The Stage

Beeb launches Eurovision Dance Contest

Published Friday 13 April 2007 at 15:50 by Alistair Smith

A ballroom dancing spin-off of the Eurovision Song Contest has been launched by the BBC in a bid to capitalise on the success of shows such as Strictly Come Dancing.

The Eurovision Dance Contest will feature dancers from 13 countries across Europe and will be screened on BBC1 this autumn, presented by Graham Norton. It will see professionals and amateurs competing against each other and will be screened live.

Viewers will be asked to vote on the overall performance - dancing, choreography, costume and choice of music, while there will be an expert commentator who will describe performance and artistic content.

BBC1 controller Peter Fincham commented: “The Eurovision Song Contest has been a remarkable, long-standing success on BBC1. Eurovision Dance Contest is its natural partner. I’m looking forward to an evening full of stars and sequins, and glitz and glamour - a great night of family entertainment on BBC1.”

The show is a co-production between Splash Media and Sunset + Vine, with assistance from the International DanceSport Federation and in association with the European Broadcasting Union. Jane Lush and Fenia Vardanis of Splash Media were the two main creators of the BBC’s recent Strictly Come Dancing.

Lush said: “We are in the midst of a dancing obsession in the UK and the Eurovision Dance Contest takes this to an international level.”