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Italy returning to Eurovision

After 13 years of absence, Italian broadcaster RAI has applied for participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.

After 13 years of absence, Italian broadcaster RAI has applied for participation in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Last Friday was the deadline for public service broadcasters from all over Europe to apply for participation in the 2011 Eurovision Song Contest, which is scheduled to take part on 10, 12 and 14 May in Düsseldorf, Germany.

Italy won the contest twice, back in 1965 and 1991, and often finished top-10. Italy brought several Eurovision evergreens, such as Domenico Modugno’s Nel Blu, Dipinto Di Blu (Volare) and Umberto Tozzi and Raf’s Gente Di Mare. But it has not participated for 13 years, preferring to focus on its own San Remo Song Festival which pre-dates Eurovision.

“Over the years, our team put a lot of effort into bringing our Italian colleagues back on board for the EBU’s flagship entertainment event,” said Jørgen Franck, TV Director ad interim. “We consider their renewed interest a great compliment, and we are eager to show the Italian people how the contest evolved over the past 13 years. I am sure they will be positively surprised!”

8 Responses

  1. love Eurovision and glad Italy is back =)

    does anybody know which – if any – of the nations that participated this year aren’t coming back next year?

  2. “and we are eager to show the Italian people how the contest evolved over the past 13 years. I am sure they will be positively surprised!”

    Evolved? It’s still 1979 no matter who hosts it!

  3. Oh god not more X Factor… the only X Factor I like is the Comic book… anyway it hasn’t been the same since Terry Wogan stopped commentating, which is a shame. They need someone in that vein to comment on proceedings someone who doesn’t give a stuff about being nice and sweet and gives there real opinions on the performances most of which, let’s be honest are quite rubbish.

  4. I read that because of Italy’s great financial support to the European Broadcasting Union, they will become part of the ‘Big Four’ (now the Big Five) meaning they can skip the semi-finals. Good to see them back 🙂

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