Tag: eurovision song contest

On Reaching D2: Tonight I’ll Be The US Commentator For The Eurovision Song Contest

Posted on by

Not long after attending my first Eurovision Song Contest (Moscow 2009) I wrote this: Terry Wogan’s continuous thirty-year run as Commentator for Eurovision started in 1980, when he was 42. Graham Norton started commentating on Eurovision in 2009, aged 46. Paddy O’Connell started commentating on the Eurovision Semi Finals aged 38. Ken Bruce started commentating on Eurovision for Radio 2 aged 37. For the record, I’ll be 35 in May next year, which gives me some time (not that I’m counting) but if anyone down at Wood Lane [Television Centre] wants to give me a call… So, let’s add a

Trivial Posts #23: A Jukebox, A Fridge, And An Immortal Dragon

Posted on by

Hello subscribers to Trivial Posts, it’s been a while…. lets see if I can get back into the swing of things with links out to curious stories, items that make me think, and stuff that’s just interesting. The Boys Are Always Back In Town Really the title says it all, but keep reading. Not only an exercise in humanity, but a wonderfully written story as well: Over the course of these past few months, I have come upon two bits of forbidden knowledge: One, this bar does not have a working “kill switch” (which allows the bartender to change a song in case

Some thoughts on podcasting and what engages me

Posted on by

Last week I had the opportunity to experience podcasting from the other side, as a listener looking in to a world and being guided by experts on the other side of my headphones, and it remind me just how powerful podcasting can be when it finds the right environment. The event was the 24 Heures du Mans, and my guides were the team at Radio Le Mans. In the build up to the event they previewed the four classes of cars that were racing, reported daily on the practices around the circuit, covered the scrutineering, the damp fizzle that was

Who gets your douze points this year at Eurovision?

Posted on by

It’s probably escaped the notice of many of you , but the Eurovision Song Contest is getting closer. Before you ask, the Grand Final is on Saturday May 18th, so you have six weeks to plan your party. Of course in four weeks I fly to Malmo to cover the Contest from backstage as the rehearsals start. Even though the UK media like to make fun of the Contest, with a peak viewership of over nine million last year, the public (that means you) still love it. So why not sneakily subscribe to the Eurovision Podcast that I host on ESC

Silence of the Eurovision Song Contest Lambs

Posted on by

This year’s ‘theme’ for the Eurovision Song Contest has been announced. The key phrase is “We Are One” and the marketing image is… well, it’s a butterfly that looks like it’s been attacked by a Dulux factory. Eurovision Song Contest is a shared project that unites millions of people in the east, west, north and south. Beyond all the glitter, there is a thought. A big idea that is 100% relevant for Public Service. It’s about togetherness, diversity and happiness. Eurovision Song Contest might appear as a trivial matter. But a trivial matter that engages over one hundred million people

Eurovision Podcast riding high in iTunes Chart

Posted on by

Even after just a week in iTunes, The Unofficial Eurovision Song Contest Podcast is gathering subscribers and recognition. It’s been bouncing around the performing Arts category and has, so far, peaked at number 6. I’d always planned the first week of the Eurovision Podcast to deal with two issues – the first was to kick the tyres, get all the RSS feeds and directory listings sorted, and generally make sure it works before opening the taps up on the bigger shows. The second issue was how to bring up to speed those people who are new to Eurovision, or perhaps