BBC announces senior Eurovision production team for…

BBC announces senior Eurovision production team for Liverpool

The BBC has revealed its senior Eurovision production team bringing the contest to Liverpool in 2023.

Traction for the competition is picking up with plans for local events starting to appear alongside the names of acts who will be flying the flag for their country. The BBC is adding to the excitement as it's just announced a massive line up of names - their senior Eurovision production team - who will be bringing the contest to Liverpool.

Directing the Semi-Finals and Grand Final is Nikki Parsons, Richard Valentine and Ollie Bartlett. Since 2006, Nikki has been series director of the BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing and has huge expertise in directing live entertainment shows in the UK and US.

Nikki has directed the BAFTA Film and TV Awards, Britain’s Got Talent, The MTV Asia Awards and was also one of the BBC’s directors for the coverage of both Queen Elizabeth II’s and the Duke of Edinburgh’s funerals.

Richard Valentine is a BAFTA and Royal Television Society award-winning multi camera director whose credits include Concert for Ukraine, Global Citizen London, One Love Manchester and Harry Styles at the BBC.

Meanwhile, Ollie Bartlett recently worked on Glastonbury, A Secret Night with Kylie Minogue, Soccer Aid, The Big Night of Musicals and was also one of the BBC’s directors on the coverage of Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral.

BBC Studios have also appointed Dan Shipton as lead creative director for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023. Dan will oversee various creative elements of the shows including the interval acts and the Flag Parade working collaboratively with German Nenov who has been appointed by Ukrainian broadcaster UA:PBC as their creative director.

Along with Marvin Dietmann he has also been the creative director of a number of Eurovision Song Contest performances including Sam Ryder in 2022.

Music director for the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 will be Kojo Samuel. Kojo will oversee the music production and arrangements on the show’s interval acts and the Flag Parade.

Julio Himede takes up the role of set designer for the 2023 Eurovision Song Contest. Julio has designed sets for many major events and TV shows. Credits include the 64th Annual Grammy Awards, the 2018-2021 MTV Video Music Awards and the 2016-2021 MTV EMAs.

As Head of Sound, BAFTA- winner Robert Edwards will bring his Eurovision experience to the 2023 event as he was previously Sound Supervisor for the 2018 Eurovision Song Contest in Lisbon. Credits including mxiing the world feeds for the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympic Games in Tokyo and Beijing, and was part of the Host Broadcaster Team for the recent World Cup Coverage in Qatar.

The lighting designer will be Tim Routledge. Tim is a multi-award winning lighting designer of BAFTA and Royal Television Society Awards. His credits include high profile live events and concerts such as Stormzy’s 2019 Glastonbury Festival set, Spice Girls ‘Spice World’ UK Stadium Tour and Beyonce’s ‘Formation’ World Tour.

Throughout the production, the team at BBC Studios are working closely in partnership with their Ukrainian counterparts at UA:PBC on all creative elements of the three live shows. Leading the team at UA:PBC are Oksana Skybinska (Ukrainian Eurovision head of delegation), Tetiana Semenova (executive producer of programmes and events in Ukraine) and German Nenov (creative director and music video director).

The previously announced lead production team for BBC Studios are Andrew Cartmell (executive producer), James O’Brien (exec in charge of production), Lee Smithurst (head of show) and Twan Van De Nieuwenhuijzen (head of contest).

Leading the entire project is managing director BBC, Martin Green CBE working with Rachel Ashdown, lead commissioner for the BBC.

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