baby Lasagna this week overtook Switzerland as bookmakers’ favourite with song “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” about …