The stage is set in Basel, Switzerland, as the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest gears up for its grand finale on Saturday, 17 May. The show will be broadcast live from the St. Jakobshalle arena at 8 p.m. UK time on BBC One and iPlayer, with radio coverage on BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. Hosting duties in the arena will be split among Swiss presenters Hazel Brugger, Sandra Studer, and Michelle Hunziker, while Sophie Ellis-Bextor will reveal the UK jury vote.
The UK is represented this year by Remember Monday, a country-pop trio from Hampshire. Their entry, What The Hell Just Happened, mixes rich harmonies and storytelling. The band: Lauren Byrne, Holly-Anne Hull, and Charlotte Steele rose to attention on The Voice UK and have roots in musical theatre.
This year’s theme, Welcome Home, nods to Switzerland’s role in Eurovision’s origin story. The first contest took place there in 1956. Switzerland earned hosting rights again after Nemo won the 2024 edition with The Code. Now, Zoë Më will represent the host nation with her song Voyage.
In total, 37 countries are competing. Moldova is sitting this one out due to logistical and financial difficulties, while Montenegro returns after a two-year break. Among the automatic finalists are the “Big Five” (UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain), who secure their spots thanks to their funding contributions.
The final running order includes strong contenders like KAJ from Sweden with the quirky and nostalgic Bara Bada Bastu, currently leading the odds. Austria’s JJ, with his emotive track Wasted Love, and France’s Louane with Maman also feature in the top five favourites, according to bookmakers.
Israel's presence continues to be polarising. Their 2025 entrant, Yuval Raphael, is bracing for public backlash amidst ongoing global criticism of Israel’s actions in Gaza. Eurovision has faced increasing pressure to reconsider its stance on political neutrality, with many calling for Israel’s exclusion.
The final result will be determined by a combination of jury scores and public votes across participating countries. Non-participating nations also get a say through the "rest of the world" vote.
Whether you’re cheering from London or tuning in from Melbourne at 5 a.m., Eurovision will continue to remain a global celebration of music, politics, and pop spectacle, but messy, loud, and impossible to ignore.
