By Neil Durham
WHEN?: Saturday 22 February 2025 7pm UK time
WHERE?: Malmö Arena, Malmö
Zelmerlöw is the big favourite to win MF for a 2nd time after triumphing in 2015 with Heroes which finished 3rd in the Eurovision televote behind Italy and Russia but went on to triumph.
WHEN?: Tuesday 28 January, Thursday 30 January through Saturday 1 February 2025
WHERE?: Palau Municipal d’Esports l’Illa de Benidorm
Spain achieved its best Eurovision result for 27 years with the 1st winner of Benidorm Fest – Chanel’s SloMo was 3rd – but the last 2 years have seen finishes in 17th and 22nd.
By Neil Durham
WHEN?: Saturday 15 February 2025 7pm UK time
WHERE?: ABB Arena, Västerås
Will it be 4th time lucky for a girl band with a rotating membership to rival the UK’s own Sugababes?
By Neil Durham
WHEN?: Saturday 8 February 2025 7pm UK time
WHERE?: Scandinavium, Gothenburg
Hammarström has made the finalen in each of her last 2 Melodifestivalens and has co-written an entry with 4 of the authors of 2023 Eurovision winner Tattoo.
By Neil Durham
WHEN?: Saturday 1 February 2025 7pm UK time
WHERE?: Coop Norrbotten Arena, Luleå
Melodifestivalen turns 65 this year, in 2024 gave us Unforgettable Norwegian twins Marcus and Martinus as victors and we see them live in London in March, the biggest compliment we can pay an act.
You can vote for Steve Pemberton (The Pillowman, Duke Of York’s Theatre) and Reece Shearsmith’s (The Unfriend, Criterion Theatre) genius 9th and final TV series of Inside No 9 to win Best TV of 2024. The anthology show’s theatre incarnation Inside No 9 Stage/Fright arrives at the Wyndhams Theatre for a run 18 January through 5 April 2025. Tickets Our review
Weaver who starred in the original Alien movies but not this year’s fine newcomer to the franchise Alien: Romulus makes her West End debut as Prospero in this Jamie Lloyd (Romeo and Juliet, Duke Of York’s Theatre) version of The Tempest which we’ve previously seen starring Simon Russell Beale at the Barbican in 2017. Will it be ‘such stuff as dreams are made?’ Runs at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane 7 December through 1 February 2025. Tickets Our review
‘A handbag …?’ New Doctor Who Gatwa stars alongside Best Theatre Actress monsta winner Sharon D Clarke (Caroline, Or Change?, Hampstead Theatre and TV’s Lost Boys and Fairies) and Hugh Skinner (The Trial, Young Vic and film Wicked Little Letters) in Max Webster’s (Minority Report, Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith) production of the Oscar Wilde classic comedy at the National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre 20 November through 25 January 2025. Tickets Vote for Doctor Who to win Best TV of 2024. Our Earnest review
Director Robert Icke gave us Oresteia (Almeida Theatre) and reimagines another Ancient Greek tragedy starring Mark Strong and Lesley Manville (Talking Heads, Bridge Theatre and film Back To Black) at the Wyndham’s Theatre 4 October through 4 January 2024. Tickets Our review
By Carron Stacey, A Humdrum Mum
Who will be the special guests at this year’s Victorious Festival in Portsmouth on Bank Holiday?
