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The Eurovision 2024 second semi-final kicks off tonight in the Swedish city of Malmö, with the long-running song contest set to dazzle fans ahead of the final on Saturday on 9 May.
In the first semi-final on Tuesday, 10 countries made it through to the next round, including competition favourite Baby Lasagna from Croatia, and Irish act Bambie Thug with their unforgettable performance of “Doomsday Blue”. Moldova, Iceland, Australia, Poland and Azerbaijan were sent home.
In a new move for Eurovision, performers from the UK, Germany, Spain, Italy, and France, all of whom have secured direct entry into the final, are presenting their entries in full during the semi-finals. These performances will be included into the running order alongside the nations competing for qualification. However, voting for these entries will only take place during the final event.
Olly Alexander, this year’s UK contestant, debuted his song, “Dizzy” during the first semi-final, with fans able to watch him again during Saturday’s final.
The top 10 from tonight’s second semi-final will advance to the final, where they will joined by TV host Graham Norton who will undoubtedly delight fans with his witty takes.
Anticipation has gripped Malmö, with more than 100,000 fans expected to descend on it, with 160 million viewers predicted to tune in worldwide.
However, viewing figures may be affected by the boycott of the competition, with the inclusion of Israel being met with criticism by some fans due to its war in Gaza, leading to petitions calling for the country’s removal.
Israel will tonight attempt to qualify, along with acts from 15 other nations including Malta, Belgium, Norway and the Netherlands.
Here’s everything you need to know about the second semi-final of Eurovision 2024 including the running order, how and when to watch it and the timings for the highly-anticipated final.
When is the second Eurovision semi-final?
The second Eurovision 2024 semi-final begins at 8pm UK time on Thursday 9 May, with the final on Saturday 11 May.
How can I watch the Eurovision semi-final live?
Eurovision will be aired across all 37 participating nations, with the BBC taking charge of the UK’s broadcast. The second semi-final will air on BBC One and BBC iPlayer. Scott Mills and Rylan will provide live commentary from Malmö.
Richie Anderson will debut as the lead commentator on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds.
Eurovision enthusiasts can catch the event live on YouTube, hosted by Swedish comedian and actress Petra Mede alongside Swedish-American actress Malin Åkerman.
What is the Eurovision semi-final running order?
Here are the countries competing in the second semi-final (followed by the names of their contestants, the song they will be performing, and their odds of getting through to the final, according to Sky Bet). They are listed in the order they will be performing.
How do I vote for a Eurovision entry?
The outcome of the two semi-finals will be decided by viewers watching from home, while the Grand Final winner will be chosen through a blend of viewer votes and assessments by professional juries from each participating nation.
To support your favorite Eurovision song, you can vote via the official app, phone, or SMS (details displayed on screen), or by visiting www.esc.vote.
Votes can be submitted after all songs have been performed during the live broadcasts of the Semi-Finals and Grand Final, but only for a limited timeframe. Each viewer can cast a maximum of 20 votes.
When is the Eurovision final?
The Eurovision 2024 Grand Final is scheduled for Saturday 11 May.
It will be broadcast live starting at 8pm, hosted on BBC One and BBC iPlayer by Graham Norton while Mills and Rylan take charge on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. The entirety of Eurovision, including the final, will also be streamed live on the competition’s YouTube channel.
Below are the automatic qualifiers for the Eurovision 2024 Grand Final.
