New Presenters for Eurovision 2026
The BBC has announced the new presenters for the Eurovision Song Contest semi-finals, and their names might come as a surprise to many. The decision comes after the departure of Scott Mills, who was previously in charge of hosting the event.
Scott Mills, a 53-year-old radio broadcaster, was unexpectedly dismissed by the BBC last month following allegations related to his ‘personal conduct’ and a ‘historic relationship’. It was later revealed that Mills had been questioned by the police in 2018 regarding alleged ‘serious sexual offences’ against a teenage boy under the age of 16 between 1997 and 2000. At the time, Mills was in his mid-twenties. Although there was ‘insufficient evidence’ for any prosecution, the investigation was closed in May 2019. The BBC reportedly decided to terminate Mills’ contract upon learning the age of the alleged victim. The outgoing director general, Tim Davie, stated it was ‘very clear’ that Mills had to leave.
Mills has remained relatively quiet since the news broke, but his departure has created an opportunity for a new presenter to step in. The BBC has now confirmed that Angela Scanlon, an Irish broadcaster and former contestant on Strictly Come Dancing, will take over the role.
Scanlon will join Rylan Clark, a returning commentator and Eurovision enthusiast, to host the live broadcasts of the semi-finals from the Wiener Stadthalle arena in Vienna, Austria. This year’s contest is hosted by Austria after they won the previous edition. Both semi-finals will be broadcast on BBC One and iPlayer, with the first taking place on Tuesday, May 12, and the second on Thursday, May 14, both at 8pm. The grand final will be held on Saturday, May 16.
Speaking about her new role, Scanlon, 42, shared her excitement: “It feels like joining the greatest party on earth – equal parts thrilling and terrifying!” She added, “I grew up watching the Eurovision Song Contest with my three sisters, making very serious (and wildly biased) scorecards from the couch, so to now be part of it – especially in its 70th year – is genuinely surreal.”
What Has Scott Mills Said About His Firing?
Scott Mills has only spoken out publicly once since his dismissal from the BBC. In a statement, he said: “An allegation was made against me in 2016 of a historic sexual offence which was the subject of a police investigation in which I fully cooperated and responded to in 2018. As the police have stated, a file of evidence was submitted to the Crown Prosecution Service, which determined that the evidential threshold had not been met to bring charges. Since the investigation related to an allegation that dates back nearly 30 years and the police investigation was closed seven years ago, I hope the public and the media will understand and respect my wish not to make any further public comment.”
Rylan Clark, co-host of the Eurovision coverage, described the celebrations for the 70th anniversary as the ‘biggest show on the planet’. He added, “Being part of anything this big is something younger me could never have imagined.” The semi-finals will be hosted by Austrian stars Victoria Swarovski and Michael Ostrowski, with performances from the pre-qualified ‘Big Four’ (Germany, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom), plus interval acts.
After 10 entrants are eliminated, the line-up of 25 competitors will be complete, with one set to take home the Eurovision 2026 trophy.
UK’s Hopeful Entry
This year, the UK hopes to regain its footing in the contest with Sam Battle, who performs as Look Mum No Computer. His song, Eins, Zwei, Drei, was compared by Mills to songs like Now You’re Gone by Basshunter or Parklife by Blur when he first played it on his show in March.
Mills first joined the BBC’s Eurovision team in 2011, hosting the semi-finals live from Düsseldorf, Germany, with Rylan joining him in 2018.
Other Coverage Details
Sara Cox will provide listeners with all the action from the semi-finals via BBC Radio 2 and BBC Sounds. While she was recently announced as the new Breakfast Show host following her close friend Mills’ sudden exit, she will not start the gig until summer. Therefore, her Eurovision coverage will feature on her teatime show, live from Vienna.
Graham Norton will return to commentate on the finale, bringing his signature wit and Eurovision expertise. The seasoned broadcaster, who has been the grand final commentator since 2009, said it feels ‘really special to be back, gently guiding viewers through the grand final in this very momentous 70th anniversary year.’
Coverage of the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 will air across the BBC in May.
