The BBC has selected BBC Studios to handle Eurovision broadcasts from 2026 to 2028, ensuring continued quality and engagement for audiences.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has initiated a tender process for producing Eurovision broadcasts in the UK from 2026 to 2028. BBC Studios, a commercial subsidiary of the BBC, has been selected as the winning company to continue producing these broadcasts.
Tender Process and Contract Details
In February, the BBC launched a tender for the production of Eurovision broadcasts, which includes two semi-finals and the grand final. This tender was part of the BBC’s strategy to enhance and develop its content for the British audience. The contract, lasting from May 2026 to May 2028, involves BBC Studios assisting in selecting the British representative and producing their performance.
Despite tough competition, BBC Studios’ proposal scored the highest according to the published criteria. BBC Studios has a history of producing Eurovision broadcasts for the BBC and will continue in this role under the new contract.
If the UK wins the competition, the BBC will conduct another tender to select the company to produce the Eurovision contest in the UK.
Kalpna Patel-Knight, Head of Entertainment at the BBC, said: “Eurovision is one of the key annual events that brings the nation together and we look forward to working with BBC Studios to deliver its ongoing success in the years ahead.
“This was an extremely competitive process and we would like to commend the shortlisted producers for the high quality and comprehensive proposals they put forward.”
Distinction Between BBC and BBC Studios
The BBC is the UK’s public broadcasting corporation, funded primarily by UK television license fees, and is committed to providing unbiased content.
In contrast, BBC Studios, founded in April 2018, is a fully-owned commercial subsidiary. It focuses on creating, producing, and distributing content globally, aiming to generate profits to support the BBC’s revenue beyond license fees. While the BBC focuses on public broadcasting, BBC Studios operates commercially to reinvest profits back into the BBC.
Future Eurovision Participation
The UK confirmed its participation in Eurovision 2025 in July but has not disclosed details about the selection process for the song and representative for the event in Switzerland. Recently, the British boy band A1 expressed interest in representing the UK, citing their belief in having the perfect song for the competition. Band member Ben Adams has prior Eurovision experience, having represented Norway in 2022 as part of the duo Subwoolfer.
United Kingdom in Eurovision 2024
‘Dizzy’ is the name of the song performed by singer Olly Alexander, who represented the United Kingdom in the grand final of Eurovision 2024. The song only reached 18th place, having received 46 points—all from the judges. The audience did not award the British representative any points.
Eurovision 2025: This will be the 67th participation of the United Kingdom in Eurovision. The UK joined the competition in 1957 and has won it five times over the years. The UK’s last victory was in Eurovision 1997 with the song ‘Love Shine A Light’ performed by the band ‘Katrina and the Waves’.
