Airdate: Eurovision Song Contest 2014

It’s now less than a month until the Eurovision Song Contest descends upon Copenhagen and SBS presenters Julia Zemiro and Sam Pang will be on the ground to cover all the colour, music, big hair and wind machines.

Joining them this year is Jessica Mauboy who will be a guest performer during the second Semi Final, in recognition of our ongoing love affair with the contest. She will feature in a special Jess Mauboy’s Road to Eurovision.

The Eurovision Quiz Contest, hosted by Toby Truslove, will also air on SBS 2.

Eurovision Song Contest
Semi Final 1 – Friday May 9 at 8.30pm on SBS ONE
Semi Final 2 – Saturday May 10 at 8.30pm on SBS ONE
Grand Final – Sunday May 11 at 7.30pm on SBS ONE

SBS’s exclusive coverage gives fans across Australia a chance to get involved with the contest and back their favourite performers, incorporating audience tweets, Facebook comments, and voting trends from the SBS Eurovision website using the hashtag#SBSeurovision.

There are 37 countries vying for glory in the 59th Eurovision Song Contest, and it already seems like host country Denmark have had an influence on this year’s acts.

The nation who has lent its name to the famous Danish pastry has potentially inspired two songs in this year’s contest with Belarus’ Cheesecake and Latvia’s Cake to Bake both seemingly sharing an appreciation for baked
goods.

The home of the oldest royal family in the world might prove lucky for Austria’s King, or is that Queen, the bearded beauty Conchita Wurst. His powerful ballad Rise Like A Phoenix will surely make for some great tweets.

The story of the German act, Elaiza, reads just like one of Hans Christen Andersen’s fairytales. The young trio managed an incredible wildcard entry to the German national final from a Youtube video of their song Is It Right, to win a place in the Eurovision Semi Finals.

The three energetic French men who make up Twin Twin are another colourful entry this year, with their upbeat song Moustache.

However it is the Australian act in Semi-Final 2 that is going to have Europeans grateful they’re yet to let Australia compete because one thing is for sure Jessica Mauboy is going to shock the socks off Europe.

Jess Mauboy’s Road to Eurovision
Saturday May 10 at 7.30pm on SBS ONE
Jess Mauboy’s Road to Eurovision is a one hour documentary that charts ARIA Award winning Jessica Mauboy as she prepares for the biggest performance of her life – The Eurovision Song Contest 2014 in Copenhagen, Denmark.

With 180 million viewers internationally the whole world will be watching as Jess performs a song she has co-written with acclaimed songwriters Stuart Crichton and Ilan Kidron specifically for the contest.

Originating from the indigenous tribe KuKu Yalanji and growing up in Darwin, this inspiring and very intimate portrait follows Jess’ personal and professional journey and includes exclusive access to the Mauboy family and follows Jess backstage at Eurovision 2014 in Copenhagen.

Jess through her incredible talent and charm has become one of Australia’s most successful and much loved performers and this documentary gives audiences the chance to go behind the scenes and join her on her biggest adventure yet.

Standing in the wings will be her friend and Eurovision mentor Julia Zemiro to show Jess the sights of Denmark and get her prepped for the spectacle that is Eurovision.

Produced by Paul Clarke (Mother of Rock, Spicks and Specks, Wide Open Road, ABBA: Bang a Boomerang, Eurovision Song Contest 2009-2013), Jess Mauboy’s Road to Eurovision is a chance for Australia to get behind one of the nation’s most celebrated artists.

The Eurovision Quiz Contest
Monday May 5 – Friday May 9, 8pm on SBS 2
Eurovision – it is one word that conjures up nations doing battle with big hair, satin and spandex, and some questionable key changes.

From Russian grannies, monster mask wearing Finish rockers, to ridiculously big haired identical Irish twins, and the brilliant ABBA there is no denying Eurovision is the perfect fodder for a comedy quiz show. This year in preparation of the 2014 song contest SBS has commissioned a five part quiz show to celebrate Australia’s love affair with the world’s biggest song festival.

The Eurovision Quiz 2014 will be hosted by Toby Truslove (The Slide Show), with Julia Zemiro (RocKwiz) and Casey Bennetto (Keating, the musical) as team captains with some hilarious ‘live crosses’ to our Eastern European Eurovision Correspondent Bronya (who bears a strong resemblance to Julia).

The quiz will run from Monday May 5 to Friday May 9 on SBS 2 at 8pm and will be a smorgasbord of flashbacks and games as they trawl through the Eurovision archives to test Julia, Casey and their teams of celebrity guests on some of Eurovision’s greatest and most memorable costumes, songs, and performances.

The quiz is created and written by Paul Clarke (Spicks and Specks) and Bryan Moses (Double the Fist) and produced by Blink TV for SBS.