Eurovision 2019: BBC reveals new format to You Decide song selection

The BBC has revealed a brand new format to the Eurovision 2019 song selection process for the UK’s entry.

Eurovision: You Decide will return in the New Year to pick the song and act for the 2019 Eurovision song competition.

Presented by Mel Giedroyc and Måns Zelmerlöw, BBC Music’s Eurovision: You Decide will be broadcast live from Dock10, MediaCity UK in Salford as the show comes to the North West of England for the very first time.

As well as a new home, there are what the BBC describe as “exciting format changes”.

Of the hundreds of songs that have been submitted, three will be performed on the night. However, each song will be performed in two “musically different ways”, by two different acts, resulting in a total of six options for viewers to vote on.

The six acts will compete for the honour of representing the United Kingdom at the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Mel Balac, Creative Director, Entertainment at BBC Studios and Executive Producer of Eurovision: You Decide, said: “This year the three songs presented to the United Kingdom have been selected with the help of an international jury.

“Our exciting ‘euro-version’ format will give fans the chance to compare and contrast these fantastic songs in a fresh, new way and deliver the United Kingdom the artist it deserves to fly the flag out in Tel Aviv in May.”

Kate Phillips, Controller of Entertainment Commissioning at the BBC, added: “Next year it’s all about the song-off as we once again try to marry a great singer with a great song, one which could finally get us on the left hand side of the leader board. We may be leaving the EU but we are still determined to win Eurovision again one day!”

All of this including live music performances from guest artists and lots more besides, plus with BBC Radio 2’s Ken Bruce broadcasting his show live from Salford on the morning of the show, Eurovision: You Decide 2019 will be bigger and better than ever before.

Eurovision: You Decide air on BBC Two in February 2019.