UK’s Eurovision Song Contest future addressed by host Alesha Dixon after 'losing faith’ in show

Alesha Dixon, who hosted the Eurovision Song Contest backmost successful 2023, has spoken candidly astir what the aboriginal holds for the UK erstwhile it comes to the celebrated planetary euphony competition.

The Britain's Got Talent justice presented the amusement successful Liverpool past twelvemonth alongside Ted Lasso’s Hannah Waddingham, Ukrainian vocalist Julia Sanina and Irish tv presenter Graham Norton, who joined for the final.

Strictly Come Dancing victor Alesha wowed audiences worldwide with her presenting skills successful the twelvemonth that vocalist Mae Muller represented the UK with her way I Wrote A Song.

Despite Sam Ryder’s epic show of SPACE MAN securing a metallic medal for the UK the erstwhile year, Mae finished successful 25th place, with Germany coming past successful 26th.

This was a instrumentality to Britain’s accustomed scoring, arsenic we typically thin to fertile astatine the bottommost of the leaderboard. 2024 was nary different, with Years & Years vocalist Olly Alexander finishing successful 18th place.

In an exclusive chat with the Mirror and different Reach publications astir the caller Media, Broadcast and Production T-level, Breathe Slow vocalist Alesha opened up astir however the UK’s cognition towards Eurovision has changed implicit the years.

“I grew up watching Eurovision,” she revealed. “It was a monolithic lawsuit successful my house; we loved it.

“But I person to beryllium honorable - and I deliberation a batch of radical would hold with this - I deliberation determination were rather a fewer years wherever a batch of radical successful the UK mislaid religion successful Eurovision, didn't they?” Alesha reflected.

“They benignant of felt like, ‘Oh, we ne'er person a chance.’ And I don't deliberation we got down it arsenic much… But I consciousness similar it's had a monolithic resurgence, and I deliberation radical person fallen successful emotion with it again.

“I deliberation since we had Sam Ryder and, obviously, the Eurovision that we hosted connected behalf of Ukraine, I consciousness similar the British nationalist has fallen successful emotion with Eurovision again,” the Boy Does Nothing vocalist reflected.

“And actually, immoderate of the euphony and the endowment that came from it was conscionable incredible. My children were listening to the soundtrack to Eurovision for months aft the amusement finished.

“There were tons of unthinkable artists and, honestly, that was 1 of the champion things I've ever hosted successful my life.

“We had to rehearse truthful galore times with it being specified a large show. The shows were 2 hours long, the last was 4 hours long, and we were moving connected axenic adrenaline, but it was really… I've ne'er experienced thing similar it.

“There was truly peculiar vigor each week,” she enthused. “I mean, I speech astir the ‘Strictly bubble’, but wow. The Euro imaginativeness bubble was next-level.

“It was conscionable the astir colourful, joyful, unifying world to beryllium a portion of, and I consciousness genuinely honoured that I got to big it. And however beauteous to big alongside 2 different women arsenic well.”

She past added: “It was conscionable a week-long enactment - euphony is what brought everyone together. You know, you don't spot that often. It's truly special.

“I mean, we unrecorded successful truly turbulent times, truthful erstwhile we get these moments wherever euphony unifies countries and radical and there's conscionable joy, we've truly got to clasp those moments.”

Elsewhere successful the interview, Alesha opened up astir her vocation successful the amusement manufacture and the caller qualifications that volition let young radical to bash the aforesaid successful a supportive environment.

The ITV prima has joined the T-team – a radical of celebrities hailing T-levels arsenic a game-changing qualification. Alesha is championing the brand-new Media, Broadcast and Production T-level, launched crossed England this September.

New stats amusement that 73% of radical judge the routes and opportunities into the originative industries are closed disconnected to many, portion 86% of parents would consciousness much assured successful their kid pursuing a originative vocation if they knew much astir the opportunities available.

Alesha branded the run “really exciting”, explaining: “Before I really got into the amusement industry, I wanted to beryllium a teacher, and I perfectly emotion going into schools and speaking with young people.

“This run truly spoke to me,” she continued, “So I've joined the T-team experts and we’re present to rise consciousness connected the benefits of T-levels for 16 to 19 twelvemonth olds.

“I would person loved thing similar this erstwhile I was younger,” Alesha admitted. “I deliberation there's tons of stigma astir moving successful Media and Broadcast and production. I deliberation astir apt a batch of parents deliberation that to get into media, it's astir who you cognize alternatively than what you know.

“But T-levels truly assistance the lid connected that - this is simply a bona fide mode into the manufacture wherever your children tin beryllium hands-on, moving connected an manufacture placement with the employer, and learning real-life skills successful the schoolroom that are past transferable to the existent world. I conscionable deliberation it's a superb idea.”

Alesha added: “If you were a young person, knowing that you're going to beryllium retired determination successful the existent world, moving successful an manufacture that you aspire to beryllium in, it would beryllium ace exciting.

Pointing retired that the qualification is besides beneficial to employers, she noted: “And of course, these courses are tailor-made for what the employers request and want, truthful it's a wholly bespoke qualification successful that sense.”

She besides spoke of her ain acquisition erstwhile she started retired successful the amusement industry, recalling: “I deliberation it's important to animate young radical and springiness them options, due to the fact that I conscionable deliberation radical truly spot the amusement manufacture arsenic otherworldly. I cognize I did increasing up; I thought it was Mars.

“I didn't adjacent cognize it was imaginable to beryllium successful the amusement industry, truthful I deliberation we've got to assistance the lid connected that and amusement parents that determination are steps you tin take that volition springiness you the assurance that your kid is doing the close thing.

“Ultimately, it's astir fulfilling a passion, and that's wherever my passionateness comes from. You get 1 life; you privation to bash thing with your beingness that gives you satisfaction.”

I deliberation a batch of radical are tense and fearful, truthful they possibly take a safer route,” she reflected. “Or they don't spell for their dreams due to the fact that they're not definite that it's possible.

“So I deliberation erstwhile it comes to the originative industries, we've got to promote radical to spell for it, due to the fact that I deliberation a batch of radical take to locomotion distant due to the fact that they don’t cognize however how to spell astir it.

“But the originative manufacture truthful exciting!” she enthused. “There are truthful galore options and truthful galore jobs disposable for young people. I ever travel from the viewpoint of being passionate astir the originative industries, being passionate astir young radical and showing them what's possible.”

Parents tin find much accusation and entree escaped resources by visiting the T-level info website at: www.tlevelinfo.org.uk

Eurovision volition instrumentality to BBC One and BBC iPlayer successful May 2025.