BBC to Host Eurovision Dance Contest

GENEVA, August 29: The European Broadcasting Union’s
Eurovision TV unit has partnered with BBC One for the first-ever Eurovision
Dance Contest, slated to take place this September at the BBC Television
Centre, with several pubcasters from the region participating and Graham Norton
on board as host.

The 135-minute live event will air September 1 and is a
coproduction of Splash Media and Sunset + Vine, with assistance from the
International DanceSport Federation and in association with the EBU. Jane Lush
and Fenia Vardanis of Splash Media were the two main creators of the BBC's
highly-successful format Strictly Come Dancing and Sunset + Vine a leading independent sports production company
specializing in live events. It will see couples from 16 European markets
participating, including Austria’s ORF, DR in Denmark, Finland’s YLE, Germany’s
ARD, Ireland’s RTE, TVP in Poland, RTP Portugal, RTR in Russia, Spain’s TVE and
Switzerland’s SRG-SSR. Audiences will be able to submit votes for their
favorites.

The BBC has signed on as host broadcaster for two years.