Graham Norton speaks out on Australian Commentators

Following Terry Wogan's retirement from the sequined satin chair, it's all change in the Eurovision Commentary boxes.

The UK's new commentator Graham Norton met up with Australia's new commentary team Julia Zemiro and Sam Peng, and this is what Graham had to say afterwards listen.

Graham's comment about the relative size of the two commentary teams is meant purely ironically. In fact the BBC has sent a team of four commentators, two for the Semi-Finals, Graham for the Finals only, and another commentator for Radio commentary. This commentary team is supported by a team of press people, engineers and other minions who do all the preparatory work for them.

The Australian team consists of the two Commentators plus a producer and cameraman. Julia and Sam had to carry her own equipment up the many steps to the top of the Olympic stadium and have spent the last few days dashing round Moscow getting interviews at the artists' hotels.

Julia was last seen cadging a Metro ticket from the Australian Radio correspondant in order to get back to the Eurovision venue (Julia, if you're reading this, I would like my Metrocard back please, it's still got some trips left on it!)

All Rise for the Australian Entry to the Eurovision

Sakis Rouvas is no stranger to the Eurovision, having sung at the contest for Greece in 2004 and even co-hosted the event in Athens back in 2006. This year he is back as the singer and he contrasted his roles thus listen.

When the journalists wondered if he felt nervous, he replied that for him it is no longer relevant, since all the experience he had gained in the course of his 19-year-long singing career and of the Eurovision contest had made him immune to any kind of anxiety. Now he can afford to do it just for the fun of it.

Composer Dimitris Kontopoulos paid tribute to the two Australian lyricists Cameron Giles-Webb and Craig Porteils who wrote the words for the song listen.

Viewed by many as a favorite of the competition, Anastasios Rouvas admitted that it is the audience that can grade a singer in the best way. “One person can be wrong, but many people never,” he added.

• Preview the Greek Music Video and Stage Show


• Vote for Greece in the Australian Radio Televote.


• Watch Greece, 13th song in the Second Semi-Final on SBS Australia

The Greece delegation was represented by: Mariza Fakli (Head of Delegation), Agis Menoutis (assistant Head of Delegation), Ioannis Kalimeris (advisor), lead artist Anastasios Rouvas (performer), backing artists Anna Maria Margretha Nilsson, Anna Maria Andersson and Alexandros Panayi, dancers Gergios Papadopoulos and Nikolaos Marianos, Dimitris Kontopoulos (composer), Irina Mansourova (choreographer).

Australia now eligible for the Asia-Pacific Eurovision

The coverage area of the planned Asian version of the Eurovision Song Contest has been extended to include Australia and the entire Asia-Pacific region. The event has also been renamed from "AsiaVision" to "Our Sound, The Asia-Pacific Song Contest 2009".

This means we could see Australian participation in the first contest due in November 2009 - provided one of the Australian networks agrees to take part.

More on this breaking story as it develops. Visit the organizers' website.