Switzerland's Nemo wins Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with their song The Code, in Malmo, Sweden
Last year's winner Loreen handed Nemo the iconic crystal trophy before the Swiss artist performed their song one last time
It was a nail-biting finish, as Croatia's Baby Lasagna came second while Ukraine, France and Israel trailed close behind
In a shock turn, the UK took home zero points in the public portion of the final's voting
Eurovision will now be heading to Switzerland when the contest returns in 2025
Earlier in the day, Joost Klein, the Netherlands' delegate, was disqualified from the final after a backstage incident
Emma Saunders
Culture reporter
Switzerland top the leader board with 365 points, France are in second and Croatia third.
The UK's Olly Alexander has a respectable 46 points. Could be worse! The left-hand side of the board, folks!
And as we keep saying, this could all change.
Image source, Phil HadenPhil Haden, 53, is getting into the Eurovision spirit in hospital as he receives treatment for bone cancer.
Watching from his bed at West Suffolk Hospital in Bury St Edmunds, he says: “I have multiple myeloma.
"Hopefully, they’ll have a cure one day. I’m battling on, being strong, you’ve got to be."
He and his wife Carolyn, at home, have been watching Eurovision all night. "It’s been a great show," he says.
“I’m looking to say, I miss you so much Mrs Carolyn Haden and hopefully I’ll be home soon.”
Image source, EPAOne of Europe’s smallest countries made a big statement last year: Luxembourg announced its return to Eurovision.
The country - which borders France, Belgium and Germany - was one of the first seven nations to compete in the contest in 1956.
It has won five times, marking it as one of the most successful countries in the competition’s history. But the curtain closed on its Eurovision performances in 1993.
Pink News reported its departure was because of the increasing costs needed to participate, while The Independent put it down to a poor result in 1993 leading the Grand Duchy to decline participating again.
After more than 40 years since its last Eurovision win, Tali Golergant is hoping her performance will add to the country’s successful winning record tonight.
Will Vernon
Reporting from New York City
Friends Laura and Alex are two Eurovision superfans from the US who attend the contest every year. They spoke to me from Malmö earlier today.
Laura says she’d never left the US before attending Eurovision in Vienna in 2015, and she obtained her first passport to travel to see the show.
Quote MessageEver since then, I have loved coming to a (mostly) different place every year. Eurovision really opened up the world for me. We’ve had some interesting adventures. Late one night in Baku in 2012, Alex was generously gifted a whole cooked chicken by a kind neighbour while he was visiting for the contest.”
Laura
Laura and Alex say they love Eurovision because there’s room for everyone.
“The music can be joyful celebrations, party anthems, or meaningful symbols of deep national pride. Some songs have inspired movements within their countries, but some are just cheap and fun!" Alex says.
Laura concedes that not all Americans share the same affinity for the contest as they do, partly because “it doesn’t really involve us”.
“But social media and the internet have definitely increased awareness, and it’s easier to watch now than ever before.”
Helen Bushby
Culture reporter
Image source, RuthEurovision fan Ruth is holding her annual Eurovision party, which has been a ritual she started in 2014.
"Would love for Graham to be the judge of our flag cookies," she says in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.
We all know Graham's quite busy right now, so Ruth has a handy cardboard cut-out of him in her living room instead.
Perhaps if the real Graham has a moment, he could take a quick look and see which biscuit he fancies!
Image source, RuthHelen Bushby
Culture reporter
Switzerland's Nemo are dominating the scoreboard, while Australia and Spain have just given the UK its first scores, taking Olly Alexander from zero to six points.
Ireland's Bambie Thug are currently second... keep watching!
Meanwhile when Israel delivered their scores, some boos as well as cheers could be heard in the arena.
Helen Bushby
Culture reporter
At last year's Eurovision Song Contest, Sweden's Loreen won with her song Tattoo, and who could forget her fingernails?
She told an entertainment website they were made of stone - perhaps that was to stop them breaking or flying off mid-performance.
Presenters Petra Mede and Malin Åkerman introduced Loreen's performance tonight by wearing ENORMOUS fake nails... at one point Petra was scratching the side of her face with one of her extra-long nails while grinning at the camera.
No doubt they make good back scratchers as well.
Image source, Getty ImagesLoreen's nails were the most unusual part of her outfit last year
Emma Saunders
Culture reporter
The always glamorous Joanna Lumley appears on screen to announce the UK jury vote and says: "Cheers Swedies, you are absolutely fabulous!" (Get it?)
We give douze points to Portugal.
No points for the UK yet but Switzerland is streaking ahead at the top of the leader board. Everything could change with the public vote, of course.
Mark Savage
Music correspondent, in Malmö
Martin Österdahl, Eurovision's executive supervisor, was booed by the audience as he confirmed that tonight's voting had been verified.
The reaction is due to the EBU's decision to eliminate the Dutch contestant Joost Klein earlier in the day.
Helen Bushby
Culture reporter
That’s all folks, now for the nail-biting bit. The juries from each country are now revealing their scores...
Helen Bushby
Culture reporter
If you're an avid fan of Eurovision, you won't need any reminders about who won the coveted trophy in recent years.
But for anyone whose memory needs a quick jog, see how many of these you can remember.
Image source, .Mark Savage
Music correspondent, in Malmö
Image source, EPAThe final performance before the votes are revealed comes from two-time Eurovision winner, Loreen.
Her performance starts with a little instrumental snippet of last year’s winning song, Tattoo, before she segues into her brand new single Forever.
An aspirational Euro anthem, it sounds like it was written inside an erupting volcano and Loreen gives a performance to match that energy.
Strapped into a pedestal/bar stool she writhes and contorts with the music like a high-voltage current is being passed through her spine. It’s part Barbarella, part electro-shock therapy.
Speaking to me earlier this week, she said she came up with the staging before she wrote the song - but they work together perfectly.
Side note: Now we know who was hoarding all the toilet roll during Covid.
Emma Saunders
Culture reporter
Image source, ShutterstockConchita won the Eurovision Song Contest for Austria in 2014 and this time returned with Charlotte Perrelli and Carola as an interval act belting out Abba's famous Eurovision winner from 50 years ago, Waterloo.
A trio of Eurovision royalty!
Image source, Emma Dukes"Loreen" makes an appearance at this watch party in Hertfordshire
Emma Dukes, Julie Scott and daughter Briony Scott are enjoying a Eurovision fancy dress party in Croxley, Hertfordshire.
Julie is dressed up as a tribute to 1981 UK winning act Bucks Fizz, Emma is dressed as two-time winner and reigning champion Loreen, while Briony is channelling Subwoolfer, Norway’s 2022 act.
“We’ve got our score cards here, we have our flags, we have our microphones and we have a good spread," Emma says.
"It’s been a brilliant show so far. The United Kingdom was brilliant. We think the staging is amazing this year from Sweden – lots of fire. It’s been really good.”
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Mark Savage
Music correspondent, in Malmö
And now we have the real ABBA moment and, it’s safe to say, it’s not what anyone was hoping for.
We get a pre-recorded message from the band, represented by the Abba-tars from their virtual Voyage concert in London. They reminisce about 1974 (Benny remembers placing a very lucrative bet on their victory) and wishing this year’s contestants good luck.
Then the video screens in Malmö play their winning performance of Waterloo from 50 years ago - before three Eurovision legends take over the vocals on stage.
All of them are former winners, too: Charlotte Perelli (1999), Conchita Wurst (2014), and Carola (1992).
The performance reminds you of just how good the song was - while casting an unfavourable light on tonight’s entries.
Mark Savage
Music correspondent, in Malmö
Image source, EPAIn a break with tradition, voting lines have been open since the start of tonight’s show. But there’s still a long interval, to allow the acts who performed last to pick up some points.
This is where we assumed the ABBA tribute would come. It’s 50 years since they won Eurovision in Brighton with Waterloo (even though the UK, criminally, gave them 'null points’).
The hosts tease that there’s something coming up from a Swedish band in tight pantsuits, whose name starts with an “A”…
But in a delicious bait-and-switch they introduce 2000s disco band Alcazar, who run through their global smash Crying At The Discotheque.
Emma Saunders
Culture reporter
Image source, ReutersWe're now heading into the part of the night where we just focus on the votes. As a helpful reminder of just how to do that, here's what you need to do:
*As a reminder, the UK cannot vote by SMS. Watch this space for the results shortly!
Helen Bushby
Culture reporter
Austria's Kaleen was the final performer - you've now seen all 25 and hopefully know by now who your favourite is!
Don’t forget, you can’t vote for your own country.
For all the information on how to vote, click here.
You can vote via telephone, or by using the official Eurovision App.
Mark Savage
Music correspondent, in Malmö
Image source, Getty ImagesAs the title suggests, we’re wrapping up the competition with a honking great rave track, courtesy of Eurovision insider Kaleen.
A stand-in during rehearsals at the 2018 contest, she helped create performances for Austria, Germany, Armenia and Georgia last year; and was the overall stage director for the 2022 contest in Turin, Italy.
Putting those contacts to good use, she’s co-written her anthem with Jimmy "Joker" Thörnfeldt, who co-wrote last year’s Eurovision winner, Tattoo by Loreen.
This doesn’t feel like a winner, but it’s a brilliant way to end the show. Full of fist-pumping choreography, rave-tastic lasers, squelchy 303 basslines and a chunky organ riff that sounds just like Haddaway’s What Is Love?
Mark Savage
Music correspondent, in Malmö
Image source, Getty ImagesSlimane is a huge star in France, notching up more than two million album sales since he won The Voice eight years ago.
He comes to Sweden with the aching-heart ballad Mon Amour which, at first glance, seems like a pretty rote torch song.
But in rehearsals, he has consistently slayed the audience - stepping back from the microphone and performing the climactic chorus a capella, his voice echoing off the walls of the arena.
I reckon juries will really respond to this: One of the few songs where you can feel a genuine emotional connection between the performer and the material.