It’s Abba vs Bucks Fizz as the BBC keeps Eurovision fairytale alive

FOR its many fans, there is no night quite like it: the glamour, the drama, and – let’s face it – the alcohol.

But while the Eurovision Song Contest’s 2020 live show may have been killed off by coronavirus, the BBC is to keep the dream alive as it stages a battle of the titans, in which Abba will compete against Bucks Fizz for the honour of being crowned the all-time best song.

Fan favourites Dana International, Gina G and Conchita Wurst will go head-to-head for a Saturday night of fun, revisiting classic performances with host Graham Norton.

Eurovision: Come Together will invite the British public to take part in a live online vote to choose their all-time favourite song from the past 64 years.

The shortlist has been drawn up by industry experts and superfans, including Radio 2’s Ken Bruce and Eurovision semi-final commentators Rylan Clark-neal and Scott Mills. The BBC said panellists were asked to choose “Eurovision songs that you believe are modern-day classics or songs that have stood the test of time”.

“Please consider the overall package, ie the live performance, the staging, and the song,” the rules state.

The final shortlist will see Abba’s Waterloo from the 1974 contest take on Bucks Fizz’s Making Your Mind Up from 1981 and Katrina and the Waves’ 1997 winner Love Shine a Light.

Eurovision fans have already been recreating their favourite acts on video from home, due to be screened as part of the celebration.

Presenter Graham Norton, who normally commentates on the contest, will reveal the vote winner. Norton will also interview James Newman, who had been due to represent the UK at this year’s cancelled competition in Rotterdam. The event was officially cancelled in March as organisers said “the health of artists, staff, fans and visitors ... is at the heart of this decision”.

Eurovision: Come Together will be broadcast tonight on BBC One.