What is Eurovision, and where and when is the 2024 final taking place?

The semi-finals and grand final of the 68th Eurovision Song Contest will take place next week in Sweden.

The UK automatically qualifies for the final, so although singer Olly Alexander will perform Britain’s entry Dizzy at the first semi-final, he will not be competing.

Israel’s participation has been criticised and the country had to revise its original song, which breached political-neutrality rules.

The Eurovision Song Contest is an annual televised songwriting competition which is organised by The European Broadcasting Union (EBU).

Songs must be original and no more than three minutes long.

Lead vocals must be performed live, and a maximum of six singers and dancers can be on stage during the performance.

Most Eurovision countries are European, but Australia takes part every year after being invited to send an act to the 2015 contest for Eurovision’s 60th anniversary celebrations.

However, Australia cannot host. If it ever won, it would have to nominate a European nation to stage the contest on its behalf.

Other non-European countries including Israel are allowed to participate because they are members of the EBU.

She became the first woman to win the contest twice, after triumphing in 2012 with Euphoria.

This is the seventh time the contest has been held in Sweden, and the third occasion it has been staged in Malmo.

The contest will be hosted by actor Malin Åkerman and presenter and comedian Petra Mede, who was also at the helm in 2013 and 2016.

The grand final will be held in the Malmo Arena on Saturday 11 May.

The semi-finals will take place on Tuesday 7 and Thursday 9 May.

Sweden, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK are guaranteed places in the final, so do not compete in either semi-final.

However, for the first time, the host country and the “big five” will perform their songs during the semi-finals.

Fifteen countries will compete in the first semi-final on Tuesday 7 May, including Croatia, Ireland, Ukraine and Australia. OIly Alexander will perform Dizzy during the show.

Sixteen countries will feature in the second semi-final on Thursday 9 May, including Austria, Denmark, Greece and Israel.

Sweden will be the first country to perform in the grand final after a random draw.

Alexander is well-known around Europe for hits including Desire, King and If You’re Over Me.

He is also a Bafta-nominated actor, having played the lead role in Channel 4’s hard-hitting Aids drama It’s A Sin.

The lyrics now tell the story of a woman experiencing a personal crisis, according to Israel’s public broadcaster, Kan.

Separately, musicians and organisations from a number of participating countries have called for Israel to be suspended over the war in Gaza.

Iceland’s Association of Composers and Lyricists published a statement saying Israel’s military action made its participation incompatible with an event “characterised by joy and optimism”.

Responding to an open letter from more than 450 LGBTQ artists, individuals and groups, he expressed his wish for peace but said he believed in the unifying power of music.

Eurovision organisers have resisted calls for Israel’s exclusion, saying the situations in Ukraine and Gaza are different.

The EBU has also said that abuse and harassment of artists over Israel’s participation in the competition is “unacceptable and totally unfair”.

The semi-finals are decided entirely by a public vote from competing countries and people in the rest of the world.

Audiences in the UK, Germany, Sweden and the other countries which are not competing in either semi-final can vote as part of the “rest of the world” category.

For the final, every country which qualifies awards two sets of scores: one from a jury of experts and one by fans.

Each of their 10 favourite songs is given points – but they cannot vote for their own country’s song.

Their favourite act receives 12 points, their second-favourite 10 points, their third choice eight points, and then seven points, and so on, down to one point for their 10th favourite.

Eurovision was one of the first televised competitions to let viewers vote.

Fans in Austria, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK began voting by phone in 1997.

The rest of the world was allowed to vote in 2023, with points given to the 10 most popular songs worldwide.

Each participating broadcaster pays an entrance fee to the EBU. France, Germany, Italy, Spain and UK pay the most, although the BBC does not make its contribution public.

BBC News was told that other countries were asked to pay more after Russia’s suspension. Three countries pulled out of the 2023 contest as a result.

It is thought staging the 2023 event in Liverpool cost the BBC between £8m and £17m. The UK government pledged £10m towards operational costs, while local authorities in Liverpool committed £4m.