This Year's Eurovision Song Contest Has Been Canceled

by Christopher Rudolph 3/18/2020

If you love campy over-the-top pop numbers, then we have some bad news: This year’s Eurovision Song Contest has been canceled.

This marks the first time the televised contest will not be held since its inception in 1956.

“Over the past few weeks we have explored many alternative options to allow the Eurovision Song Contest to go ahead,” the European Broadcasting Union, which organizes the event, announced Wednesday. “It is impossible to continue with the live event as planned.”

“We are all heartbroken that the Eurovision Song Contest will not be able to be staged in May but feel confident that the whole Eurovision family, across the world, will continue to provide love and support for each other at this difficult time,” the statement continued.

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It is with deep regret that we have to announce the cancellation of the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 in Rotterdam. . Over the past few weeks we have explored many alternative options to allow the Eurovision Song Contest to go ahead. . However the uncertainty created by the spread of COVID-19 throughout Europe – and the restrictions put in place by the governments of the participating broadcasters and the Dutch authorities – means the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) has taken the difficult decision that it is impossible to continue with the live event as planned. . We are very proud that the Eurovision Song Contest has united audiences every year, without interruption, for the past 64 years and we, like the millions of fans around the world, are extremely saddened that it cannot take place in May. . The EBU, NPO, NOS, AVROTROS and the City of Rotterdam will continue a conversation regarding the hosting of the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021. . We would ask people to bear with us while we work through the ramifications of this unprecedented decision and patiently await any further news in the coming days and weeks. . We would like to pay tribute to all the host broadcaster team in the Netherlands and our 41 Members who have worked so hard on planning this year’s event. . We are all as heartbroken as they are that the Eurovision Song Contest will not be able to be staged in May and know that the whole Eurovision family, across the world, will continue to provide love and support for each other at this difficult time.

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It is still being decided whether this year’s selected artists—like Swedish favorites The Mamas—will be allowed to perform their submitted songs in 2021.

The EBU said “it is currently too early to discuss any specifics regarding the event next year.”

The Eurovision final was set to be held on May 16 in Rotterdam, Netherlands. The country is currently on lockdown in an effort to stop the coronavirus from spreading.

Eurovision, which ABBA famously won in 1974, is always a queer spectacle. Trans Israeli singer Dana International took home top honors in 1998, and Austrian drag queen Conchita Wurst won in 2014. Last year’s event included cyber-bullied gay French competitor Bilal Hassani and queer BDSM techno band Hatari from Iceland; bisexual Dutch singer Duncan Laurence took top honors.