Eurovision 2020 Is Cancelled, but the BBC's "Come Together" Special Should Fill the Void

The 2020 Eurovision song contest may be cancelled, but that doesn't mean you'll be foregoing your annual dose of musical kook this year. The BBC is hosting a TV special on the night of the would-be grand final (16 May) called Eurovision: Come Together. The special is designed to be a celebration of the UK's best Eurovision moments, past and present, and is part of a bigger celebration of Eurovision, which is taking place across many of the BBC's platforms all week long. Keep on reading to catch up on all the events happening in the lead up to Saturday, 16 May.

Eurovision: Come Together

On Saturday night, Graham Norton is hosting Eurovision: Come Together, a one-off TV special that gives the UK the chance to vote for their favourite Eurovision performance from a short list of artists who will all perform on the night (virtually).

Eurovision: Come Together will air at 6.30pm on Saturday, 16 May, on BBC One, and the live vote will kick off on the BBC website during the broadcast.

Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light

Straight after Eurovision: Come Together wraps up, Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light will honour all 41 songs that would have competed in the 2020 contest in Rotterdam, England. This will be a noncompetitive show, and will be simultaneously broadcast across Europe (just like the usual contest). The special will be hosted by the original Dutch presenters for Eurovision Song Contest 2020: Chantal Janzen, Edsilia Rombley, and Jan Smit from the Netherlands.

There will also be a virtual singalong, where fans will dress up and form a huge Eurovision choir, singing Johnny Logan's winning song for Ireland in 1980, "What's Another Year." Eurovision: Europe Shine a Light will air at 8pm on Saturday, 16 May, on BBC One.

The A-Z of Eurovision

Rylan Clark-Neal will narrate The A-Z of Eurovision at 10pm on Saturday, 16 May, on BBC Two. The special will feature all the disasters, costume changes, and the most memorable moments from the 65 years of Eurovision, from Abba to Måns Zelmerlöw.

TOTP2 Goes Eurovision!

Steve Wright introduces a special Eurovision-themed edition of the show, TOTP2 Goes Eurovision!, which was first shown ahead of the 2007 contest. The special will air at 11pm on Saturday, 16 May, on BBC Two, and will feature archive songs from artists like Cliff Richards, Lulu, Bucks Fizz, and 2007's UK entrants, Scooch.

Eurovision at 60

In 2015, Eurovision at 60 aired on BBC to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the famous song contest. Featuring interviews with Graham Norton, Conchita Wurst, and Sir Terry Wogan, this special tells the story of Eurovision, and will air at 9.30pm on Friday, 15 May, on BBC Four.

Dana: The Original Derry Girl

Fifty years ago, an 18-year-old schoolgirl left the Bogside in Ireland and headed off to Amsterdam, Netherlands, to represent her country in the 15th Eurovision Song Contest — and she won. Dana: The Original Derry Girl looks back at the life of Dana, and how she became Ireland's first-ever Eurovision winner. It will air on BBC One Northern Ireland on Monday, 11 May, at 10.45pm, and will then be repeated at 11pm on Friday, 15 May, on BBC Four.

Eurovision 2020: The Cancelled Coronavirus Year

BBC Radio 1 Newsbeat began filming a documentary in February that follows the UK's Eurovision entrant, James Newman, through rehearsals, as well as backstage the first time he publicly performed his Eurovision song. The documentary pivoted when the contest was cancelled, and now James shares what the cancellation means for him; plus, other contestants speak about how their experiences differ, and what their future plans are.

You can watch Eurovision 2020: The Cancelled Coronavirus Year now on BBV iPlayer, and on the BBC Newsbeat YouTube channel.

BBC Radio 2 Eurovision 2020 Events

BBC Radio 2 is jam-packed with Eurovision programming this week, starting Monday through to Sunday evening. You can find the full schedule on the BBC website.