Eurovision returns with a Covid-lite version to the Netherlands

Eurovision returns with a Covid-lite version to the Netherlands.

The Eurovision Song Contest 2021 will take place in Rotterdam this year. The Dutch city was due to host the Contest in 2020 before the event was cancelled due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The Semi-Finals will take place on 18 and 20 May 2021 with the Grand Final taking place on 22 May 2021.

The venue for the 2021 Contest will, like in 2020, be Ahoy in Rotterdam. The venue has hosted several big events, including the Junior Eurovision Song Contest in 2007. The theme for the 65th Eurovision Song Contest will remain the same – Open Up.

The slogan ‘Open Up’ was intentionally incomplete when it was chosen for Eurovision 2020. “Feel the freedom to complete the slogan in your own way. We found it was important to choose a theme that reflects the spirit of our times. With the slogan we warmly invite people to open up to others, to different opinions, each other’s stories and of course to each other’s music,” said Sietse back in 2019.

Around 3,500 Covid-tested fans will be allowed to attend the May 22 final in Rotterdam as the return of the contest injects some glitz into Europe’s cautious reopening.

Performers will be in a special “bubble” under strict rules imposed by the Dutch government to allow the contest at the port city’s Ahoy Arena to go ahead.

“We don’t take lightly the responsibility of hosting the Eurovision Song Contest at this challenging time,” said Eurovision executive supervisor Martin Oesterdahl.

Known for its flamboyant costumes and cheesy songs, Eurovision is watched by more than 180 million people in over four dozen countries as far afield as Australia. French singer Barbara Pravi, dubbed a modern-day Edith Piaf, is the bookmakers’ favourite to end her country’s 44-year Eurovision drought, followed by Italy and Malta.

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All members of Poland’s delegation at Eurovision 2021 have been placed into quarantine after one of the delegates tested positive for COVID-19.

To stop the spread of COVID-19, all delegates, crew and press at Eurovision 2021 test themselves every 48 hours with rapid tests.

During one of these routine tests of the Polish delegation on Saturday, May 15, morning, one delegate tested positive for the virus. In accordance with the Health & Safety Protocol of Eurovision 2021, the whole of Poland’s delegation has now been placed in quarantine as a result of the positive COVID-19 test result. They will all be subjected to PCR tests to detect potential additional cases.

The delegate was last in the Eurovision venue on Thursday, when Poland’s singer RAFAŁ undertook the second rehearsal for his song “The Ride”. It is currently unknown which role the person who tested positive has in the delegation.

The Euro Weekly News is running a campaign to help reunite Brits in Spain with their family and friends by capping the costs of PCR tests for travel. Please help us urge the government to cap costs at https://euroweeklynews.com/2021/04/16/ewn-champions-the-rights-of-brits-in-spain-to-see-loved-ones-again/