EUROVISION'S 30 MOST CONTROVERSIAL MOMENTS. 
Part 30: 2020 (Cancellation).
This post concludes our retrospective. 

THE BIGGEST CONTROVERSIES

Of the

EUROVISION SONG CONTEST

(1956 - 2020)  

From its inaugural year, the Eurovision Song Contest has had more than its fair share of controversial moments. This is a special look back on 30 significant upsets in chronological order.

2020

Cancellation.

With almost 2 months to go to the start date, the 2020 Eurovision Song Contest has been cancelled. In light of the health risks caused by COVID-19, the EBU has pulled the plug on this year’s event. This is the first time the ESC has not gone ahead since its inception in 1956.

In the weeks leading up to the shock announcement, various contingency plans were considered. These included running the shows without a live audience. With the Coronavirus spreading across Europe, travelling to Rotterdam would pose too great a risk. Three of the ‘Big 5’ countries (Italy, France and Spain) are contending with exceptionally high numbers of cases and, in some locations, a significant death toll.

Hopefully, a vaccine will be developed and effectively limit the spread of COVID-19 in time for Eurovision to be held in 2021. Whether Rotterdam will choose to host the ESC next year is yet to be determined. 

A decision was later made regarding the individual entries and the acts that were to perform this year. New songs will be required for 2021 and individual countries have the option of being represented by the same performers selected for 2020 or another act.

This year's theme was - ironically- "open up". With many European cities now in lockdown and borders shut, a contest that was created to bring nations together will have to wait until (hopefully) 2021.