WHEN? 7pm Saturday 10/3/18 on NRK (link at the bottom of the preview)
This year’s Norwegian selection includes a former Eurovision winner, a past entrant and the writer behind one of Scandinavia’s biggest groups of the 90s in its ranks.
WHEN?: 7pm Saturday 3/3/18 on SVT (link to watch below)
WHERE?: Kristianstad
We’re very excited about the upcoming four duels that will see our eight-strong final become a dozen not least because some of our favourite songs compete again here.
WHEN?: 7pm (UK time) 24/2/18 on SVT (link at the bottom of the page below)
WHERE: Örnsköldsvik
Has this year’s been the worst Melodifestivalen ever?
WHEN?: 7pm (UK time) 17/2/18 on SVT (link at the bottom of the page below)
WHERE: Malmo
Melodifestivalen couldn’t be more split along gender lines with four male acts in the final and four female soloists in Andra Chansen – but we’re hopeful one of Dotter or Jessica Andersson will be going straight to the Friends Arena in Stockholm this weekend.
WHEN?: 3/3/18
We wouldn’t usually cover Finland’s Eurovision selection show, Uuden Musiikin Kilpailu (UMK), but we’re doing so this year because it has chosen UK X Factor runner-up Saara Aalto to sing each of three songs.
WHEN?: 7pm (UK time) 10/2/18 on SVT (link at the bottom of the page below)
WHERE: Gothenburg
This week’s heat boasts a very contemporary song which is our favourite entry so far but will the Swedes get behind a singer not from their own country?
WHEN?: 7pm (UK time) 3/2/18 on SVT (link at the bottom of the page below)
WHERE: Karlstad
It’s not unusual for heat 1 of Melodifestivalen to spring a song to beat and we definitely think there’s one here – and it probably is the one you were expecting.
WHEN?: BBC2 7/2/18 7.30pm
WHERE: Brighton Dome
We think this year’s UK Eurovision selection is the best since its 90s heyday (when Deuce were beaten by Love City Groove) and venture that there’s a potential Eurovision Song Contest winner in this year’s half dozen.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHEN: Final two episodes of eight air in the UK BBC2 9pm 6/1
On Sunday actresses Jessica Lange and Susan Sarandon (pictured from left above) are both shortlisted for the same award at the 75th Golden Globes.
WHEN: starts 9/9 BBC1 7pm, runs to 16/12
We saw the 24-year-old amputee win gold at the 2012 Paralympics and 2017 World Championships at the London Stadium. He’s a credit to his sport, athletes often do well in Strictly and, perhaps because of his obvious disadvantage, we’ll be rooting for him to win.
