In a delightfully unexpected twist that’s got British telly fans buzzing, Doctor Who’s newest Time Lord, Ncuti Gatwa, is stepping into yet another iconic role – this time as the UK’s Eurovision spokesperson. And honestly? The timing couldn’t be more perfect.
The charismatic 32-year-old star will be delivering the UK’s jury points during Eurovision’s grand finale in Basel next month. He’s joining quite the impressive roster of previous spokespeople – think Dame Joanna Lumley with her razor-sharp wit and the ever-fabulous Nigella Lawson.
But here’s where things get properly interesting.
The BBC has cooked up something rather special for what they’re dubbing “Super Saturday” on May 17. While Gatwa prepares to don his spokesperson hat for the real Eurovision, viewers can catch him in a rather different musical adventure – “The Interstellar Song Contest,” a Eurovision-themed Doctor Who episode that promises to be exactly as bonkers as it sounds.
Picture this: The Doctor and his companion Belinda Chandra (played by the brilliant Varada Sethu) find themselves at the 803rd Interstellar Song Contest. And who better to help guide them through this cosmic celebration than Eurovision legend Graham Norton himself? Showrunner Russell T Davies couldn’t contain his excitement about Norton’s involvement, revealing that it’s “not just a cameo” – apparently, the beloved presenter has “a whole plot twist all to himself.”
The real Eurovision Song Contest, now in its 69th year, seems determined to match the Doctor’s adventures in terms of spectacle. Remember Monday, the UK’s hopefuls, will be performing their curiously titled track “What The Hell Just Happened?” – competing against 25 other nations for Eurovision glory. As one of the ‘big five,’ the UK’s already secured its spot in the finale, alongside host nation Switzerland.
For those keeping track (and really, who isn’t?), the remaining 20 finalists will emerge from the semi-finals on May 13 and 15. Only the top 10 from each night will make it through – no TARDIS-assisted second chances here.
Want to catch all the action? “The Interstellar Song Contest” drops on BBC iPlayer at 8am on May 17, serving as the perfect warm-up before Gatwa takes center stage at the actual Eurovision that evening at 8pm (BST) on BBC One.
It’s rather brilliant how the BBC has managed to weave together these two beloved institutions. One celebrates the universal language of music, while the other explores the infinite possibilities of space and time – and somehow, they’ve found the perfect connecting thread in Ncuti Gatwa. May 17 is shaping up to be quite the landmark moment in British entertainment history.
Who knows? Perhaps somewhere out there in the vast expanse of space and time, there really is an Interstellar Song Contest. Though one has to wonder if they’ve got anything quite like Eurovision’s famous douze points system…
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