BBC announces two special one-off shows to celebrate Eurovision Song Contest

The BBC can today announce the commissions of two special one-off entertainment shows to celebrate the Eurovision Song Contest.

The Greatest Show on Earth (w/t), produced by Little Gem, will celebrate 25 years since the UK last hosted the contest, with 25 reasons why the Eurovision Song Contest is ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’.

And The Winner Isn’t (w/t), produced by Merseyside-based Shearwater Media, charts the success of those Eurovision Song Contest entrants who may not have scored enough points to win the iconic competition, but have gone on to score great success in the music industry.

Both shows will be on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in May.

Rachel Ashdown, BBC’s Lead Commissioner, Eurovision Song Contest 2023 says:

“As the excitement builds for this year’s Contest, we are looking forward to getting things started with these special programmes. They will remind fans of all their favourite moments and be the ultimate guide for people who want to find out more about what the Eurovision Song Contest is all about. These new shows are just a taster of much more to come.”

Also announced today is the production company that will deliver a key element of the BBC’s contest output.

Windfall Films will make the much anticipated short-form ‘postcards’ for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. These short films, which feature in the Contest’s Semi-Finals and Grand Final, introduce the watching world to each artist, showcasing their personalities and giving the audience the chance to get to know them. Windfall Films will work with Ukrainian company 23/32 on the postcards.

Windfall Films was selected following a highly competitive tender processes. The tender was awarded to the indie whose bid scored highest against the published criteria. This tender joins the one awarded to Modest TV, who produced the Eurovision Song Contest 2023: Handover and Allocation Draw for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

The Greatest Show on Earth

The ultimate guide to the Eurovision Song Contest, this entertainment show will celebrate 25 years since the UK last hosted the contest, with 25 reasons why it’s ‘The Greatest Show on Earth’.

Through archive footage and revealing interviews, the documentary will explore how the Contest has become the world’s largest live music event, creating global superstars and changing lives. It will include a sneak peek backstage at this year’s competition in Liverpool to witness the incredible operation behind the biggest party on the planet, as well as exploring the extraordinary legacy of 2022 winners Ukraine.

The Greatest Show on Earth (w/t) is a Little Gem production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The executive producers are Ben Gale and Damian Kavanagh. It has been commissioned by BBC Lead Commissioner for Eurovision Song Contest Rachel Ashdown and the commissioning editor for the BBC is Jo Wallace.

And The Winner Isn’t

Packed with Eurovision trivia, this one-off special charts the success of those Eurovision Song Contest entrants who may not have scored enough points to win the iconic competition, but have gone on to score great success in the music industry.

And The Winner Isn’t is a Shearwater Media production for BBC One and BBC iPlayer. The executive producer is Steve Anderson. It has been commissioned by BBC Lead Commissioner for Eurovision Song Contest Rachel Ashdown, and the commissioning editor for the BBC is Ruby Kuraishe.

Eurovision Song Contest 2023: Postcards

Every year, audiences look forward to the short-form postcards which precede each country’s live performance. This year’s postcards will embody the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest slogan: United by Music, and use innovative techniquesto showcase each Eurovision entry as well as linking the UK and Ukraine.

Eurovision Song Contest 2023: Postcards are a Windfall Films (part of the Argonon Group) production and will TX as part of the Eurovision Song Contest live Semi-Finals and Grand Final. The Executive Producers are Carlo Massarella and Jane McGoldrick and the Series Producer is Tom Cook. It was commissioned by BBC Lead Commissioner for Eurovision Song Contest, Rachel Ashdown, and the commissioning executive for the BBC is Leanne Witcoop.